Document Imaging Saves Student Financial Assistance Time and Improves Service

The past year and a half has seen a big change in the document management approach in the Office of Student Financial Assistance. In early 2008, Student Financial Assistance began using the Banner Document Imaging Suite (BDMS) to scan and index every document the office received. Now, instead of a paper file, each student has an electronic file. According to Brent Shock, Senior Associate Director of the Office of Student Financial Assistance, this approach is yielding a number of benefits:

• We are able to provide faster, more accurate service to students and parents. From Banner we can launch the documents that have been submitted, allowing us to quickly and accurately explain discrepancies or missing data. When the student visits us in person, if needed we can print a copy of the document for student or parent to complete right on the spot.
  
  
• Our 2008-2009 documents are now protected against natural disaster. This is important, as we collect sensitive tax data from students and parents and limits the University's exposure.
  
  
• Incoming documents are now centrally received and managed, resulting in fewer instances of misplaced documents.  This is especially important since our office has received and imaged over 100,000 pieces of paper this year alone.

Implemented at Miami in late 2007, the BDMS allows the offices to scan paper forms and index both paper and electronic forms into the BDMS system. When viewing a student record in Banner, you can easily access the document images associated with that student.

Since implementation, nine offices have adopted use of the BDMS and collectively have used the system to scan and index more than 1 million documents. Offices currently using the system include Academic Personnel, Alumni, Bursar, Finance/Accounting, Human Resources, OEEO, Registrar, Payroll Services and Student Financial Assistance.

If you believe your office could benefit from document imaging, please contact Linda Knowles (rosels@muohio.edu) to set up an appointment to discuss your office’s needs.