Document Management Solutions for Cost Savings and Business Growth

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Document Management
Cost Savings Solutions
COLIN THOMPSON
IGNITING YOUR BUSINESS

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Document Management - Cost Savings Solutions
By
Dr. COLIN THOMPSON
Improving the quality of systems is necessary to accelerate with impact organisations in the
21
st
century. The competition for customers is getting fierce. Customers want and expect much
more from company personnel. This publication will help you to improve your skills in
empowering people to deliver quality service excellence of `The Management of Printing and
Business Processing that includes all hard and soft documents to raise the `bottom-line`.
This publication will help you understand the `Hidden overhead that will be affecting your
business and every organisation globally that will impact an increase in the `bottom-line`.
Businesses that invest in people and systems will `win`, because they care more than other
organisations. Each company should care about its personnel and business systems. The
world is about dedication to the people and business models environment, since it is people
and business models that make companies work, technology only helps people and the
business models carry out their job more efficiently.
Becoming the best, so to àccelerate with impact your business growth`, I have set out to fulfil
several objectives;
* To remind Directors of some of the basic principles that you need to invest in people and
business models.
* To establish a framework for the detailed review of all aspects of the day-to-day operations of
the business, leading to the identification of problem areas and the development of action
plans to improve performance and accelerate with impact the company.
* To establish guide lines and methods of planning to ensure the long - term growth and
prosperity of the company and for the company to stay in business longer because of the
quality of its people and business models.
The accent throughout is on common sense and simplicity, with an avoidance of management
gimmicks and minimum use of jargon.
Busines life is about dialogue that we àll` understand and respond to. So make the playing
field equal, so all people understand the language used and the action to take, to receive and
accept, so business life is successful for àll` involved.
Yes, you can achieve all things in life by your attitude to be positive, you have the solution in
you, so go forward and use it now and be successful in your business growth.
Improving business efficiencies using Document Management with the objective of savings in
time and cost.
"Only one yardstick could be selected for the measurement of business progress, it might well be the
business document; in this day and age every business is erected on a foundation of paper"
Edward N. Rausch

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BY
Dr. COLIN THOMPSON
Cavendish
Kings Court
School Road
Hall Green
Birmingham
B28 8JG
UK
Telephone: + 44 (0) 121 244 1802
Fax: + 44 (0) 121 733 2902
email: info@cavendish-mr.org.uk
Website: www.cavendish-mr.org.uk
© Copyright 2008 Colin Thompson
First Edition 2008
The material contained in this book is set out in good faith for general
guidance and no liability can be accepted for loss or expense incurred as a
result of relying in particular circumstances on statements made in the book.
The Laws and Regulations are complex and liable to change, and readers
should check the current position with the relevant authorities before making
personal arrangements.
PROVIDING THE SOLUTIONS FOR SUCCESS

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Contents
PAGE
Profile Colin Thompson 5
Executive Summary 7
A Winning Attitude Leads To Success 8
The Managing of Printing and Business Processing 9
An Introduction to Document Management and Control 16
Document Control - Saves Time and Money 20
Simplified Communications 23
Document Management is Vital in Today's Business Operation 26
Print Outsourced - Out Smarted 33
The Partnership Principle 35
Strategic Alliances 39
The Forms/Document Industry 45
The Content Management System 49
Leading Change To Today's Organisation 54
For Your Success - More Get Up and Go is Required 74
"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
Walter Bagehot, British author, economist (1826-1877)

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PROFILE
COLIN THOMPSON
Colin Thompson has over 30 years experience as Managing Director. His
career to date has given him a complete exposure to business management
and management of people. He has wide experience in PLC and private
company’s in top level management of increasing sales/profit. Also,
turnaround and re-engineering experience linked to new corporate identities
and successful mergers/take-overs. Plus, developed many business models to
increase profitability and the retention of employees, customers and suppliers.
Technical skills/knowledge
 Directorships
Chairman
Managing Director
Director-Print Management and Workflow Solutions
Director-Operations/Customer Service and Marketing
Director-Financial and Administration
Non-Executive Director
 Professor - European Business School, Cambridge, UK
 Chairman - Oxford College of Management Studies
 Former Group Chairman of The Academy for Chief Executives
 Initiated New Corporate Identities, also Managing Director:
Datagraphic Inc. UK, division of USA Group
Forms UK plc (now etrinsic plc) division of InnerWorks Inc.USA
WH Smith PLC - Print/Distribution and Workflow Solutions
Kenrick & Jefferson Group Ltd
Mail Solutions Group Ltd, division of SSWH PLC

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 Able to successful bring new Products and Services to market i.e.
a) Set up new UK `green field` manufacturing/distribution/workflow
systems organisations and market new Products and Services.
b) Research, development and design of a Print Management Service,
including writing a book `Print Management and Workflow Solutions`,
plus many other publications and business models.
c) Produced CD-ROM `Interpreting Accounts for the Non-Financial
Manager`- adapted from my two-day course for Anderson’s-Chartered
Accountants for their clients. Plus other business and education
models to increase productivity, retention of customers, employees and
suppliers that increased net profit and cash flow.
My training and knowledge has enabled me to take an overall view of an
organisation, its operations and strategy. Also, to understand with a degree of
competence in a wide variety of business skills and functions. I have dealt with
challenges at a high level of complexity, especially those that cut across the
common functional divisions of business. Developed several business models
to raise the `bottom-line`.
Education: BA, MBA, DBA, CPA, FFA, MCIPD, MCIJ
My experiences and knowledge have enabled me to write and have published
over 400 articles, several books, guides, research reports, and several
CD’s/Software on business and educational models plus speaking at
International Conferences and Visiting University Professor.
DDL: + 44 (0) 121 244 0306
Mobile: + 44 (0) 7831 588310
Main T: + 44 (0) 121 244 1802
email: colin@cavendish-mr.org.uk
Website: www.cavendish-mr.org.uk

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Executive Summary
There has been considerable talk about business needs over recent years and the approach to the
quality of people, systems and business models. We have all heard the saying ` business is simple,
but people make it difficult`. The reason for this statement is that businesses, of all sizes, do not put
enough time, effort and money into improving the quality of people, systems and business models so
they can accelerate with impact the business growth for long term benefits.
Improving the quality of people, systems and business models is necessary to take companies
through the 21
st
century. The competition for customers is fierce. Customers want and expect much
more from company employees, the systems and business models implemented. I believe that the
contents of this publication will help you to improve your skills in empowering your people to deliver
quality and service excellence that will impact an increase on the `bottom-line`.
We need a new, positive approach to customer care throughout the business environment. Everything
we do must be calculated in terms of whether it helps or hinders your efforts to look after your
customers externally and internally. We must get closer to the customer. The customer is `king`, and I
hope that the contents of this publication will help you win those customers (externally and internally)
who want the best service. The management of all hard and soft documents is so important to improve
the way you operate the business more efficiently and effectively to improve the `bottom-line`.
Businesses that invest in people, systems and business models will `win`, because they care more
than other organisations. Each company should care about its personnel, systems and business
models. The whole contents of this publication is dedicated to the people environment and business
models, since it is people and business models that make companies work, technology only helps the
people carry out their job more efficiently.
It is the business and personal goals that produce the rigour and thought that lead to the production of
a plan that will improve company and individual performances.
Simply put, the goal structure is as shown below:
Distinctive Capability - The clutch of skills or competencies that distinguishes the company from the
competition and will enable it to seize the opportunities that arise in the future - whatever they may be.
Market/Product - The focus of application for the company's skills and competencies.
Identify - Communicating a clear, positive perception and image of the company to each of the
audiences who are important to its future wellbeing.
People - Organising the skills and competencies of the company to meet the needs of the customers
both now and in the future.
Profit/Performance - Defining the results expected.
! - Customising the strategy to meet the special needs of an organisation and the individual.
"It is not the mountain we counter, but ourselves."
Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealand mountaineer and explorer (b.1919)

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`A WINNING ATTITUDE LEADS TO SUCCESS`
(Every one in the company should have one!)
Winners are people that strive to be all they can be, and will go to great lengths to reach there
potential. An internal burning desire drives them to be successful. They possess a positive attitude
and can focus their energy. They become stimulated by the challenge of creating the future they want
and then act to complete the task. You need the `right` people to implement any business model to
improve the `bottom-line` of your organisation.
Creating a winning attitude comes from first setting clear, concise and attainable goals. The objective
of goal setting is to provide a clear sense of direction and to properly plan and organise events and
performance.
The next step is to establish a positive self-image. We can attain this through a personal vision of
successful future accomplishments, acting confident and being proactive. Other steps include
monitoring your performance against your targets as this would motivate you to give an extra effort if
you are falling short of measured goals.
Finally, reminding yourself of your victories will reinforce a positive attitude and maintain a winning
state of mind. When results do not materialise as planned, a winning attitude helps to look towards the
next time and next opportunity. Attitude is the difference between a non-win and a failure. A person
only fails when he or she quits. Trying again means that he or she has learned one way in which they
cannot achieve the goals. But striving to be successful takes attitude! Be passionate for success and
your disciples will make it happen! This business model of `The Management of Printing and Business
Processing` that includes all hard and soft documents to raise the `bottom-line` is a requirement for all
organisations to be more successful and have total control of this hidden overhead.
"The greatest discovery of any age is that a human being can alter his/her life by altering his/her
attitude."
William James, US philosopher, psychologist (1842-1910)

