Signing Documents Doesn't Have to Be So Hard

Editor's Notes

• #2: Good Morning Everyone and welcome to our live webinar. Today is Thursday February 11th I’m Richard Schoen coming to you from our offices in Eden Prairie MN where the Winter is hopefully halfway over. I’ll be the moderator today for our webinar titled: Signing Documents Doesn’t HaveTo Be So Hard It seems like a simple topic, but many companies struggles with getting documents properly signed, filed and distributed without a lot of effort. This webinar will explore how to implement processes to automatically capture signatures on orders, invoices and shipping documents such as Bills of Lading BOL and Proofs of Delivery POD. We’ll be sharing some ideas which allow you to quickly start integrating signature capture with any of your document processes. We’re excited to have you here today so let’s get started.
• #3: As I mentioned I am Richard Schoen, Director of Document Management Technologies at HelpSystems. I am part of the technical solutions group at HelpSystems bringing topics like this to our customers and prospective customers. I have over 27 years of background with IBMi, Windows and Linux platforms and managing and delivering forms and documents. My co-presenter today is Greg Schmidt. Good morning Greg……….why don’t you introduce your self and tell us a little about your role here at HelpSystems.
• #4: Our agenda today will hopefully provide a good introduction to HelpSystems, RJS and our electronic signature capture solutions that help companies go implement paperless process. We’ll provide a quick company overview of HelpSystems and its history. Then we’ll talk about the common business reasons companies want to implement signing documents electronically. Then we’ll provide an overview of our SignHere electronic signature capture software and a short demo of some signing processes. We will end with a few minutes of Q&A and a couple of polling questions. Feel free to enter your questions in the chat window as we go and I will address them towards the end of the webinar. Select “All Presenters” so the questions are directed to me. We’ll also plan to complete our session in 30-40 minutes so you have plenty of time to make your next important meeting.  Also todays event will be recorded and you will receive a link after the webinar to share with anyone in your organization who couldn’t attend todays session.
• #5: HelpSystems has been in business for over 32 years providing system management, business intelligence and security solutions for IBMi, Windows, Linux and AIX platforms. The RJS document management products joined the HelpSystems product brand portfolio in 2014. The RJS products focus on helping companies implement paperless process to capture, manage, deliver and secure their critical documents. Our WebDocs family of products help companies go paperless by providing several key document management components. ---- Our WebDocs family of products help companies go paperless by providing several key document management components such as: -Document scanning to capture paper documents such as AP invoices -Electronic Business Form Output generation software which can be used to generate documents such as invoices, purchase orders, statements, checks and more. -WebForms, our web based data capture software allows companies to capture data at the source of entry and eliminate re-keying of information. (Used often in AP, HR and other departments looking to turn paper forms into actionable data.) -SignHere Electronic Signature Capture – Capturing signatures on business documents such as invoices, receipts, proofs of delivery and bills of lading without printing. -DeliverNow Automated Report and Document Bursting and Delivery. If you’re planning to implement paperless process in any of your departments, chances are we have a solution.
• #6: This slide shows the core functions of our solution. Our solution covers 3 core areas of a business Document management – This focuses around capturing and managing scanned paper documents, electronic reports from IBMi and other systems, mfg drawings, email, inbound faxes and other electronic documents such as photos, videos and more. We can manage any document that can be created in a PC format. Process management – Webdocs contains a built-in document routing system to provide the ability to electronically route documents to therightpeople for review and approval as well as electronic signature capture. Signatures can be captured via desktop software or web based forms that can be sent out via the web Forms management – Forms management covers two different but important areas. Input forms – We can take any paper based form and turn it into an online version where data can be captured. This is a great way to capture data right away without re-keying.  Output forms – generating high quality business output documents such as invoices, purchase orders, statements, bills of lading, checks and more to reduce paper usage. This is also the main topic of today’s webinar. Todays webinar will be focused on the signature capture processes that can be automated using our document management software.
• #7: Businesses generate all kinds of documents that need signatures applied. From sales proposals and orders to bills of lading and invoices and more, the one common denominator is that signatures need to be captured and the resulting documents need to be filed. Then associated business systems need to be updated based on those signatures. Proof of Delivery, loan and insurance documents and health care records are among the many documents that need to get signed that can have a great impact on the business. For missing signed proofs of delivery, businesses cannot bill for merchandise and may not get paid. For unsigned loan documents, a new homeowner may not be able to close on their mortgage. And for unsigned healthcare records, a patient may not receive a service or procedure they desperately need. Electronic signature software has made these processes much easier to manage.
• #8: Businesses are also slowed down by having to comply with government regulations. Over the past several years digital signatures have become widely accepted in all industries as a way to quickly sign documents. This has paved the way for business process improvement by implementing digital signature capture software to streamline the capture and dissemination of signed documents. Electronic signature capture is a great a way to create demonstrable processes that show government compliance.
