To utilize documents effectively, businesses must precisely categorize and sort them; otherwise, problems for staff members may arise. In this fast-paced world, it’s a good thing that document automation software exists. Document automation is possible due to progressive technologies, which impact how firms handle documentation and make laborious and time-consuming manual documentation processes easier. However, with many available options, deciding which is best for your company can take time. Some have different functionality, and some are tailored to particular user types. For example, a sales team’s document automation requirements differ from a legal firm, and each would benefit from a solution designed for their usual daily routine. This post will discover more about the best document automation software and how it might save you hours.
What is Document Automation?
Document automation uses programs and software to build electronic documents with the less human contribution. Document automation helps automate workflows, including scanning, storage, extraction, data capture, and document classification. Users create documents known as “templates” in document automation software. These templates specify how one should add, change or remove documents based on specific inputs. Automation of documents can be:
Document Processing: It is extracting pertinent information from various documents, validating it, and turning it into enriched data for the end user. Every stage of the document lifecycle is handled during document processing. Producing Documents: This entails using data that has already been collected or retrieved as inputs to produce proposals, contracts, business letters, invoices, and more.
Why do Businesses need Document Automation?
Businesses must take care of many papers, which can be expensive to manage ineffectively. Document processing is made more accessible and more convenient with automation. Look at the following reasons why businesses need document automation:
Reduce Repetitive Document Work
Automation of documents reduces employees’ time and effort spent on repeated procedures. Document scanning, data extraction, classification, document indexing, and data storage are essential for any business to run efficiently. Automation of documents accomplishes all of this and more.
Process Documents More Quickly
Employing customized templates can reduce the time spent on paperwork and streamline the document processing process. This aids in establishing a documentation procedure that all staff members can follow to put their time and effort to good use.
Lower Rate of Errors
Documents created manually may need copying and pasting, or more recent ones may contain errors that must be corrected numerous times, requiring arduous human effort and adding needless delays to operations. These errors can be eliminated or considerably reduced with the accuracy of advanced document automation. Predefined templates and AI-based technologies that leverage data capture make it easier to obtain the necessary information and notify the appropriate personnel when data is lacking.
Savings on Expenses
Businesses that automate document creation will undoubtedly profit from lower costs. Automation can considerably lower total charges, including those associated with printing documents, building filing cabinets for actual documents, etc., and enhance administrative control.
Enhances Client Interactions and Commercial Partnerships
Good relationships among employees, vendors, and consumers are essential to the success of any organization. Maintaining positive connections may suffer if manual document creation is inclined to mistakes, delays, and inconsistencies. Access to online documentation makes working with more vendors and contacting more consumers simpler and safer. The ease of viewing the papers from any location at any time promotes better interactions and helps to create individualized client experiences.
Enhances Security and Privacy
Document automation systems feature built-in digital storage areas with the required access permissions to avoid document loss and improve data security. Legal and healthcare sectors, for example, can protect sensitive data from leaks and breaches using document automation software with additional security measures.
How is it more efficient than Manual Document Processing?
If you frequently produce the same kinds of papers, such as contracts, Invoices, or monthly reports, you may experience the following issues:
It takes a lot of time and effort to manually collect data from many sources, carry out complex computations, and produce visualizations to illustrate the data. It’s challenging to guarantee the documents are entirely error-free, even after spending hours (or days) looking for mistakes.
These issues can be resolved using document automation software, which enables you to gather data automatically from many sources and arrange it however you like. As a result, you can create any report in fractions of a second while also being confident that all the information is accurate and error-free.
Features
#1. Web access
Users must have access to their documents from any location in this era where the internet is so widely used. In the age of the internet, web-based document automation software offers quick and simple access to files and folders, which is vital. These comprise:
Access via mobile devices to view or edit documents To store documents in the cloud, use cloud storage. Share folders or individual files with others through file sharing.
#2. Drag and Drop
Drag and drop is an essential element of any document automation system. You may drag and drop files from one location to another or even from one application to another.
#3. Document Search
Each user has a lot of files. Thus, they need to be able to quickly search through them using just a few letters of the search term. Document automation software aids in organizing document storage so that it is simple to retrieve papers when required. Users can search through the stored material using the document search function easily.
#4. Document Versioning
Versioning is yet another crucial feature of a document automation system. Users can access the document’s prior versions, compare them, and roll back to a previous version if necessary, thanks to versioning.
#5. File Locking
A crucial component of document automation software is file locking. Users are prevented from making changes to a locked file until the person who locked it opens it.
#6. Integrated Viewer and Editor
You can view and edit documents using the embedded viewer without downloading them or opening them in a new window, saving you time by eliminating the need to jump between tabs or programs. When the software notices that someone else is making adjustments to the file, it locks it and then unlocks it when they are through.
#7. Rating and Sharing
Users should be able to securely and conveniently share papers using good document automation software. It may also have a rating system that enables users to assign a numerical value to each document using a predetermined scale. This grading method aids in tracking which documents are well-liked by employees and which require modification.
#8. File and Folder Privileges
Any document automation software must include file and folder privileges. You may manage what your team can do with the papers they are working on by granting them editing rights.
#9. Linking of Documents
The process of linking documents, files, or other data sources together so you can access them from a single location is known as document linking. This feature enables you to link a document with any other pertinent record in the document automation software or to access one copy from another.
#10. Smart Content Management
The best systems should seamlessly update across all accounts and data sources, edit templates, build bespoke workflows, and enforce rules that ensure accuracy, compliance, and brand standards. Furthermore, some platforms provide batch automation capabilities that let users produce hundreds or thousands of presentations, statements, reports, and other types of collateral at once, enabling sellers to make technical papers on demand that target particular client segments. We’ve produced a list of the most popular solutions with a brief overview of their key features to help you avoid getting lost in the wide range of document automation software options available.