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The Management of Printing and Business Processing that includes all hard
and soft documents to raise the `bottom-line`
The Hidden overhead that will be affecting your business and every organisation globally!
What is `The Print Management Service Programme`?
My definition of a Print Management Service, Documents and Forms are`the systematic process of
increasing productivity and minimising errors in information capture, transmission and recovery
through the use of work flow analysis and graphic design techniques; providing administration control;
reducing procurement, storage, distribution and costs through standardisation; and ensuring the
adequacy, business as well as legal, of all records and printed material`.
Even with a definition as long as that, explaining Print Management Service, Documents and Forms
and is never easy. This is especially true when the term `Documents Management`, `Forms
Management` and `Print Management` are constantly used and abused. The concept has often been
a way for vendors to sell more printing.
Some vendors provide warehousing, distribution and inventory reports, and call this either
Documents/Forms/Print Management. But there is not a provision in this method for Print
Management/Documents/Forms analysis, improved design and many of the Print/Documents/Forms
functions. The `true` Print Management Service programme covers many aspects of business process
and the specialist is very knowledgeable about how business models operate to help you achieve
maximum return.
Other vendors provide design services and some control functions but no warehousing and
distribution. Without a close watch on inventories, it is difficult to plan combination orders or reduce the
incidence of rush/emergency orders due to depleted stocks.
Still, other vendors provide all these services but they are interested in only high volume
Print/Documents/Forms. If, the vendor representative is not as concerned about the
print/documents/forms that use 1000 copies a year as he/she is about the high volume
print/documents/forms, the enormous clerical expense associated with print/documents/forms is not
addressed. This is not `true` Print/Documents/Forms Management. So be careful you appoint a
specialist with skills/experience and the knowledge of business models to help your business become
successful.
Briefly stated, Print/Documents/Forms Management is involved with the elimination of paperwork and
an improvement in clerical efficiency, both leading to a reduction in company's expenses. If you think
print/documents/forms costs are insignificant, think again.
"95% of all information is stored on paper, only 1% of information is stored on computer, 4% is stored
on microfilm or optical disk (as digital data)!" Over the last 20 years optical disk and digital systems
have increased in importance. "66% of all jobs belong to white collar or` knowledge workers`, and this
level is predicted to reach 90% by the year 2010. 75% of all salary costs go to office workers. These
knowledge workers produce no product but deal with information as their out put. Focus on the
process of creating the document and conveying the productive output (information) of the knowledge
worker can substantially increase productivity and lower costs". The `true` Print Management Service
Programme achieves maximum savings that drop to the `bottom-line`.
Managing the print/documents/forms of business, including business print/documents/forms, is one
method of affecting the companies `bottom-line`. One of the best ways to ` focus on the process of
creating the print/document/form and conveying` it, is through an effective Print/Documents/Forms
Management Service Programme. How then does one implement Print/Documents/Forms
Management? What are the components of a Print/Documents/Forms Management Service
Programme?

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For the purpose of this publication we will call the system, `The Print Management Service
Programme` as the generic name. This name is used by most of the `specialists` who offer a
Print/Documents/ Forms Management Service Programme.
This publication will provide some of the basic answers to these questions. In the first part I will
address document/form analysis and document/form design; and in the second part I will address
document/form control, and warehousing/distribution. Please note a good `Print Management Service
Programme` must include all these components.
Document/Form Analysis and Design
I will define the difference between document/form analysis and document/form design.
Document/form analysis is` the systematic execution of those steps necessary to ensure that
productivity is increased in preparation, use, buying and retrieval; the total number of
documents/forms within the system is minimised; data element relationships are apparent through
consistency and adherence to standards; the effectiveness of the entire system as well as the
individual document/form is enhanced; and the resulting business tool communicates`.
Document/form design is termed as `design analysis` and that in addition to resulting in the design
layout, (it) increases productivity by creating a basic business tool which is self instructive, encourages
co-operation response, provides for easy entry of data, reduces the potential for error, facilitates the
use of the information, and enhances the organisations image.
Document/Form Analysis vs Document/Form Design
Document/Form analysis resolves what goes on the document/form, while document/form design
continues the analysis until it resolves how to best arrange and present the information.
Or another way to look at it, document/form analysis determines who, what, when, where, why and
how the document/form is used. Document/Form design, on the other hand, decides how the
document/form looks and how it is constructed.
Good work in analysis and design can speed a document/form programme to its goal of eliminating
paperwork and improving clerical efficiency, both leading to a reduction in company's expenses.
As a basic tool of clerical operations, thoroughly analysed and well designed documents/forms provide
many benefits. They look good, and better-looking documents/forms have more appeal. Well-analysed
and designed documents/forms provide for easy entry of data and allow for easier use of the data.
They reduce the chance of error when entering or retrieving information. They are self-instructing.
It is a good idea to have a `document/form initiation request` to force (persuade) the sponsor to give
the document/form and its use some thought. The document/form initiation request gives basic
information about the document/form, who initiated it, who authorised it, when it will be used. The
request document/form gives the document/form analyst a place to start the analysis and to ask the
old journalism questions of who, what, when and where.
What is the purpose of the document/form? Question and need of the document/form should always
be the first step in document/form analysis. Dr. Ben Graham, an international expert in productivity
analysis, relates a key anecdote to illustrate this point. While he was working in Venezuela with a
manufacturing company which wanted to streamline its entire operation? After careful analysis of all
documents/forms as they related to the workflow, one document/form remained unidentified. Although
it was duly completed, routed and filed and it had been for many years, no one really knew why it was
being used. It just always had. After much research, it was determined that the document/form had
been used during World War Two so that the manufactured goods could be loaded on a ship that was
to join a convoy crossing the Atlantic. Remember this was 1973 and the usefulness of this
document/form had ceased. Moral of the story always determines the purpose first to see if the
document/form is even needed.

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Who initiates the document/form? Is it one person or one department within the company or many
persons/departments? Is it always the same person? Does it stay in the originating department?
Perhaps many people within the company who may not have detailed instructions or policy manuals
initiate it. Is it a public use document/form such as a credit card application, hospital admission, or
utility application?
Who receives the document/form? All the same questions apply for the receivers as the initiators.
Does the document/form go outside the company? or if so, are there logo type and graphic standards
that must be considered?
When is the document/form completed? Daily, weekly, monthly, annually?
Where is the document/form used? Is it a clean, well-lighted office? Or perhaps a manufacturing
environment full of oils or chemicals? Maybe it is a shipping or receiving area, which is poorly lighted
and dusty.
Where is the document/form stored? Is it in an office or in a non air-conditioned warehouse?
How have the most questions of all. How does the document/form work with other documents/forms?
Is their information copied from or to it? Is information from this document/form keyed into a computer
system? Is the information sequence correct and are the captions the same? Does it work with bar
codes or MICR? How is the document/form completed, by hand or by machine, such as a typewriter,
word processor, or computer? How is the document/form distributed? In what sequence are the copies
removed? Are the copies legible, are the copies separated manually or is the process mechanised?
Do people make copies? Do recipients use their copies? How is the document/form filed? Does it go
into a binder or folder? If it needs hole punching. What size and how many holes? Is the
document/form the right size for the file? What is the filing reference-serial number? company name,
customer name?
There are many checklists in the literature from the `true` Print Management Service specialist to help
with questions such as these.
To restate them, document/form analysis determines how the document/form is used and all its
ramifications. Once this is done and the document/form sponsor supplies the document/form content,
the next step is document/form design.
Document/Form Design
Document/Form design makes use of all information gathered about the document/form to arrange the
data fields and construct the document/form for best use. First, there are technical components based
on international standards or proven research. These are such issues as paper sizes, paperweights,
colour, legibility, type sizes and measurements.
Second, there are convention and proven practices such as data sequence going from top to bottom,
and left to right, typeface selection and design consistency among documents/forms.
Third is corporate identity, applying the logotype correctly and using designated type styles.
Fourth is the creation design component, there is not just one way to design a document/form. Just
because two document/form designs are different, it does not mean that one is better than the other is.
Although a requesting department is depending on Print Management design and analysis, it must be
remembered that only the document/form sponsor can know whether or not a document/form is
needed. Only the sponsor knows when a document/form should be kept in use, only the sponsor
knows what information is required on the document/form. The role of Print Management is to ensure
that good analysis and design skills have been used during the document/form creation and that it
conforms to corporate standards.

