Document workflow

Terminology

SSED (Electronic Document Exchange System) – is used to track the status of documents, record comments at various stages, mark agreement/notification/approval, as well as for document distribution.

Participant – is the individual who takes part in the Electronic Document Exchange System (SSED).

Primary document – is a document created and initiated within the SSED (e.g., order, directive).

My documents – encompass all documents in which the user has participated in any stage.

Primary document log – is used for creating primary documents and displaying the list of already created documents.

Workspace – is the main form displaying all received documents that require a response (approval, validation, notification, creation of an approval list, and initiation into the approval process). Each user sees only the documents in their workspace that require their participation.

Route – is an ordered sequence of stages/statuses through which a document must pass within the SSED. Different primary documents have different routes. Each stage in the route is characterized by one or more responsible persons. For instance, the preparation stage – initiator, the approval stage – manager. Moreover, at different stages in different routes, a note/comment can be added not only by an employee but also by an additional person with signature rights. Also, at the point of transitioning to a certain stage, notification alerts can be sent or not.

Stage – is a specific state of a document that characterizes its phase. Depending on the stage, different roles have varying permissions, and participants have different statuses. Certain stages can be repetitive in the document’s journey within the route (e.g., approval stage).

Main functionalities

The una.ECM platform is a universal automated software platform designed for comprehensive business process automation (electronic document flow management, task monitoring in companies of any size). This platform enables control of document flow, tracking their status, and reducing the approval sheet signing time.

In practice, now any document within the system can become part of the document flow.

The platform allows:

• Tracking the current status of the document.
• Approving and confirming documents within the system.
• Creating and monitoring the status of the electronic document archive.
• Sending documents for approval with a single button press.
• Receiving email notifications about changes in document status.

Within an individual document, a participant’s status can be:

• Initiator – if they created the SSED, only they create the approval list. They have access to all stages of the document they created: creation and submission for approval, viewing approval stages, approval, and distribution.
• Employee – a person on the distribution and approval list.

Participants can have the following roles:

• Manager – 1 or more individuals.
• User – can view approval stages, approve, and distribute. They can create and approve documents and write comments in the document, adding items (files) to the agenda.
• Secretariat – can create, approve, approve and distribute (this role forms the distribution and approval list, sends to the archive). The secretariat verifies first, then the manager. Notification to the initiator and secretariat during the approval stage is possible.
• Archive

The system is designed to work not only with correspondence and organizational documents but also with various internal documents (contracts, regulatory documents, reference documents, project documentation, human resources-related documents, etc.).