DocuPilot
Docupilot is a user-friendly and adaptable document automation program. You can use available data and creative templates to build documents. The built-in document builder can create customized templates. You can also email the papers you make using this automation software to services like Dropbox, Zapier, and Docusign. Features
Predefined templates: Docupilot contains predefined templates that businesses may use to form quotations, agreements, invoices, and other documents. Integration: CRM, forms, online databases, surveys, and HR are just a few data sources you can link the software with. Safe: With the help of Docupilot, you can password-protect and encrypt your documents. You can always guarantee the privacy of your clients, fostering much-needed client confidence. Automatic Workflow: Some of the most complicated document workflows in a business are made simpler with Docupilot. So that you won’t have to repeat the data-entering process each time you compose a document, this makes the entire process simple.
DocuPilot stands out because of its comparably inexpensive cost, which makes it more accessible.
airSlate
From flow generation to process analytics, airSlate is an all-in-one cloud application that can manage every stage of your document automation. It is also a no-code utility. Your document processing manual staff can be reduced by half if you can make the most of the app. Features
Flow Creator: The drag-and-drop user interface of Flow Creator allows you to create a visual depiction of document workflow (UI). eSignature: Digital forms, surveys, documents, and content can easily have legally binding eSignatures added to them. Online polls: Using the online surveys feature, you can make public surveys, beta app testing documents, and questionnaires. Robotic Process Automation: You can automate processes using airSlate bots without writing a single code string.
In addition, airSlate has an extensive library with thousands of document automation templates for most sectors.
PandaDoc
Document creation, editing, and signing can all be done in one place using PandaDoc. Whether you require eSignature software, automated proposals, sales and marketing tools, or secure document processing, PandaDoc will provide the tools you need to speed up your business funnel and have papers signed in a flash. To deliver a seamless document management experience across many digital frontiers, PandaDoc easily integrates with over 30 apps and counting. Features
Drop and Drag: It provides the user with default options to drag and place into their document based on the category instead of the templates function. Digital Signature: This is one of the most important features since it allows users to digitally sign papers without using paper. Producing documents: Users can create any document they desire here and control other content. This is perfect if you need to build business contracts, proposals, bids, and other documents. Record Archives: Once you’ve finished creating your document, you can categorize and record archives.
Customers like the flexibility of PandaDoc’s templates. Another fantastic feature that consumers find helpful is document tracking and analytics.
Crove
You may design and automate all of your company papers using Crove. With its robust document editor, it can assist you in automating all of your documents. To automate any document, you can add variables, logical conditions, excel formulae, and eSignatures. By centralizing your document operations within Crove, you can go away with unnecessary tools. With its built-in library of templates, Crove goes beyond simple document automation. Features
Calculations: Use formulae in mathematics to perform calculations directly on the fields in your documents. Forms: Create your survey, include logic to conceal or show questions, and allow anyone to create documents by responding to the questions. Quick Preview: Fill out the questionnaire, and check your documents in real-time. Post Forms: Post your forms on a public URL; anyone can create documents using them if they abide by the restrictions you set for your link.
Crove can be your ideal tool if you seek free document automation software.
Documate
Documate is an easy-to-use, no-code document automation software for assembling legal documents. A group of lawyers and technologists created Documate initially to assist legal aid charities in creating client-facing workflows. Mainly lawyers use this software. However, any business can develop papers using Documate’s simple features. Features
Web Forms: Users can design unique web forms that input data into Word or PDF documents. Online Survey: Users build a survey and then load template documents that connect to the survey form fields. Embed: With the program’s help, users can generate papers from input, distribute the developed workflows, or even embed them into websites.
This document automation platform is suitable for professionals and lawyers that desire a no-code solution with a simple UI.
Templafy
Large enterprises may quickly arrange company content and assets through this document automation software – Templafy. While increasing efficiency for end users by automating document creation, the system ensures brand and legal compliance in papers. This platform is evergreen and adaptable to the constantly evolving IT and application infrastructures used by today’s businesses and organizations. Features
Permission-based system: It allows managers and compliance teams management with quality control over all document assets, ensuring team members use only permitted information. Integration: Employees can simplify the creation of contracts, proposals, and sales collateral within their word processing programs with the help of Templafy’s document automation tools, which link with Microsoft Office and Google G Suite applications. Admin Interface: Employees can access standard document-generating tools with the central distribution of office template files.
Larger businesses can utilize Templafy because it needs a minimum of 50 users.
ExperLogix
Business users may streamline, improve, and automate mission-critical document processes with the help of Experlogix’s comprehensive yet user-friendly document automation software. Features
Document flows: Using a visual interface, you can quickly create document flows that use conditional logic without coding. Designing templates: It provides the tools you need to build dynamic, data-driven templates and set up intricate workflows. Digital data collection: Experlogix Smart Forms are flexible, embedded, and web-based data collection forms that make it simple for users or customers to enter and submit information electronically. Management of output: Document Services offer incredibly flexible automated methods for handling large volumes of document outputs.
The Content Manager from Experlogix is a safe and organized repository that makes it easier and faster to manage, store, and retrieve digital assets, including PDF forms and documents, logos, pictures, and multimedia content.
Final Words
Document automation software is a no-brainer. By automating the creation of similar documents, your company may decrease errors, save money, and do away with the tiresome, unpleasant task. Next, you can check out the best document collaboration tools.