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Remember document/form analysis and designs are integral parts of a comprehensive Print
Management programme. Document/form automation via electronic document/form requires even
more thorough analysis prior to design. In addition to all the considerations addressed in this
publication concerning conventional documents/forms, a host of other issues come into play when
designing an electronic document/form. Just a few of these issues are determining interaction with
databases, structure for intelligent or conditional movement through the document/form, and electronic
booting. Detailed discussions of these topics however go beyond the scope of this publication.
Document/Form Control Considerations
In addition to document/form analysis and design, Print Management requires that certain
document/form control functions be provided. These are document/ form identification, indexes and
files, document/form tests, obsolescence studies and management reports.
Document/Form Identification
There are two primary ways to identify a document/form, by its title or by its document/form number.
There are many different ways to assign document/form numbers, but keep these issues in mind; a
document/form number is just an identifier-not a code. The way the Print Management programme
works on identification is a master control number in sequential order followed by a family number
which is the department; by a function number which is the numbered document/form being used in
that department and the date the document/form was initiated for use.
After the document/form has been in use, of course, if the document/form is revised for any reason, it
must be given a revision date so that the records accordingly can be updated on the revision of any
document/form by a revised indicator of date. This must be entered on all data appertaining to this
particular document/form.
Document/Form numbers and titles are the two most useful ways of identifying a document/form.
Generally the number is most useful to the people who control the Print Management programme,
while the title is most useful to the document/form users. All documents/forms have titles. A
document/form title should be brief but descriptive. It should include a subject such as `cash` or
`delivery` or èmployer` and an action or function such as `to report` or ` to notify` or `to agree`. It is
not necessary to use words such as `for` or `card` in the document/form title.
It is also best to place the subject first and the action second. For example, Èmployment Application`
instead of Àpplication for Employment`. An alphabetical catalogue will list the subject first and avoid
many `requests for`, `notice of`, àpplication form`, and `listings`.
Indexes and Files
Once a document/form has a number and a title, it can be entered into a database or word processor
system with sorting capability. Creating an index by document/form number, alphabetically by title, and
alphabetically by sponsoring department. Remember that users often use a document/form title of
function, but not the document/form number. Having an index by title or department can be a lifesaver.
There are three types of files for document/form control-the master control, the family control and
functional control. The master control file contains everything you need to know about a
document/form history, such as the document/form initiation request, proof approvals, specifications
and copy of each for revision, production notes and comments, artwork and so forth. Artwork may be
filed separately or there may be nothing in the master file but the artwork and current samples and the
original request document/form. The other types of files used in the document/form control are the
family and function files.
Briefly, the goal of the family and functional file is to improve productivity by reducing clerical effort.
The family file is an indicator for the department that the document/form is being used and the
functional file reveals and brings together all documents/forms doing the same operation within each
department. One sample of each document/form is filed by the function it serves, not by the
department name or subsidiary name. Print Management specialists always file by master, family and
functional records.

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The functional file is beneficial because you can spot document/form duplications, overlapping
documents/forms and good candidates for document/form consolidations.
This is an extremely useful file, but one that know-how to start and considerable time to maintain. Very
few companies have functional files and to conduct Print Management right, a functional file is highly
recommended.
Document/Form Tests
Another document/form control function is testing the proposed document/form to see if it works in the
real environment. Based on the test results, the design, the layout, wording and so forth can be
modified and then re-tested. Document/form testing is especially needed when diverse groups within a
company, documents/forms such as cheque requests, purchase, use the document/form requisitions,
expense statements.
Testing is a must if a document/form is received by (and if it must be interpreted by) the general
public. Two good examples are tax documents/forms and telephone bills. Testing is also necessary if
the document/form is completed by the public-for example applications for social security or
employment.
Obsolescence Studies
Another document/form control function is the obsolescence study. Departments rarely notify the Print
Management group when a document/form is no longer in use. It is up to the Print Management staff
to initiate an obsolescence study.
Why find out if a document/form is obsolete? In part, cutting out obsolete documents/forms helps cut
down the Print Management team's record keeping and file space. Warehousing costs can be reduces
by decreasing the number of documents/forms stored and the amount of space used. Finally, if the
total number of documents/forms never shows a decrease, management will question what is being
done to manage the documents/forms and to keep them under control.
How does one perform an obsolescence study? That depends on several factors. How easy is it to
review the order history` manual or automated`? That depends on several factors. How much clerical
support is available to pull samples, check the order history, and check on replacement sponsors? Are
filing and warehousing space at a premium?
After the sponsor has returned the enquiries, there is still much work to do. If the document/form is
active, find out why it has not been ordered for so long. Are the users photocopying the
document/form or have they arranged for printing on their own?
If the document/form is cancelled, what is replacing it? If the replacement document/form does not
have a document/form number, there is more follow up work to do. When a document/form is
cancelled, it must be removed from active to cancelled status and all records purged. For instance, the
document/form index, from history file, from artwork file, etc all must be closed down. The artwork and
history files are moved to an inactive file or records storage area.
Under no circumstances should ordering of paper etc be ordered by any department, it must all be
ordered through the Print Management team for full control.
The results on all obsolescence studies should be reported to management. Include the number of
enquiries sent the responses received the cancellations processed and the square footage free in the
warehouse. Other interesting findings should be reported as well.
Management Reports
A Print Management Service Programme whether in-house or vendor supplied must justify its
existence all the time. Management wants pertinent statistics, the number of new, revised, cancelled
and reprinted documents/forms as well as total number of documents/forms. To continue justifying
being part of the team information on document/form improvement should also be provided.

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Document/Form improvement boils down to three goals, fewer documents/forms, better
documents/forms and more economical documents/forms. Show management these three issues
every time you file a Print Management report.
To achieve fewer documents/forms, you must eliminate unused documents/forms, consolidate existing
documents/forms, and merge new document/form requests with existing documents/forms, file existing
documents/forms to serve new requests without modification.
Better documents/forms mean creating more clerically efficient documents/forms-enabling increased
worker productivity and reducing human error. Remember, documents/forms are designed differently
for completion by hand, machine or by computer. For instance, take into account the need for correct
spacing, the carriage returns, and hand entry; make sure strike out boxes are aligned properly, ensure
that there is design consistency, and take care to see that file holes are pre-punched so that
employees do not have to punch each document/form as it is used. Think ahead and save clerical
money!
Most economical documents/forms mean they are designed to reduce printing costs as well as
storage and distribution costs. To keep costs low, make sure to use standard paper sizes, standard
paper colour sequences, and standard ink colours. Do not get caught in the trap of making
recommendations to save manufacturing pounds, the clerical processing time will be increased. This is
a false saving. Remember that the clerical cost of processing a document/form has been calculated to
cost at 20 times the cost of printing a document/form. Excellent savings can be achieved by taking on
board the knowledge of the `true` Print Management Service Programme specialists who know how
businesses operate in every sector. In other words the people are business model specialists who
understand business process.
An easy way to report documents/forms improvements to management is to provide a simple list of the
document/form numbers and a brief description of the improvements by category `consolidation`,
improved clerical efficiency, reduces manufacturing costs`. Include in the value example hard pound
savings of each of these improvements as well.
The statistical and description reporting should be done on a monthly basis. But there are many other
opportunities, such as special projects or displays to let management know what the Print
Management programme has done for the organisation recently.
Warehousing and Distribution Considerations.
There are several options for the Print Management team to determine how to keep the company
supplied with documents/forms. One option is to use electronic documents/forms and have no-printed
documents/forms. Currently, this is not a viable option for most companies. Another choice is to print
documents/forms on demand. This works well for low volume cut sheets or pre-collated carbonless
sets. However, it is not cost effective for speciality items such as custom continuous documents/forms,
unit sets with special features, tags, labels or special envelopes. As a result, most companies require
some sort of storage for the documents/forms which are used in large volumes or which are printed in
advance using specialised equipment.
Companies can obtain warehousing and distribution fairly easily. A manual in-house operated stock
room or automated warehouses are possible choices. Most Print Management companies manage the
total flow of documents/forms, where by you do not need the cost of warehousing and distribution.
Well managed warehousing and distribution is important to the Print Management programme. Why?
Because knowing when stocks are reaching their depletion point allows time to review the situation.
For instance, documents/forms can be reviewed prior to reprinting; and the review can be used for
additional analysis-and possibly the analysis will lead to additional document/form considerations.
Adequate lead times also eliminate rush/emergency printing charges-allowing you, the Print
Management team, to get the right item to the right people, at the right time and at the lowest cost.