• #9: TODO – Finish notes content. What’s the problem ? Why are capturing document signatures so hard ? In todays world many businesses still manually print paperwork for signing. Often multiple copies are printed, signed and then manually re-filed in paper filing cabinets. Many people many need to sign documents. Remote locations. Manually printing paperwork. Manually signing paperwork. Manually filing paperwork Lost time for document retreival Signing multiple pages Capturing signatures in the field Production signing processes. (There are many products geared for one-off document signing, but few are geared for high volume document production environments which is where SignHere excels. We’re going to cover some use cases in today that can be quickly automated with SignHere to improve processes and save time and money.
• #10: Signing documents with SignHere is as easy as 1.2.3. Your daily business processes can simply: Generate PC documents or IBM i spool files as PDF or TIFF documents for signing. Automated processes can be used to launch documents for signing at the press of a button or function key if you happen to be using 5250 applications. After signing documents can be Printed, emailed, and fileed automatically to network folders, Sharepoint, or WebDocs.
• #11: Often delivery drivers have to take printed paperwork with them to a customer site to capture their signatures. Imagine a process where in the morning a driver pushes a button to load up their table with the days orders. Then they go out in the field for their daily delivery rounds where WiFi/MiFi/Cell connectivity may be spotty. At each stop they capture a signature on the appropriate documents. At lunch time or end of day or whenever connectivity is available, signed documents are synced back to the corporate ERP system and automatically filed. And the delivery info in the ERP system is also updated with signature status so invoices can be generated right away and a customer copy of the signed documents can be emailed or printed for mailing if paper is required.
• #12: When truck drivers pull up to a loading dock, load their shipments and are ready to go, often they are delayed by paperwork issues. There may be someone standing in line ahead of them signing a 100 page Bill of Lading document. Or the printer may be out of paper so they have to wait until the paper is flowing once again. What if the process could be as easy as quickly reviewing the bill of lading and then signing all pages with a single signature. With SignHere you can get you shipments moving quicker and keep your drivers happy.
• #13: We see this scenario all too often. Documents and paperwork get generated and printed at corporate headquarters. The unsigned paperwork is then mailed or couriered to remote sites for signing or approvals. After signing, copies are photo-copied or scanned and then re-printed and filed at corporate. Or worse yet the signed documents are couriered back to corporate after signing costing more money in shipping costs and printed paper. What if there were a way to: Generate documents one time electronically. Then route the documents via an electronic workflow system for signatures and approvals. And finally capture the final signed document copies without generating any paper, except maybe a printed copy for the customer. Using SignHere your business can implement an electronic approval document routing system.
• #14: When documents are signed, they can automatically update an ERP database field or perform some other business process such as sending out a copy of a signeddocuments or performing instant invoicing. Invoice immediately.
• #15: Capture Signatures on Any Business Document Sign any PDF or TIFF document IBM i Text, AFP or IPDS Spool files supported. With V7R1 and above documents can be quickly captured to PDF for singing using the CPYSPLF command. Sign via Topaz, Microsoft Ink and PC tablets Sign documents from IBM i Outq or IFS Sign documents from PC/Network Dir Excel and Word add-ins Command line switches for automated process Integrate to IBM i or PC app workflows Automatically print, email and file after signing Exit points to call custom code to update database tables after signing, automatically email or file a document or perform other custom logic. Exit points can be written in .Net or custom CL programs can be written on IBMi.
• #16: In many cases with a small tablet, a process can be used to load up documents for signing on a device. Then the device can be taken offline and documents signed throughout the day and synced back to the network later. Signhere supports several methods of capturing signatures. Windows desktop, laptop or standalone Windows tablets are supported. Today’s touch screen Windows devices allow anybody to sign a document using SignHere and their finger. Topaz signature capture devices can also be used, however with touch screen devices available now, Topaz devices are no longer required. Standalone touch screen monitors or integrated PCs with touch screen monitors are also supported as well. Winbook and other vendors now offer full Windows 8.1 and 10 tablets from 7” at $59 to 10” ~$179-199. And Microsoft has the new surface devices for around $500. The device landscape is always changing so contact us before selecting devices for your signature capture process.
• #17: This is a screen shot showing the SignHere signature capture desktop application. We’ll take a closer look at the application in a few minutes during our demo.
• #18: This is an overview of our integrated document signature capture process. An automated signature capture process can usually go like this: A user or background job can generate an IBM i spool file document or PC applications can generate PDF or TIFF documents that need to be signed. In many cases a customer may use our iForms electronic forms product to first generate a form document from an IBMi spool file or database for signing. Then a function key can be pressed from within a 5250 screen or a PC application may generate a PDF document that needs to be signed. After the document gets generated it gets automatically launched for signing in SignHere. We have various methods to seamlessly launch interactive signing such as calling a CL command from IBMi or calling the SignHere application from a PC command line. After signing, a document can be automatically printed, emailed or sent over to be archived in a network directory, or document management system such as Sharepoint or WebDocs. This is a great way to create a seamless, integrated signature capture process for your critical production documents such as order, shipments, bills of lading, HR documents and more.
