In this Issue:
- A Power Feature – Send a Request (for when input or information is needed from others)
- Using Forms (build your own workflow)
- Use Cases
- Contract Renewal (automate the process of gathering contract renewals)
- Project Management (one place for a project team to go to stay on track)
- Use Cases
Possibly the most powerful feature in CollectDocs is the Request feature
. The Request feature allows you to request help from others. There are certainly times when the tasks that you have to complete involve only you. However, there are many times when the tasks involve other people, whether they are your co-workers or people outside the company like customers, partners or vendors.
Every item that you create in a checklist can be sent as a Request. Requests can be sent for documents, tasks or data. For instance, if you are doing a due diligence checklist for an acquisition and you need to obtain an appraisal, you can create a Document Item and send that item to the appraiser to Request the appraisal.
All you need to send a request is the recipients email address. The user won’t have to create a user name or password or remember a web address. All they need to do is click the link in the email and follow the instructions to upload the completed appraisal. Each request can include a message to the recipient along with a due date and even blank forms or other information that they will need. You can send a single request that includes one or more items to complete.
Each Request can include an automated reminder. The history of every Request is tracked so you can always see who is responsible for an unfulfilled request. As soon as a request is fulfilled, CollectDocs will automatically notify you via email and with a message on the dashboard.
Another use of the request is to create a Document item and attach the first draft of a contract. Then, you can send the request and include the draft with the request. When the recipient gets the request, they can mark up the document and reply to the request. Now you will have their version, which you can then mark up and re-send via a new request. The whole process is tracked in the history.
Using Forms
Forms are actually tied in with the use of the Request feature discussed in this newsletter. Each user can set up folders to store forms. For instance, you may want to store instructions or blank forms that are part of a process. When you send out a request, you can attach one or more forms.
As an example, possibly you have a due diligence checklist and you need to obtain an appraisal. You can upload the requirements that the appraiser must follow as a form. Then, when you send the Request to the appraiser, you can attach the requirements.
Forms can also be blank forms. If you upload a blank W-9, then you can send a request to a new vendor for a completed W-9 and they can download the form, complete it and upload it. This approach is even more powerful when you use digital signatures in your forms. This turns the process into a completely auditable, paperless process. Call it a workflow.
Use the built-in digital signature feature of Adobe Acrobat to quickly create forms with signature blocks and date fields. Upload those forms to CollectDocs, then attach the forms to requests sent to customers, employees or vendors.
Use Cases
This section is devoted to providing our users with creative ideas for CollectDocs in the everyday work life. Feel free to share your ideas and successful uses and we will post them. Send to - info@collectdocs.com
Here are two use ideas provided by customers.
Contract Renewal
For companies with hundreds of customer contracts that need to be renewed on an annual basis, CollectDocs can automate the process and eliminate the headaches of missing or missed contract renewals.
To help keep this process organized, create a checklist for each type of contract or each common renewal period. For instance, if half the contracts expire on June 30th and half on December 31st, create a checklist for each of those dates. Or if you have multiple types of contract, create a checklist for each type.
Next, add each customer as a Document item, with the customer’s name as the item description. Then upload the new contract form or draft to the item. Finally, send a Request to the customer and include the attached document. You can set any date that you want to send out the notice to the customer, such as 60 days before it expires. You can also set a separate due date that the contract must be returned. Include a personalized message with the Request or include a form letter explaining the renewal process (using forms).
Drafts can go back and forth using the Request feature. The final version can even include a digital signature block for a completely paperless process. CollectDocs will send out the requests, collect the final documents and notify you when they are completed. Save each checklist as a template and then the next year, create new checklists from the template, modify for new customers and let CollectDocs start all over again.
Project Management
Checklists are essential to the successful completion of most projects, especially those involving multiple team members. Use CollectDocs to provide a shared checklist with shared responsibilities that is available 24 x 7 and always up to date.
For each project, create a separate checklist. Provide user access to the checklist using the Manage Users feature (View Only, Contributor, Modify, Administrator). If there are users that are outside the company and they should not have visibility into the entire project, you can provide them folder level access. Set up folders that contain items that are specific to the outside users and give those users View only or Contributor rights to those folders only.
Then add the tasks, data points or documents that need to be collected. Upload any forms that will be needed for the project. Create a folder in the Forms management section on the dashboard to keep the forms for this project segregated.
Send out requests to the team members with each member only receiving a request for the items that they are responsible for. Attach necessary forms to the requests. Use the Priority indicator to make sure important items are completed quickly. Also use the Requirements feature to ensure that items are reviewed before marked as complete.
Reports will help you track who is keeping on task and completing items in a timely manner. Using CollectDocs for project management will ensure that projects are completed in a timely manner and that the data that is part of the project is good data.
www.collectdocs.com, (630) 279-0577 x122, info@collectdocs.com