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There are other issues; however, the important issue is the warehousing and distribution component
of a successful Print Management programme. The most critical issues are correct unit of issue; backs
orders and correct data entry.
Correct Data Entry
The maximum` garbage in, garbage out` (meaning, you will get inaccurate statistics and reports-
output-if your input data is incorrect) was never truer than in this instance. Accurate reorder reports,
accurate usage figures and accurate order histories are totally dependent on quality control of data
input. All of these reports affect the ability of the Print Management programme to ensure that
documents/forms are available when needed and that documents/forms pricing is not subject to
emergency charges.
Of course, no data entry is ever going to be 100% accurate, cross verification from other sources can
be useful and a physical inventory should be carried out at least once every six months to double
check the report inventories.
What other issues do `true` Print Management specialists need to address?
There are a number of reports from the warehouse that are useful to the team-quantity on hand,
reorder notices, monthly order history and end usage information.
The quantity on hand report details the current inventory of each document/form. It can also include
such items as unit of issue, value of each item and last reorder date and quantity. The value of each
document/form details how much the inventory is worth. This is useful for budgeting and insurance
purposes.
Recorder Reports
Reorder reports enables the Print Management team to know which documents/forms are at a
depletion point. The documents/forms on the reorder report can be cross-referenced to a
document/form list sorted by size to help determine combination orders.
The monthly order history gives trend information. It helps with documents/forms that are used
seasonally. It is also useful when trying to predict accurately when a document/form must be
reordered.
Conclusion
The ideas in this publication are a good place to start if considering the implementation of a `true`
`Print Management Service Programme` or while evaluating an existing programme. Remember,
when run properly a `Print Management Service Programme` positively affects the companies
`bottom-line` in a very positive way, you save an enormous amount of money and become more
efficient and effective in operating your business.
Print/Documents/Forms are a part of every companies business whether provided in house or from a
vendor or by a combination of the two. A `Print Management Service Programme` should be an
essential part of every companies business as the third dimension of control for your company.
"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do"
Walter Bagehot, British author, economist (1826-1877)

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`An Introduction to Document/Forms/Print Management and Control`
Document/Forms/Print Management Service
This service will be defined in this article has a `Print Management Service Programme`, which is any
activity or formal programme in which a specialist assumes full responsibility for all of a companies
requirements as detailed below.
1. Design
2. Cost engineering
3. Origination
4. Maintenance of clients corporate image
5. Printing plate and negative maintenance and CTP
6. Documents/forms/Print requisitioning
7. Procurement
8. Storage
9. Distribution
10. Stock Control
11. Reports to management
These requirements are important considerations because usually more than 75% of the paper used
by information workers consists of documents/forms. The price a company pays for documents/forms
represents a small percentage of the cost of use. A `Print Management Service` control programme
can significantly reduce procurement and ownership costs.
Why the need for a `Print Management Service?
Most companies of any size have systems and procedures staff but these people usually find
themselves embroiled in top level procedures, which partake of the nature of the core business of their
company. They never find time to work on the smaller ubiquitous manual procedures involving 9 out of
10 documents/forms.
As a result, the computer procedures involving the main core business are served well but because of
the lack of computer and business analysts, the problem of manual clerical expense goes begging for
want of time.
Research has shown that purchasing departments responsible for consumable supplies are at the
bottom of the priority list for computerisation and with the ever increasing demands made on the IT
department; the purchasing department will have to carry on waiting. Even when computerisation is
implemented in the purchasing department, the level of sophistication of the software usually does not
live up to the expectation of the users.
Negotiating the price
Purchasing departments, traditionally in the Europe operate at arm length from their suppliers and
trade one off against another in an attempt to strike the optimum deal. The hidden threat of a company
indulging in alternative sourcing is always paramount in the mind of the supplier. This method of
negotiating works very well in the majority of cases but making a price value judgement on such items
as specially printed business documents/forms for use on high cost computers is very different.

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Controlling documents/forms expenditure
Within most companies the control of documents/forms is non existent. Even in large companies the
control rests in the hands of someone who does not have a dominant interest in controlling the mass
of documents/forms and details of the paperwork expense. This person is usually on the payroll at a
level, which means that the responsibility cannot be more than a passing interest. Experience shows
that such control passes over as that person is assigned or moves on to bigger and better things
either within the company itself or elsewhere.
Partnering arrangements
The way forward is in partnerships, which are geared to the long-range solution of the problem. If the
company reduces its cost and operates more efficiently and the `Print Management Service` specialist
makes a profit, who loses out? The answer must be the Print industries gross income, which is not
necessarily reflected in, reduces profit.
How, therefore, can a `Print Management Service` specialist enter into a `Print Management` service
with all the consultation time and expense without charging an additional fee that would kill the
attraction of the programme?
Production line operation
The answer is found in a simple, established economic formula that Henry Ford applied when he put a
car within the reach of every average family in America. That formula is the substitution of production
line operation for the job shop operation with the inevitable increase in economics and efficiency.
The commercial printing industry is the only major industry, which operates almost on a job shop
basis. Jobs come in one at a time. The printer must be equipped to handle them that way usually on a
short delivery basis that precludes the possibility of scheduled planning for the most efficient use of
the equipment.
Job shop operations means a separate machine make ready for each job. This, in turn, means more
downtime for the machine instead of profitable operating time.
You only have to imagine what a made-to-order car would cost as opposed to a standard model to
appreciate what you are paying for when you send a spot order to the printer.
The difference between production line economy and job shop cost is the key that makes it possible
for a `Print Management Service` specialist to supply all the features of a `Print Management Service`
whilst charging no more than the average print manufacturer who bases the charges on mere paper
and ink and the manufacture of printed documents/forms.
To highlight my point, a further example is in the cost structure of listing paper. Listing paper is made
under the production line operation theory and its low price reflects this.
Cost reduction
As is true in any manufacturing process and printing is one; the substitution of production line
operations for job shop operations usually means improved economy of production. Costs are lowered
by means of grouped or combined production of documents/forms for many customers. Couple this
with the fact that the `Print Management Service` specialist has control of all the origination under its
roof so that every time a job is printed, the printing plates are made from the same photographic
negatives created and maintained electronically.
By following this business procedure the `Print Management Service` specialist can guarantee that
every time a document/form gets printed it gets printed correctly.
It is these internal cost reductions in production of documents/forms that repays a `Print Management
Service` specialist for the other services it provides.

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Using expert systems
The `Print Management Service ` specialist has the ability to perform this enormously complicated
function of an advanced `Print Management Service` is made possible by its very sophisticated
computer software.
Computer networks
The `Print Management Service ` specialist has immediate access to its suppliers and likewise gives
those suppliers not only access to the `Print Management Service` company database but also to its
electronic artwork system which contains all of the documents/forms originated by the `Print
Management Service` specialist under a confidential agreement. It is now possible for manufacturing
suppliers to take this graphic information directly from the `Print Management Service` company files
and convert it into press ready printing plates.
This obviates the need to produce expensive photographic negatives and means that a repeat order
will be ready for production within minutes rather than days.
Customers linked electronically
The `Print Management Service` specialist would have many if not all their clients linked electronically.
Thus allowing access to appropriate areas of each others database. They therefore have the
capability not only to view real time information on delivery schedules etc, but also to look at the full
historical usage and specification of any or all of their documents/forms. An additional bonus is that
they are also linked to a vast electronic mail network.
The `Print Management Service` is unique. Most Print Manufacturers selling direct to the end user
have not developed the computer system procedures and networks to even begin to match the
comprehensive services of `Print Management Service` specialists.
What are these services and how important are they?
They are the function at the core of the programme of a `Print Management Service` which attacks the
basic causes of excessive paperwork costs, going after the seven eighths of the paperwork iceberg
that is hidden under the surface.
Melting the paperwork iceberg.
The `Print Management Service `specialist will establish control over the paperwork problems by
building a control file of all the company's documents/forms. Every document/form used throughout a
company should be classified by function within a systemised family thereby hanging together in one
electronic file-a specification of all documents/forms with overlapping or similar functions.
This reveals duplications, makes possible the elimination of superfluous documents/forms and
prevents the inception of unnecessary new documents/forms. Therein lays the real key to the internal
control of paperwork costs. Through the information available from this functional index of
documents/forms the company can do several very important things each of which goes rather beyond
the mere fact of documents/forms control as such, but lies in an area contiguous to documents/forms
control.
Cost engineering
A primary function in a comprehensive paperwork programme is the creation of standard design and
specifications for the company's business documents/forms.
This applies to the physical properties of the documents/forms not to their language content. The
printer is not concerned with the words or image on the paper but must have some common
denomination in the physical properties such as the size of the document/form, the number of colours,
quality of paper, ink colour and all the other items that govern the production operations.
The `Print Management Service` specialist will develop high standards with the client and will advise
on cost engineering benefits.

