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Page 1
Winning the Paper War:
Tales from a Document Imaging
Implementation
Educause 2007 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference
Jill M. Forrester
Director, Institutional Systems
Dickinson College
Library and Information Services
Overview
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About Dickinson College
About the Admissions Imaging Project
Lessons Learned
What’s Next
Questions
Page 3
About Dickinson College
• 4-year, private liberal arts college in Carlisle, PA
• Admissions Staff
 12 Counseling
 9 Operational
 1 Technical Support
• Over 5,000 applications received
per year
• Recruitment Plus client since 2001
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About the Admissions Imaging Project
About the Project: Why the Admissions Office?
• The Great Paper Chase
 80,000+ documents
 5,000+ applicant files
 25 staff members spread
over 4 floors
• Impact
 Missing applicant files and filing delays
 Recruitment Plus missing items out of synch
 Counseling staff filing instead of reviewing applicant
materials
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About the Project: Our Goals
• Provide more accurate and timely record of applicant’s
submitted materials
• Provide electronic availability of applicant materials for
both counseling and operational staff
• Provide better information security
• Utilize the availability of electronic application and
supplement submissions through Common App Online
Page 7
About the Project: Our Timeline
2004
2005
2006
• Vendor Selection
(NolijWeb)
• Configuration of
software and hardware
• Development of
integration
components
• System testing
• Staff training
• Process improvement
meeting
• Development of bar
code module
• Development of
Common App Online
integration
• System testing
• Staff training
• Process improvement
meeting
• Refine Common App
Online integration
• Staff training
Nov 1, 2004 –
Go Live for Fall 2005
Applications
Oct 1, 2005 –
Version 2 released for
Fall 2006 Applications
Aug 15, 2006 –
Version 3 released for
Fall 2007 Applications
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About the Project: Our Difficulties
• Underestimated time and effort required for scanning
and indexing
 Scanning equipment
 Manual indexing
 Lack of quality control
• Staff adjustment to new processes
 All new workflow and process for operational staff
 Adjustment to reviewing electronic documents
 Trusting the system accuracy
• Off-campus access
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About the Project: Our Accomplishments
•Developed integration with Common App Online (CAO)
 Over 65% of applications and supplement forms are
submitted through CAO
 Reduced paper consumption by approximately 40,000
pages
 Increased data entry and review efficiency
• Paper: 10+ minutes per application
• Electronic: <1 minute per application
Result: All applications and supplements submitted
through CAO are imported, indexed, and reviewed within
24 hours of submission.
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About the Project: Our Accomplishments
•Developed bar code based scanning and indexing
application
 Automates image indexing
• Utilizes bar coded cover sheets for each document type and
applicant
 Provides image quality control
• User must verify quality of scanned images before they are
imported
Result: Efficiency of indexing process as well as the
quality and accuracy of scanned images has greatly
increased.
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About the Project: Our Accomplishments
•Purchased better quality scanners
 Original equipment: Kodak i65
• Slow throughput
• Poor reliability (pulled multiple pages)
 New equipment: Canon DR 9080C
• Greater throughput and reliability
Result: Scanning quality has improved which has resulted
in increased staff trust in system accuracy.
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Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
• Understand the business process
• Involve the office staff
• Allow time for new processes to “sink-in”
• Provide feed-back sessions
• Have a back-up plan
• Provide just-in-time training
Page 14
Lessons Learned
• Keep an open relationship with your vendors
• Don’t underestimate the effort to properly scan
• Take advantage of electronic data and images
• Think creatively
• Celebrate your accomplishments as a team
Page 15
Next Steps
Next Steps
• Integrating additional electronic documents as they
become available through Common App Online
• Continued implementation of NolijWeb in other
administrative offices
 Registrar’s Office – Summer 2007
 Financial Aid - TBD
 Human Resources – TBD
 Accounts Receivable - TBD
Page 17
Questions
Jill M. Forrester
Director, Institutional Systems
[email protected]
Dickinson College
Library and Information Services