Our client, a renowned global pharmaceutical company specializing in research, development, manufacturing and distribution of vaccines and medicines, sought to enhance its contract management process. To improve efficiency and optimize document handling, the company aimed to transition from its existing SharePoint-based workflow application to an automated solution.
The Challenge
Streamlining complex contract management processes
Our client faced challenges with their manual contract management process, including time-consuming workflows in SharePoint that required considerable manual effort. This process encompassed managing various data center forms related to customers, products, security centers, marker baskets, account inquiries and contract management requests. The company desired an automated solution that would reduce manual intervention, streamline document exchanges and facilitate the resubmission of records as needed.
The Objective
Empowering efficient workflow through automated contract management
Their objective was to streamline their contract management process, leveraging automation to handle customer and product data efficiently. Transitioning from their existing SharePoint workflow, they sought to create specialized CCM data center forms for diverse requests, including customers, products, security centers, marker baskets, account inquiries and CCM requests. The implementation of an Appian BPM workflow solution aimed to minimize manual intervention, standardize processes and expedite request handling. This initiative also focused on enhancing document exchanges, reducing processing delays and offering the convenience of auto-resubmission for records as needed. Through these efforts, the client aimed to achieve heightened efficiency and accuracy in their contract management operations.
The Solution
Implementing an automated workflow solution
HCLTech proposed a comprehensive consultation-led approach to address our client's requirements for automating the manual input management process. To achieve this, several strategic steps were taken:
- Consultation-led automation: We began by thoroughly understanding the client's existing processes and needs. This consultation-led approach formed the foundation for devising a tailored solution that catered to their unique challenges.
- Reusable form creation: Recognizing the need for scalability, we designed reusable forms. This approach allowed us to extend the solution to accommodate future data center requests seamlessly, ensuring a sustainable and adaptable solution.
- SAIL components implementation: To streamline document capture and automate monitoring processes, we utilized SAIL (Self-Service Automation Interface Layer) components. This technology facilitated the creation of intuitive user screens for document input and automated the monitoring of mailboxes and document folders.
- Auto-assignment and auto-approval rules: We developed rules based on specific criteria to enable auto-assignment and auto-approval of tasks. This not only reduced manual intervention but also ensured tasks were directed to the appropriate personnel, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
- On-premises solution on Appian BPMS 18.4: The solution was developed using Appian Business Process Management Suite (BPMS) 18.4. By building an on-premises solution on this platform, we ensured seamless integration with the client's existing infrastructure and technology stack.
By adopting this multifaceted approach, we successfully transformed the client's manual input management process into an efficient, automated workflow. The combination of consultation-led strategy, reusable forms, SAIL components, rules and the Appian BPMS platform culminated in a tailored and effective solution that met our client's present needs while providing room for future expansion and enhancement.
The Impact
Transformative outcomes from automated contract management
The implementation of the automated contract management process yielded several significant benefits:
- Enhanced efficiency: The new system improved the efficiency of handling requests, resulting in faster processing times
- Reduced turnaround time: Automation of work assignments and business rules led to a considerable reduction in turnaround time for the input management process
- Resource productivity: The solution contributed to increased productivity among resources at the customer contract data center
- Document handling: The automation solution offered ease of document handling within the Appian platform
- Data integration: Integration efforts were minimized, resulting in less effort required for inputting data
- Efficiency tracking: The system's integration of defined service level agreements (SLAs) facilitated better tracking of efficiency in handling requests
In conclusion, the successful implementation of an automated contract management process by HCLTech using Appian BPM significantly improved our client's operational efficiency, reduced manual intervention and enhanced tracking and monitoring capabilities. This streamlined approach resulted in increased productivity and faster processing times for the global pharmaceutical company's contract management operations.