• #19: SignHere also has office addins that can be used for signing documents. Users can also print from any desktop or laptop application to a PDF for automatic signing using one of the free open source PDF print drivers or Adobe Acrobat Pro. After signing, a document is can be printed, emailed or sent over to be archived in a network directory, or document management system such as Sharepoint or WebDocs. Integrated PC application document signing is a great way to eliminate steps and streamline capture processes.
• #20: We would be remiss is we didn’t mention that SignHere can be integrated with most of the existing HelpSystems products. SEQUEL or Showcase are used to generate reports and documents. PDFs can be generated and routed for signatures electronically. Capture signatures on PowerTech or Skyview audit reports that can be routed for electronic signature capture. Robot, Halcyon, Bytware, CCSS and system generated reports from any of our IBM i or non-i software can be integrated into a SignHere document signing process. These could be job checklists, job reports and any of the output generated as reports. AutoMate, our Windows process automation software can generate, burst and stage documents for signing. iForms can be used to generate business forms and documents for signature capture processes. Hopefully hearing about the many ways in which SignHere can be integrated to your internal processes has stimulated your thoughts and you’re imagining the documents where you might want to capture signatures. We look forward to hearing your input and talking about your needs.
• #21: Now we’re going to take a quick look at a couple of SignHere document signing scenarios. Greg will be providing a short product demo of some of the SignHere signature capture features.
• #22: OK, now we’re going to take time for a little Q&A. I will also also show a poll with a couple of questions we can share with the group. When entering questions, please remember to Select “All Presenters” so your questions are directed to me. Can I sign all pages of a document all at once ? Yes, a single signature can be applied to all pages of a document at once. Many times when shipments are picked up by delivery drivers they may have large bill of lading documents where every page needs to be signed. SignHere can optionally apply signatures to all pages of a document from a single signature to save drivers time and help them get on the road. Can I place other information on a document rather than just a signature ? Signed documents often have other items that need to be filled in such as check boxes to answer questions or possibly a note added to denote broken merchandise or some other comment. SignHere fully supports check boxes and additional text annotations as well as automated date stamping when a signature is added to a document to help insure document information scan be completed without printing. Then and only then is the final copy saved, filed, printed (if needed) and archived. Can I sign plain IBM i spool file documents ? dsasadada How easy is it to integrate signature capture into an existing paperwork process ? gfd Can signing be launched from another application ? dsa Can I update a table in my ERP system after a signature is captured on a document ? dsa Can I customize the signature capture process ? SignHere has exit point Can I do web based signing of documents ? If you need to implement a web based signature capture process, you will probably want to consider taking a look at our web forms process. Web forms allows companies to capture Can I generate a document, call a signature capture process and file a signed document all in one action? Can I sign documents from a PC application? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can I print any PDF document with iForms ? Yes, you can print PDF documents directly from the IBM i via an output queue or using any Windows print driver. In fact we also have a hybrid scenario where we can render as PCL, Postscript and even AFP with the appropriate Windows drivers and then either print directly to a Windows printer or the data can be re-spooled to an output queue as a *USERASCII file for printing. This is a nice way to integrate iForms into an existing process. Can I call the document generation process from a .Net, PHP or .Ruby application ? You would utilize the iForms REST API to call form generation from a platform other than IBMi. The REST API is supported from any platform that can make a URL call. This includes business process automation tools such as our AutoMate software. If all my data isn’t in my IBMi spool file or PC ASCII text report can I grab information from my database and use it on my form ? Yes, a form template based on a spool file or text file can also draw in additional information from database table(s) as needed. Ex: If the original report has customer number in it we can go grab name, address, email address and more from the customer database. Or if we want to use the company number to select the logo we can do that as well. How would I generate documents from databases other than DB2 ? In the designer you can specify any database that is available. As long as it has a database driver available, iForms can use it.
• #23: Thanks for attending our webinar today. We hope you learned some helpful information to allow your company to start thinking about moving towards implementing electronic signature capture to improve your document filing, audit and storage processes and reduce paper usage and postage costs. Make sure to mark the date for our 2016 user conference titled: ShiftIT which will take place here in Minneapolis from June 20th – 23rd. Go to helpsystems.com/shiftit or reach out to your sales rep and they can provide registration info. We look forward to connecting with you face to face in 2016. And of course if you have any additional questions on our signature capture or other document management technology, feel free to reach out to our sales team, Greg Schmidt or me and we will be happy to address your questions or provide a more in-depth technical demo. You will also receive a link to this recording so you can share this webinar with those in your company who could not attend today’s session. Again thanks for attending todays webinar. Have a great day and enjoy the rest of your week. Pause for a moment. Stop screen sharing Save polling answers.