Alliant Credit Union Case Study

The Challenge

Even though Alliant had an enterprise content management (ECM) solution, the credit union was only using it in a limited fashion – scanning, storing and retrieving documents in just a few alliant-credit-union-hyland-case-managementdepartments. Alliant realized it needed a more robust ECM solution that could easily extend across the entire enterprise. That solution also needed to include an easily configurable workflow robust enough to automate time-consuming, paper-based processes.

“All accounts payable invoices were walked around the credit union to collect signatures,” said Heather Lally, VP of Operations.

That all changed with OnBase by Hyland.

The Solution

In late 2011, Alliant implemented OnBase to begin automatically capturing documents and information. Now, more than 95 percent of the credit union’s documentation is electronic.

“But we wanted to do more than store document images,” said Lally.

So Alliant utilized OnBase to stop printing documents and instead access them electronically from multiple systems. Workflows were the next step.

Empowering work to flow– electronically

Alliant transformed its manual accounts payable process with OnBase and its powerful workflow engine. It easily built three mission-critical workflows: HR for onboarding, AP for invoice processing and Legal for contract management. Now, the credit union automatically forwards documents and information through processes – notifying stakeholders as it does. As an example of how workflow optimizes processes, if it doesn’t register an approval in due time, the system automatically escalates the request for approval to the next level.

“That reduces late fees from invoices potentially sitting too long on desks,” said Lally.

Another important workflow alerts managers when any one of Alliant’s 300 third party contracts is up for renewal. Each point in the process of renewing or initiating a contract is tracked in the workflow, including due diligence, request for proposal and contract negotiation.

Developing a fraud solution – together

Teaming up, Alliant and Hyland built a fraud solution with a goal of making sure it not only would be the right fit for Alliant’s needs, but would be scalable for credit unions of all sizes. The result was a system so easy to use, it took employees one hour to master.

By doing away with the need to traverse and cross-reference multiple Excel spreadsheets, the solution saves several hours per day for Alliant’s fraud investigators. It used to take Alliant four or five hours to pull a monthly fraud report. Now it takes less than 10 minutes. Further optimizing the process, OnBase’s case management solution allows investigators to easily log, access and interact with all data – including records, documents, forms and history – involved in a fraud investigation.

“Using the Fraud Case Management solution, we now have analytics as well as the ability for multiple fraud analysts to work cases at the same time,” said Jason Knapp, senior manager, Operations.

Optimizing – enterprise -wide

Looking across the enterprise, the credit union sees other ways to optimize.

“We still have other manual processes. We want to create more efficiencies, increase accuracy and lower our costs through structured processing. This allows us to continue to move quickly to provide great service to our members,” said Lally.

The Result

Reduces AP processing time by 70 percent: “Prior to implementing the AP solution, we had two full-time employees (FTEs) managing this very manual process. Now it takes one-half an FTE to manage the automated process, allowing us to redeploy those employees elsewhere. This was a big win for us,” said Knapp.

Streamlines fraud investigations: Reports that used to take four or five hours to produce now take 10 minutes.

Optimizes processes across the enterprise: Instead of searching file cabinets or file shares, all employees have access to the documents and information they need with a few mouse-clicks.

Departments now using OnBase: All (Enterprise-wide)

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