What Is Electronic Document Routing?

Routing refers to sending documents from one person to another for review, approval or reference.  Routing paper documents through traditional inter-organizational mail invites delays and missed communications.  These traditional methods can also be unreliable and difficult to manage.

Electronic routing is "the automation of a business process, in whole or part, during which documents, information or tasks are passed from one participant, human or machine to another for action, according to a set of procedural rules."  In other words, it is a set of logical steps known as activities that are either executed by a human user or by a machine.  A simplified example would have the workflow routing sending a document to the first person in the chain and based on that person’s action, sending it to the next person in the reviewer chain.  An action could include signing the document using MedStore’s “electronic signature” facility.

Medstore’s workflow engine is the software component that facilitates the automation of a business process.   With basic workflow, the engine is concerned with the electronic delivery of work to people.  With additional thought, the business process itself can be further automated.  The workflow engine can perform activities such as updating other systems automatically, triggering application to produce other documents, even making decisions based on programmed criteria.   

While complete automation may not be practical for all business processes, the goal of workflow is a streamlined process where human contributions are kept to a minimum and are generally related to management of exceptions within the process. 

Effectively implemented workflow that incorporates routing offers a variety of benefits to an organization including reduced operating costs, improved productivity and services, and better conditions for employees.                                                           

Other benefits include:

• Improved efficiency due to business process automation.                                                                                                                                                                      

• Consistency and standardization in document life cycle management.

• Consistency and standardization in business process and methods. Proper tracking and auditing.

• Increased content quality. Elimination of risks associated with errors and omissions.

• A procedural-based way of performing business functions which allow for re-thinking of business methods.

• Streamlining of common business processes and functions leaving little to chance.

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