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Warehousing to prevent stock out
Lack of inventory control will, of course, kill the economics of production line manufacturing faster than
any other factor. The need to print emergency orders to replenish nil stocks will put the printer back on
a job shop basis. The most expensive document/form that you will ever use is the one that you
required when you are out of stock.
A` Print Management Service` will alleviate this problem by warehousing the documents/forms for its
clients.
Document/form bank
A `Print Management Service` specialist will guarantee that you never run out of stocks.
All past order information relating to clients documents/forms are stored on a database, which
periodically issues pre-printed, requisitions and simultaneously generates a manufacturing production
schedule. The software automatically group's together documents/forms with like specifications to
ensure that the most economic system for production is created. It is by this method that a `Print
Management Service` specialist is prompted to put stock back into documents/forms bank at the most
cost-effective time.
Total cost consideration
Cost engineering of documents/forms to ensure that they are produced in the most economic way is
very important. However, the cost of the document/form represents only 6% of the total cost of using
the document/form. A `Print Management Service` specialist frees the client of the functional aspect of
his paper flow, reducing the clerical pounds/euros and helps the company become very efficient and in
most cases saves thousands of pounds/euros on behalf of the client.
It has been accepted that the `costs in use` figure is significantly higher than the cost of printing the
document/form; for many years in the absence of any real empirical studies, a ratio of 20:1 has been
used to emphasise this point.
In viewing the paperwork burden as a significant part of the corporate overhead, management needs
to develop a plan to apply practical solutions to the problem.
"It is time for all of us to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognises the
challenges and does something about it."
Vince Lombardi, US football coach (1913-1970)

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`DOCUMENT CONTROL - SAVES TIME AND MONEY
All companies should operate a document control system because it saves time and money!
It is estimated that around 80% of business information in companies is unstructured, and of that, only
20% is managed, yet it is hard to think of one business activity where content does not play an
essential role. The result of this is that organisations lose time and miss out on opportunities to
become more productive. Even worse, unmanaged information is an increasing liability for
organisations that are frequently held to account on the basis of some information they could have
destroyed, if only they had known they still had it. Operating an efficient and effective Document
Management System will increase your `bottom-line`.
In all organisations, document control is necessary because it helps you control the flow of
documents, information and puts £`s on your `bottom-line`. In all offices, from the smallest to the
largest, it is necessary to keep track of the number of documents being used. In the smallest office,
the method may consist of only a periodic visual check of the document supply. In a large office that
uses thousands of documents, a document control plan based on the systems family method will be
needed. In a large corporation a functional file system is implemented to handle the thousands of
documents that are used. Generally, the numbers of documents a company utilises determines the
types of document control programmes that are employed.
Document control determines many issues including re-order points, order quantity, potential
combinations, and obsolescence. An organised document control programme should meet the
following objectives;
a. Serve as a point of reference and an historical record that should include some method of
cross-reference.
b. Conform to efficient alphabetical and numerical filing principles, and
c. Provide a good degree of control, yet remain as simple and effective as possible.
The major types of document control programmes used today are inventory control, systems family
and functional file.
Inventory Control
One of the most commonly used methods of document control is the inventory control system in which
an inventory file is maintained for a client or by the client directly. An inventory control system is often
used in the small to medium sized company that has a small number of different documents. The
primary purpose of an inventory control system is to check the usage of the documents so that running
out of documents does not occur.
When document warehousing is provided, inventory control is commonly part of the package. An
inventory of the documents is taken periodically usually once a month and records updated at that
time. Sometimes a client does the physical inventory and furnishes the figure to the document
consultant so that the usage figures may be updated. The system may be manual or computerised.
However, in today's world of electronic record keeping systems, it is seldom cost effective to maintain
a manual system. Spreadsheet client records are kept on file so that a simple report is issued each
month.
A document inventory control system helps to prevent a company from running out of documents,
thereby eliminating the need for costly rush orders and special handling. An inventory control system
is a good selling point to get and keep key accounts, especially when fast delivery is important. It
provides economy in the production, storage, distribution and use of documents. In terms of cash
outlay, this is the simplest and for many companies the most practical form of control system.

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Inventory control has no built in provisions for document analysis. Instead it relies on the
professionalism of the document management consultant for the document analysis and design. A
one or two month cushion should be built into the document re-order lead-time so that the document
can be properly analysed. The document should be evaluated every time it comes up for re-order to
determine if revisions are necessary.
Systems Family
The systems family method is an easy way to keep track of the multitude of documents used in a
company. The system family has two basic functions, first to keep the document grouped for systems
analysis and secondly, to assign a number to each document. It must be kept in mind that the systems
family main function is to ease system analysis. The way that the systems family happens to provide
document numbers is an added bonus to the system.
The system family method is based upon the basic business functions; sales, production, transport,
invoicing, accounts receivable, purchasing, receiving, storing, accounts payable and accounting. Each
family can be further sub divided if that family has a great deal of documents in it. For example, sales
can be broken down into dealer sales, direct sales, export sales etc. A company that has a thousand
documents, for instance, can develop a manageable number of files by sub dividing the categories
into fifty families. Of course, the number of types of families can vary from company to company.
The most suitable numbers for this type of document control are three digit numbers that indicate the
systems family. Each system family is assigned a three-digit number from 010 through to 999 in such
a way that families are spread evenly throughout the series. Each document is given a number from
the systems family, for example, the major headings and another three digit number from the master
code within that family, for example, the sub heading.
In the systems family method, each document is numbered. The numbers serve to identify the
document family. The document number is normally a three-digit number but if there are thousands
more documents in a family a five-digit number is required. Since most systems can manage within a
three-digit system, it is usually better to sub divide a family that has a hundred or more documents into
two or three families rather than to use five or six digit numbers. The document number should always
be followed by the date of the most recent revision. If no changes are made to the document when it is
reprinted, the date remains unchanged. To prevent duplications a master log is made up for each
family to keep track of the document family. If desired, blocks of numbers within each family can be
reserved for future documents.
The analysis of a group of documents is made extremely easy with the use of a systems family
method. The three-digit prefix distinguishes the entire document in one family and enables the rapid
analysis of an entire system.
The systems family method is easy to learn and can be used by companies with thousands of
documents. Only one folder is necessary for each document. Systems families are listed in
alphabetical order and the alphabetical list is numbered, the folders are automatically in both
alphabetic and numerical order. When documents are grouped by the systems family method,
systems analysis is relatively easy.
Like the functional file method, the systems family method requires relatively high set up and
maintenance costs. It is an alternative to a functional file system and it does have its drawbacks. One
major disadvantage to the family system method is the inability to classify documents for systems that
do not fit the narrow confinements of the basic business functions. There are classifications such as
personnel, computer operations, reprographics, record department that are not addressed by the
basic business functions and should be included in a thorough system as the only way to control the
whole documents of a business is to include all departments. This is the way for full control and
maximum savings.

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The Functional File
Conceptually a functional file is a classification system to aid systems analysis for large quantities of
documents. In the functional file system, which is also referred to as a functional index, the files are
categorised by functions. In a company that has thousands of documents a thorough system is
needed to keep track of all documents that are in use. The functional file is the system that allows
thousands of documents to be easily referenced.
The functional file is the system in which documents are filed in two separate files, a numerical and
functional file. Document number files the numerical file, which is a functional file system based upon
individual preference. Alphanumeric or numerical division prefix followed by a numerical etc. The
possibilities are endless. The document number is merely a method of identifying the document and is
not related to a code for systems analysis.
The numerical file consists of a separate folder for each document. The folder contains a few copies of
the document as well as a historical account of document revisions, comments, specifications,
samples, order history and information on the departments that use the document. It helps to identify
different documents that may have the same number and it simplifies a task of contacting all
interested parties when a change to an existing document is proposed. The unique document number
files the folders in numerical sequence. The documents are unnumbered and arbitrarily assigned a
number immediately.
A functional file is created by collecting copies of all the documents used by a company for both inside
and outside communications including note pads, envelopes and cheques.
A thorough document collection can readily provide the answers to many system analysis questions.
a. Is there a document in inventory that can be used?
b. If not, is there an existing document that can be modified to do the work of two?
c. Can this document be combined with another so that both can be completed in one?
d. Can readily available stock documents be used to replace a product design or low usage
document?
e. What departments are using this document?
f. Is this document obsolete?
Because a functional file controls a vast number and variety of documents, the system requires a
greater amount of time, effort, resources and maintenance. It must be kept in mind that the primary
purpose of the functional file is for systems analysis. The functional file makes it extremely easy to
single out an entire subject for examination. However, the job of collecting and filing the documents
can easily take one-person weeks or months. It is estimated that a minimum of 8 minutes is required
to categorise and file each document.
Companies that have only 100 documents do not use the functional file. Instead, it is used primarily by
organisations that have thousands of documents and their own documents control personnel. It is
never too late nor too early for these types of companies to start a functional file. Unusually though
such a file is not begun until after the need arises. For companies that have a multitude of documents
a functional file is required to provide necessary systems analysis.
All work carried out on document control can be operated successfully by a specialist workflow
solutions company, which will give you ` full control` and the costs that drop to the `bottom-line`.
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex,
overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and the starting on the first one."
Mark Twain

