Financial Data Center Streamlines Loan Application Processing
Loan applications are a common task. During the lifetime of each application, BSG clients must organize, track and combine up to 250 pages of loan documents. Managing this paper-intensive environment is a mission-critical activity. Streamlining related business processes will increase productivity, accelerate loan processing and enhance customer satisfaction.
Why VirtualReScan?
Scanning and indexing these documents for electronic retrieval and workflow offered a more efficient solution than pushing paper from desk to desk. BSG and its clients also were running out of physical storage space for paper files.
BSG Manager Bill Braunsroth says that a viable solution had to be able to scan all kinds of documents, not just the easy ones. "Multi-part carbon forms are the worst." Braunsroth stated. "Standard document scanners often turn these forms too dark to read." Faxes were another problem category.
During the research phase of the project, Braunsroth read a magazine story about a new scanning technology that had been introduced in the Fujitsu M3097D scanner. It was called Kofax VirtualReScan (VRS), an intelligent, automated scanner controller and image processing system that was an optional upgrade to the Fujitsu scanner. VRS automatically and continuously corrects scanner exposure, straightens, cleans up and sharpens document scans without slowing the 39 PPM Fujitsu scanner. It sounded like the answer to capturing the problem documents.
Kofax VRS earned Imaging and Document Solutions magazine's Best of Show Award at the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) annual conference in 1999. VRS is now available for a broad range of mid- to high-speed production scanners from Bell & Howell, Fujitsu and Ricoh.
The Cost of Rescanning
Typically, poor image quality requires rescanning from two to eight percent of all pages. The process is tedious and expensive. The scanner operator must stop scanning new documents, locate the pages that require rescanning, adjust scanner settings, then reload and rescan these pages. The process may have to be repeated many times to generate a readable image. The operator must then replace the rescanned pages in the correct locations in their batches -- in hard copy and electronically. Research has shown it costs six times more than the original scan to rescan a page.
VRS not only eliminates this slow, expensive process, it ensures that even the toughest documents may be captured. And even the most inexperienced scanner operator can obtain the same results.
Recommended VRS to Solution Provider
BSG retained UNIPAC Service Corporation to implement BSG's first document imaging system. With nearly 20 years experience providing computing technology and professional services to the financial industry, UNIPAC provides a wide spectrum of proven, mission-critical capabilities to its clients. UNIPAC's expertise in imaging is complemented by its business partners and its expertise in designing and implementing specific advanced information technology (IT) services and solutions.
UNIPAC's original proposal included non-VRS scanners, but after studying the documents that would be scanned and reading about VRS, the proposal was changed to VRS-equipped scanners instead. This will permit BSG's customers to scan the wide range of document types and qualities required by the solution.
BSG's solution utilizes two Fujitsu M3097D VRS scanners. Documents are scanned and indexed at client's remote locations, than transmitted via wide area network to the archival and retrieval repository at BSG.
UNIPAC installed one scanner at each client location. Client personnel could then scan, index, and release documents using a Kofax software application, Ascent Capture. Optika's Acorde application is the software back end for archival, retrieval and workflow. UNIPAC used Ascent Capture's custom release module for Optika to integrate the scanning operation with the repository.
VRS is compatible with several different capture applications from different companies such as Cardiff, Captiva, ActionPoint and many others.
How Has it Worked?
Braunsroth discovered that VRS could consistently obtain clear, readable on-screen images -- sometimes even more readable than the originals. Even better, VRS could produce these results without rescanning documents and without manual readjustment of scanner exposure settings. The new document imaging solution was a success.
Future rollout plans include automating the Human Resources and Accounts Payables processes.
Customer Benefits:
- Improved quality of business processes and information handling for all BSG customers.
- Reduced operating expenses by decreasing physical storage space and record management headcount.
- Decreased maintenance costs and data entry; simplifies user searches.
- Enhanced access to accurate data, improving customer service.
- Convenient remote management of systems.
For more information about VirtualReScan, contact Kofax Image Products.