I like to think of myself as a “shades of gray guy”. By that, I mean that I don’t think that situations and people can be explained as “this or that”; in other words black or white. There are just too many moving parts for everything to be cut and dry. I don’t know whether it is human nature or our spirit (especially in the US), but we are drawn to a good old fashion competition. Man VS. Wild, Heat VS. Celtics, Cookies VS. Ice Cream, Horse VS. Mule (hopefully you can name the play that is from)… I am not above getting into the ring and mixing it up… I wish there was a bell, because here it goes…
Automation and document management are not the same thing. Document management’s primary goal is to create and save a document that primarily used to be paper and put it into a database where that document can be searched for and retrieved, then used in a meaningful way. Automation’s primary goal is to replace manual steps in a process with technology , and the outcome is that people’s time and effort that used to be spent on manual processes can be applied to different aspects of the business.
Here is the rub! Both offerings can improve a business – both offerings can create a return on investment (ROI) – both offerings reduce or eliminate paper, but, by virtue of each offering’s goals, they are different. The logical argument is that, if combined, you have the best of both worlds. That’s the rub on the rub (I don’t know if rub is the best word… I am starting to get a little uncomfortable) However, it’s true! Both are the best, but (rub on rub) none of this argument matters if the offering doesn’t match your company’s internal goals.
In The 8 Pitfalls I wrote a lot about knowing your internal workings of your organization, and then formulating realistic goals that are attached to outcomes that make business sense for your company… wow, that was a lot of words.
(So) Let me write this… I would love to give you more, but I promised my publisher that I wouldn’t blog over 500 words (to my publisher – you are welcome, to my audience – you are welcome)… if you want more join me next week for a webinar – click here
Or
Buy the book – The Argument to Automate – How Innovation Can INSPIRE Not Fire – click here to buy
(Also) To get your copy of The 8 Pitfalls of Accounts Payable Automation – click here to buy
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