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`SIMPLIFIED COMMUNICATIONS`
UNIFYING DOCUMENTATION BLUEPRINT
Computers accelerate the volume and flow of information. But some questions remain.
"Has your investment in information technology improved the way you communicate with your
customers?"
"Do people understand your documents and do they get information from your documents without
struggling for it?"
The answers in most cases will be no, but then most companies do not even ask the questions. For
those who do and who want to improve their customer communications, the first problem is invariably
"Where do we start?"
There are usually two large obstacles to overcome, namely, deciding which of the documents to look
at first and who actually has responsibility for each of them? To help tackle these issues and to
establish a programme of improving the quality and efficiency of your documents, I recommend a
`Unifying Documentation Blueprint.
The objective is to come to grips with the diversity, complexity and cost of your communications and
then to establish a comprehensive strategy for improving their effectiveness, while reducing the cost.
Document Management focuses on the documents and electronic information that customers and staff
need to conduct their business. The simplified communications we develop make your business
documents easier to understand and use. They also act as a catalyst for organisation and technology
changes that result in significant cost efficiencies.
There are three phases to each Unifying Documentation Blueprint:
1. ANALYSIS
In the first phase we analyse the documents used in your organisation and the processes that control
them.
 What documents do you have, who uses them and how?
 Which documents are the key ones?
 Who is really responsible for your documents?
 How are they produced and processed?
 What do they cost to produce and process?
 What do your customers think about them?
Phase 1 establishes which documents you REALLY need to conduct your business.

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1. SIMPLIFICATION STRATEGY
In this phase we develop a strategy for rationalising some or all of your documents and demonstrate
how the information could be simplified.
 Reduce the number of documents.
 Reduce the number of different paper stocks.
 Consolidate and restructure information.
 Design page layouts and templates
 Simplify the language.
 Customise the information.
 Develop a strategy for effective marketing communications.
Phase 2 indicates how we SIMPLIFY your documents and document systems.
1. BLUEPRINT RECOMMENDATIONS
In the third phase we identify which documents need to be simplified first, provide fully implemented
examples of re-designed documents and set out recommendations for further work.
 Establish priority for documents to be simplified.
 Calculate anticipated cost benefits
 Compare initial costs with potential savings.
 Agree a timetable of document revisions.
 Allocate resources and confirm responsibilities on both sides.
 Provide worked examples of simplified documents.
 Implement re-designed documents.
 Recommend a programme for further simplification.
Phase 3 shows what CAN be done and recommends what YOU need to do.
SPOILT DOCUMENTS COST 15 TIMES MORE TO PROCESS THAN CLEAN DOCUMENTS…
The cost of badly designed documents
There are several reasons why people do not fill in documents correctly. They may not understand the
questions, or there may be more than one answer. The sequence may be confusing, or there may not
be enough space for an adequate answer. Whatever the cause, the consequences are predictable-
frustration with the exercise, antagonism towards the organisation and a significant increase in
administration costs trying to resolve the errors. The extent of these additional costs can be seen in
the following calculation.
`Spoilt documents cost 15 times more to process than clean documents`
The Inland Revenue says so - and they should know! They say that this ratio is at least 15 to 1, and
that is the figure we have used for this cost comparison.
If a department processes 100,000 copies of a document each year, and it costs £10 to process each
document, then the overall cost will be £1,000,000. However, if the error rate is say, 20%, then the
additional costs are a staggering 280% of basic processing costs.

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Processing costs for 100,000 documents
Error Spoilt At £150 Clean At £10 TOTAL
Rate Documents per copy Documents per copy
30% 30,000 £4,500,000 70,000 £700,000 £5,200,000
20% 20,000 £3,000,000 80,000 £800,000 £3,800,000
10% 10,000 £1,500,000 90,000 £900,000 £2,400,000
0% - 100,000 £I,000,000 £1,000,000
Every 10% reduction in the error rate saves 1.4 times the basic cost of processing.
The benefits of well-designed documents include fewer errors, more efficient administration, more
satisfied customers and significant cost savings.
`Reduce the number of documents and reduce costs`
The cost of too many documents
Each year, organisations tend to increase the number of different documents they use. This means
increased costs and the potential for greater confusion among their staff and customers.
Organisations rarely reduce the number of documents they produce, either because they do not
recognise the problem or they are unable to find a solution to it. However, a Document Management
Specialist who has considerable experience in simplifying and consolidating systems of documents
can save an enormous amount of time and money. The benefits of reducing say 9 documents to 1, or
40 to 7, are significant and quantifiable.
It is recognised that the cost of processing a document is at least 20 times the cost of producing it.
Processing includes administration, filing, transport, storage, inventory and obsolescence.
Assume that the general operating costs of a large organisation are £10 million a year, and 2.5% of
this figure, £250,000 represents the cost of producing all of its documents.
Any significant reduction in the number of documents will result in a reduction of costs for production
and processing. The extent of the savings can be seen in the table below.
PROCESSING COSTS
Reduction Production Processing Total SAVINGS
In documents costs costs costs
0% £250,000 £5,000,000 £5,250,000
10% £225,000 £4,500,000 £4,725,000 £525,000
20% £200,000 £4,000,000 £4,200,000 £1,050,000
30% £175,000 £3,500,000 £3,675,000 £1,575,000
Annual savings are typically 10-30 times the cost of consolidating documents.
Develop quality communications through a Unifying Documentation Blueprint and save
money/time/gain customer satisfaction and total control of the future.

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DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT IS VITAL
TO BUSINESS SUCCESS IN AN INFORMATION SOCIETY
Today's information explosion has contributed greatly to the rising costs of operating a business. If you
wish to save money/time, read on!
Very often underrated in this age of automation, business documents remain a critical part of the
overall picture and are important links in the chain of any organisation information resources. Both
hard documents (paper) and soft documents (various types of electronic document systems and
screen formats) are vital communication tools that collect, transmit, and distribute information.
Despite technology, chances are good that a company can be overwhelmed by information and still
find it unavailable at the right place and time. Automation does not automatically improve information
collection and transfer-or its cost. Valuable employee time may be sacrificed to retrieve and digest
data; still more time is lost filling out documents to feed the information system.
Documents represent sizeable hidden costs-especially when not properly managed, nor their affect
upon the system adequately understood and evaluated. This is a direct and indirect impact on
administration expenses, profitability and an organisations ability to compete.
As already accurately described by leading Print Management Specialists, a prerequisite to future
success through effective management of information, is management's ability to take full advantage
of every opportunity to increase their companies competitive edge through the timely flow and quality
of information throughout the organisation. While also improving `bottom-line` profitability. Documents
represent a considerable cost containment opportunity; they can add significantly to the efficiency (or
inefficiency) of information systems.
If you look at the figures of some companies they indicate that at the typical company, the percentage
of documents is equal to only one half of 1% of its net sales, but the cost of using them is 20 times
greater. This means that the total cost of documents can affect the `bottom-line` profits by as much as
10%.
The key to increased office (information) pro-activity lies not only in utilisation of today's technology,
but in information transfer systems, which have been adequately researched and evaluated. Creation
or a vision of these systems (including documents) without thorough analysis, treats only symptoms of
the problem (issue), leaving the disease untouched.
Paperwork and its associated cost keeps multiplying
Whatever happened to the prediction that the new technology would imminently bring us to a
paperless society? In reality that very technology has brought on a new avalanche of paper in the
office and at home- unequalled since the proliferation created by the invention of the copy machine!
The 1970 UK document sales volume was £80m, in 1981 volume exceeded £250m, by 1993 the
figure was £520m and the amount predicted for 2010 will be £2b+.
Time enough, the new technology has brought about quantity declines in certain types of documents,
such as unit sets and continuous forms. However, that same technology has also directly and
indirectly spawned entirely new ones; mailers of all guises, datamailer pieces, labels of all kinds,
colourful pre-printed documents of every description for the personal computer, and the list goes on.
New products appear almost daily; to meet the requirements of new equipment, methods, systems
and objectives.
In addition, the new technology has summarily provided for the birth of a whole new generation of
document producers and even greater quantities of new documents. It took one individual about as
long as it took me `about 15 minutes` to figure out that. With all their new user friendly hardware and
software in front of them, they could not only fill in data on a screen, but they could generate their own
graphics, spreadsheets, reports of all kinds and produce their own documents.

