How can technology help us better manage our processes?
In today’s world of technology, managing business processes can no longer mean working with processes like we used to in the ’90s, stored in dusty binders, on a shelf in the boss’s office. Business processes managing solutions, also called BPMS (Business Process Management Software), now allow us to define, model, maintain, measure and improve our ways of doing things all while making it easy to access and manage them.
What is EPC (Enterprise Process Center®) and What Are the Benefits?
Enterprise Process Center® (EPC) is a solution from the Montreal-based company Interfacing which bears several benefits. Not only does it allow you to map your business processes from an online portal, but it also allows:
- A better corporate governance;
- A better compliance management of your processes;
- Process analysis (added valued, cycle-time);
- Management of process execution procedures;
- Management of process-related documents (template, forms, etc.);
- Collaboration and management of improvement cycles.
5 Interesting EPC Functionalities
1. Unique Data Repository
Are you going through an overhaul? The position of Director of Administration is being changed to Director of Finance and Administration? Do you have to modify all the processes and documents related to that position, one by one? It will take up most of your precious time...
With EPC, you will need to make that change one single time, all other occurrences will automatically be updated.
One of the main advantages of EPC is the fact that all its content is combined in a single relational database. EPC helps you manage a significant amount of interrelated and interdependent data while ensuring its integrity.
BPMS allows us to model and store a host of information that ensures complete process management, such as the mapping of the process itself, but also of the associated procedures, who executes them, potential risks and controls in place, performance indicators that allow it to be measured, and so much more.
This relational database makes updating the organization architecture much easier and faster, as well as it offers limitless reporting possibilities that could be elaborated with a dedicated tool such as (but not limited to) Cognos or PowerBI.
2. Versioning, Approval Cycle and Proofing Cycle
You are being audited and you want to demonstrate that you are keeping track of all the changes? You are not sure about where to find the latest version of a document? Do you have to go through several email chains to identify the changes that have been made over time?
Now, thanks to EPC, all that information is centralized and easily accessible. EPC allows you to manage all versions related to each object of a database. Each time a change is made, for example to a role or a process, the change is recorded. The “when,” “who,” and the nature of the change are recorded. Thus, there is no longer the need to ask the infamous question: where can we find the latest version and what is the change we last made? At all times, the latest version is available to all and changes that allowed evolving the object are easily accessible. It is even possible to compare two versions, processes, procedures, etc., and to highlight their differences.
With EPC, it is also possible to define approval cycles in order to set up a process to validate and approve published content. Furthermore, it is possible to define content proofing cycles to ensure your organization’s architecture is always up to date.
3. Multi-Language & Multi-Localization Management
You have an English team and a French one and you have to develop your documentation in French so everyone can understand? Otherwise you would be required to maintain two versions of the same document?
Now, thanks to EPC, an object can be translated in several languages. One of EPC’s interesting functionalities is the multi-language function. Not only is the solution’s interface available in a multitude of language, but each object’s content can be translated to be displayed in the required language. The need to have and upkeep several versions of the same process is now part of the past. EPC will suggest a translation within the solution, which you are free to change, or not.
Additionally, EPC recently added the multi-localization option. It is now possible to create variants of a same process depending on the location, product, service, etc.
4. Performance Indicator Management
You have performance indicators, but you do not know what they relate to within the organization? What is the point of having defined processes if we don’t assess them and don’t ensure they are executed as modelled?
With EPC, it is easy to link performance with processes. It is possible to model the company’s performance indicators and to link them to the processes, to assign them a resource, set up a proofing cycle, etc. By connecting EPC to your business management system, it can provide EPC with relevant data that will allow to visualize your KPIs as well as the state of your processes from within them.
5. Collaboration Module
Your employees have great ideas to improve their daily tasks, but they don’t have access to a platform to realize them? They want to share tips to go faster or avoid mistakes, but instead, they keep them for themselves?
With EPC, it is simple and easy to involve employees in improvement efforts. An important part of process-based management is continuous improvement. Once the definition, modelling, and implementation of your processes are completed, it will be crucial to improve them. The continuous improvement of business processes supplies organizations with the flexibility to react quickly to changes.
The collaboration module, part of EPC, allow developing a log listing incidents, questions or requests for improvement in relation to your organization architecture. This makes it possible, for example, to generate reports on the number of incidents or non-compliance identified in relation to a process in particular. From there, improvement ideas to be implemented can be generated.
With this module, users can also signal incidents or improvement ideas that will be assigned to a modeller who will then analyze the request, make the change, get it approved and make it available to all.
EPC, A Solution with Endless Possibilities
These five functionalities are only the beginning. EPC is a powerful business process management tool. With this tool, you will be able to model your company architecture, including processes, roles, responsibilities, performance indicators, risks, controls and much more.
You already have dozens of Visio documenting your processes; and so you hesitate transitioning to a solution such as EPC for fear of wasting a lot of time transcribing everything? No worries! With EPC, it is possible to import content from formats such as .vsdx, . bpmn, and .csv making the transition as easy as possible.
Why not take an extra step and add intelligence to your processes with an iBPMS (intelligent Business Process Management Suite) by integrating validation, real-time collaboration and automation capabilities? Possibilities are endless! Technologies are the nervous system that supports business processes within an organization. The time has come for you to benefit from it!
Whether you are implementing a new ERP and wish to take advantage of that time to restructure your ways of doing things and to document them centrally; or that it is time for you to get a true modelling and documenting tool that will allow you to better organize, consult, and track your processes, there is a solution for each need!
Don’t hesitate contacting us for further information! Depending on your needs, other solutions are available on the market, and Createch can help you identify the one that best corresponds to your needs through our BPMS needs analysis.