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Do it yourself electronic information is being `manufactured` at a blinding rate (in quantities as yet not
accurately identified) on every conceivable type of desk top, printer and copy machine; in quick-copy
and in-house printing facilities and corporate offices. The purposes for avoiding any discussion here of
the identifiable value of all these activities to the organisation, we can get at least a rough idea of its
end-result product. As far back as October 1985, `High Tech Marketing` asked and answered an
interesting question, ` Who is the world's largest publisher? ` Random House, Simon & Schuster?
Wrong. It is Fortune 500 in the USA. In a single year, American business offices generated
gargantuan 2.5 trillion, yes, trillion, pages of reports, manuals, letters and other printed material.
By 1990, industry's sources the total corporate print output was 4 trillion pages, enough to bury the
entire country under a blanket of paper several layers thick. Europe is no different to America and we
are following in their footprints very closely. Although, the use of paper is about 6 trillion pages at
present in the USA, this will slow down due to the world-wide-web or will it!
The old, overused slogan `Garbage in, garbage out` can now be updated to reflect
`Inefficiency/unnecessary/expensive garbage`. Or simply, `Who is minding the store? Anyway, no
matter, the value of the French proverb `the more things change, the more they remain the same`.
Obviously, documents are not going to go away! If anything, they are more likely to increase in
number, type and cost if organisations do not implement a `Document/Forms/Print
Management/Workflow Solutions Programme`.
Document/Forms/Print Management still a viable answer
But, what for a solution? (By that I mean, a pragmatic business like approach to cost containment).
Can not technology help? Yes, it can. It is. At present not very much! How does that mean, new
ground to be broken? Not necessary. Just such a cost containment programme already exists, one
that uses proven standards and techniques. Remember back before the time when documents and
other paperwork were supposed to have disappeared-I mean way back, before technology was
supposed to be the single best solution in helping business make really good management decisions.
Well, to be efficient in this technology age, you need to start a programme that controls the costs of
documents purchased and processing. This programme can be called any of the following;
Document/Forms/Print Management Service.
Document/Forms/Print Management is an effective cost containment programme, which emphasises
practical applications that produce identifiable cost benefits/improvements (not mere theoretical
speculations) and which also emphasises the efficient movement of business information. Through an
aggressive, results orientated programme such as Document/Forms/Print Management; many
organisations have realised a 10-40% reduction in Document procurement costs alone, with as much
as 10-20 times an amount in processing and file maintenance cost savings. Document/Forms/Print
Management works in all sizes of organisations. An excellent publication to read is `The Guide to
Print/Forms Management Service`. A comprehensive guide to implementing a Document/Print/Forms
management system. Please visit www.cavendish-mr.org.uk for information.
Using proven techniques such as information flow analysis, valued analysis/engineering and
professional document/form design, Document/Forms/Print Management can achieve long range
simplification of information transfer systems. Information transfer systems represents a significant
initial and continuing economic investment for any company or organisation. The quantity and flow of
information will reflect the degree to which they are managed.
The efficiency and cost of administration, in turn, is affected by the application of standard
management techniques for evaluating, guiding, maintaining and auditing information to increase
productivity and reduce processing costs.
Document/Forms/Print Management is not a production function. It is primarily analytical and
development in nature. This is important to emphasis because of a tendency to view
Document/Forms/Print Management as a records, drafting and/or graphics activity. Personnel skilled
in Document/Forms/Print Management are not only necessary, but also, essential in order to realise
the greatest economic value from information systems, design and analyst.

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Benefits of Document/Forms/Print Management
If you refer to the chart figure 1, this illustrates the breakdown of a document/forms cost to a company.
Although it was developed primarily for hard documents/forms, simple reflection will provide soft
document/form equivalents.
Figure 1
Why Documents/Forms are never cheap!
The initial price of a document/form is only the beginning. A larger cost perspective is CRITICAL to
understanding the total impact. The following is a partial breakdown of document/forms costs;
4.4% = Manufacturing costs
 Design
 Approval
 Ordering
 Proofing
 Recording
 Manufacturing
 Receiving
 Warehousing
84.4% = Clerical processing costs
 Requisitioning
 Delivery
 Receiving
 Storing
 Entry
 Checking
 Approval
 Filing
 Retrieval
 Transmittal
 Distribution
 Copying
 Reference to/study of
 Additional entries
 Transcription document/form

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CAVENDISH
 Refiling
11.2% = File maintenance costs
 Storage
 Retrieval
 Transfer
 Retention
 Disposition
Reduction in the number of documents/forms, of course, could mean that either fewer staff would be
required for processing, or that existing personnel will be able to take on work which might otherwise
require additional staff. Data Processing documents/forms are often the larger volume
documents/forms and cost more to purchase, but generally generate the least use expense.
Here is an example of the cost of processing a document/form;
`The average document/form is used in quantities of 2000 per annum`. An average of 25 minutes is
spent completing, reviewing, and filing each document/form. This amounts to 50,000 minutes or 833
payroll hours. Add to this an average of 28% of clerical time is wasted on poorly designed
documents/forms, and bells start going off all over the place! My years of experience as an Information
Management Specialist has shown me that most organisations need 50-60% of their documents/forms
to be redesigned, just because they are clerically inefficient.
The chart in figure 2 shows how each of the various components of Document/Forms Management
contribute to the overall cost containment benefits, directly and indirectly.
Figure 2
The Relationship of Document/Forms/Print Management Components to Overall Cost Containment.
Document/Forms systems analysis-identifies essential information transfer systems and determines
the most efficient implementation methods by;
 Preventing undue duplication of documents/forms and systems.
 Eliminating unnecessary documents/forms and systems.
 Ensuring processing techniques conform to systems, objectives and other requirements.
 Combining documents/forms/systems with similar objectives.
 Implementing information transfer systems as a minimum overall cost.
 Selecting the most efficient processing medium required for implementation and providing
necessary communication of essential information.
 Assisting in long range planning with good information.
 Improving communication
 Increasing employee morale
 Minimising `rogue` documents/forms and systems.

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Document/Forms Design Analysis-determines the information arrangements/configuration, required
spacing and general specifications for efficient use. It offers the following benefits;
 Ensure that configuration integrates into all phases of the system.
 Standardisation of clerical activity.
 Strengthening of departmental quality standards.
 Ensures that specifications are maximised for clerical efficiency.
 Sustained company image.
Document/Form Design-which involves planning the pattern or sketch of information, offers the
following benefits;
 Ensures construction and design are maximised for efficient use.
 Integrates into the document/form all phases of the information system.
 Assures usability to professional standards, limitations/requirements of equipment.
 Improve user psychological response/attitude.
 Provide integration between systems.
 Minimise entry errors.
Document/Forms/Print Procurement-reduce `bottom-line` expense by;
 Assurance of cost effective procurement procedures.
 Elimination of multiple editions of the same document/form.
 Standardisation of specifications.
 Volume contract buying.
Document/Form/Print Inventory, Warehousing and Distribution-reduce unnecessary waste and
expense by;
 Promoting adequate low stock levels.
 Providing assurance against stock outs, over-stocking, new stock being issued before old
stock is exhausted.
 Ensuring storage conditions are safe, legal, best use of available space.
 Implementing and maintaining policies and procedures, which ensure against over-stock and
frequent emergency deliveries.
Document/Forms/Print Management Procedures-minimise the economic impact of information transfer
systems through such processes as;
 Evaluation, creation, guidance and maintenance of cost effective systems.
 Expansion of costs audits.
 Prevention of the creation of unnecessary information, transfer systems, documents/forms and
equipment.
 Education of/and assistance to operations personnel in economical information transfer
procedures.

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 Consultation with management on all aspects of transfer systems related procedures and
media.
Document/Forms Numbering, Records, Indexing Tasks-reduce unnecessary duplication costs and
provide;
 Unique item identification.
 Location of common characteristics in function.
 Identification of common specifications.
 Location of using areas.
 Cost allocation.
 Identification of common systems relationships and data elements.
Document/Forms/Print Management Automation
Produces limited improvement.
Technological advances as well as economic and sociological trends, have already and will continue
to impact business document/forms in very fundamental ways, i.e. the end product of the industry has
changed. Examples include such items as;
 The number of certain pre-printed documents/forms is declining.
 Advanced equipment is changing design and production methods.
 The definition of a document/form is undergoing evolution.
 Few hard documents/forms go through their life cycle without interfacing with one of the new
technologies.
 There has been a rebirth of what used to be called the `plain vanilla document/form`. There is
no more universal a document/form than a blank sheet of paper!
Technology has also spawned the need for people in the information management profession to learn
new technologies, increase their skills, and broaden their exposure to inter-relationships between all
allied fields. The smaller computers and software in the office have permanently changed the way we
all conduct business. Even new models of management are being tested!
Realising that documents/forms are not going away, software developments are providing automated
`helpers` from management. Desktop scanners are also beginning to play a prominent role by
increasing the speed at which hard documents/forms data can be input into the corporate information
system.
The current Document/Forms/Print Management packages are primarily document/forms inventory,
acquisition and distribution software-renamed. As valuable as material management is and it is, these
developers have provided very little or nothing for Document/Forms/Print Management Systems
administration functions. For these activities, Document/Forms/Print Management is left to maintain
cumbersome manual methods. In addition, many packages offer nothing for document/forms design,
again forcing perpetuation of time consuming methods.
Separate document/forms design packages do exist, and often, merger attempts to adapt desktop
publishing. It is an amazing thing to me that there are so many user friendly software packages out,
which allow you (many with no little difficulty) to design documents/forms on a computer that you can
not use on one!

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Many of these persist in using picas and points (ancient printing measurements), where many
professional document/forms designers, of the most basic skills, will inform you that documents/forms
are designed in inches for the depth of the document/form and in metric for width of the
document/form! (It is true that a document/forms designer must understand the points and picas, but
for other considerations). Some of the low-end software offers nothing more than what you could
design (and I use that term loosely) on a desktop computer.
Also, what is the logic in using technology that is in conflict with that used by the professional industry
in question? Some of the descriptive terms are absolutely in error. Such as the use of half tones,
shaded or grey areas for the most appropriate term-screens. The term lines is used instead of rules,
even through the term `line` means to the professional analyst and designer, space for data entry.
Some technology is just a bother, like landscape and portrait. When what you really mean is horizontal
and vertical. The professional Document/Forms/Print Associations have raised this question with the
software developers, but they become defensive, stating something to the equivalent of `well, we have
got to make it conform to other software`!
In conclusion
Document/forms/Print Management (facility management of documents/forms) is necessary to control
the third dimension of company's activities- to develop partnership plans to save time and money in
the short and long term for industry. The implementation of this type of system will save money that
drops to the `bottom-line`.
"Motivation is always in direct proportion to the level of expectation."
Denis Waitley

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PRINT OUTSOURCED - OUT SMARTED!
The shift from traditional general Print Manufacturing to outsourcing flexible, value-driven
strategic sourcing is vital to value creation.
Outsourcing has reached a critical turning point in its evolution that is set to radically transform the
way organisations work together to realise and create value.
Enterprises are increasingly looking to outsource specific functions or entire business processes to
achieve boardroom aims such as resource efficiency, business change and value creation.
At the same time, the nature of outsourcing is changing with traditional customer-supplier relationships
being replaced by true partnerships or business alliances with both parties working together to achieve
common goals.
The trend towards more flexible, relationship-based sourcing requires organisations to re-evaluate the
way they approach and implement outsourcing. It requires a broader and deeper understanding of
what sourcing means and how it can be used for maximum business gain in both the short and long-
term.
To promote understanding, there needs to be a fundamental shift away from the term outsourcing to
that of strategic sourcing for `Print Management`.
Pulling Power
The challenge organisations face is that of balancing cost reduction with agility (agility is defined as
flexibility to create maximum value).
Expectations are racing ahead of delivery capability, in turn managing complex infrastructures and
offering enhanced services at any time, and from any location, requires high degrees of skill and
expertise, which can be an expensive drain on resources.
On a broader level, organisations are aggressively looking to build strategic partnerships and broaden
market reach.
Overcoming Fears
Some organisations will inevitably miss out on opportunities for partner expertise due to a negative
perceived image of outsourcing, especially in the context of a traditional customer-supplier
relationship. There is an understandable fear that by outsourcing; an organisation will lose control of
important business functions, especially where a strong DIY culture exists.
Implemented properly, the opposite is true. In my experience done right, any kind of tighter supply
chain relationship, which is how I see this, gives you more control not less, because you are more
likely to ask the right questions and to do things like setting standards for performance.
The term outsourcing only plays on people’s fears as it suggests control will be placed outside of an
organisation. This suggests new terminology is needed that reflects the shift towards closer, more
open working relationships where the emphasis is on the `softer issues` of trust, openness, and
honesty.
The term business alliance or collaboration is more appropriate for today’s sourcing arrangements. It
is this mindshift towards flexibility and collaboration that is generating success.

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Understanding the Benefits
Outsourcing especially, Print outsourcing has been proven to reduce costs particularly where
inefficiencies exist. Organisations can typically save between 20 and 40 per cent in this way.
The more sustainable long-term benefits are likely to stem from added levels of service/quality and
innovation. I neatly divide the benefits of outsourcing into value realisation and value creation.
Value Creation - A strategic Approach
Organisations need to ask themselves the following questions;
`How do we assess the competence that people have`.
`How do we apply that competence to whatever point on the business model or structure that we want
to apply it`.
`How do we release their capability faster? `
The effectiveness of outsourcing relationships, and thus the ability to create value, rests with the
combination of people, skills and systems needed to bind together an organisations network of
business units, partners and service providers.
Organisations must align expectations with real needs; structure deals to take account of the long-
term business objectives and ensure good communications channels and strong leadership are in
place.
With the right people, skills and systems in place, organisations will be better placed to develop
mutually beneficial business alliances and take value creation and a closer strategic approach to
sourcing to new levels.
Evolving Process
To benefit from a strategic sourcing solution, whether in terms of reducing costs or creating value,
organisations need to treat sourcing as an evolving process of co-operation.
At the outset, there are the obvious operational issues to consider such as managing costs, managing
technical and supplier complexity and managing risk.
The Way Forward
The most successful sourcing arrangements are the most intimate; these are true partnerships, with
sound and flexible contractual status and mutual rewards for cost reduction and profit generation.
These are closer and more open working relationships with looser boundaries and each partner
organisation feeling part of each other’s business.
These alliances will require greater levels of trust and honesty than ever before. They will require new
ways of thinking of sourcing alliance, sourcing collaboration and strategic sourcing.
This business trend as gained momentum over the years and is essential for all organisations.
In conclusion
Print Management (facility management of documents/forms) is necessary to control the third
dimension of company's activities - to develop partnership plans to save time and money in the short
and long term for industry. The implementation of this type of system will save money that drops to the
`bottom-line`.
"You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what
you give."
Winston Churchill

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`THE PARTNERSHIP PRINCIPLE`
THE WAY FORWARD IN THE PRINTING INDUSTRY
Many European companies are now lean, fit and the `most` successful have learnt that the true
key to long term prosperity is total customer satisfaction.
However, not enough companies have learnt to move quality up and cost down to be able to keep
pace with their international competitors. In today’s local economy, European business can no longer
afford to think in terms of being simply a Union of consumers. It must `refocus` on becoming a nation
of producers in order to survive and grow. To do this European companies must learn to address a
strategic key issue. How to work with both suppliers and customers in partnership, not in conflict. The
reason why Print Management Service organisations are very successful is they use the `partnership
principle`.
The natural world abounds in successful partnerships with the teaming up of widely different species
for mutual advantage. Many creatures enter freely into partnerships with others of their kind, to find
food, to firm their territory or raise the next generation. Human life reveals daily evidence of the
benefits that partnership brings, creating collective achievement that would be impossible separately,
working together as partners. Why is it then that in the world of work, the partnership principle so
frequently fails?
" Right then Alex. I think that’s about everything I can give you on the new specification, does that give
your company enough to devote to the quote now? I think so Adam; we certainly got as much as you
always give us. Just the same, don’t take anything for granted, just because you won the last contract.
Don’t worry, I know we have to win it with fair competition; our practice has always been pretty keen.
They need to be, our margins are under terrific pressure with this new company that has opened up
across town. Do I take it that the contract will run for 12 months as usual? That’s right, but it won’t
even get started if you can’t get the number of running charges down. There were only two last year,
and that’s not bad. I know, but if it goes any higher, it will start to increase our defect ratio. We have
always managed to keep within the agreed defect ratio, though, have we not and we have managed to
keep prices down below inflation".
Contrary to first impressions, what you see here is not a working partnership, it’s a short-term power
based relationship concerned only with negotiating down the lowest price standards and accepting
good enough quality standards. There is no sharing of information, no pooling of resources and the
supplier knows that if he makes a mistake he is out, but he is still the traditional model for many
customer/buyer relationships in British business.
Human beings are creatures of habit, our lives are filled with patterns of behaviour that we never think
to question, how much time over the years could have been saved by keeping cereal, sugar and milk
close together? At home perhaps it doesn’t matter, there’s no compelling need for change, but in the
workplace, acceptance of the status quo is fatal!
Where competitors have learnt smarter working practices in delivering a more competitive product,
slower companies inevitably face extinction. The message is clear "change or die".
One of the key reasons why companies fail to make the breakthrough for world class standards of
performance is the traditional adversarial relationship between customer and supplier, with both sides
seeking maximum short term gains for minimum investment. In a relationship characterised by mutual
distrust and insecurity, acceptances of low quality standards and ultimately lack of true international
competitiveness. These relationships are mutually damaging, nurturing a vicious spiral of increased
borrowings, vulnerability to better-organised competition and in turn furthers reductions in
manufacturing capacity.
This erosion of wealth creation affects the whole community and in the end, the well being of the
nation. One stark example of what can happen is the progressive domination of world markets by the
Japanese carmakers of less than 30 years. Where a whole industry has abandoned the inherent
inefficiencies of western style mass production in favour of the more efficient lean production system,
that offers far higher quality and low cost.

Document Management Solutions for Cost Savings and Business Growth

Document Management Solutions for Cost Savings and Business Growth

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