Workflow-Supported Invoice Management : The Case of a System Implementation at a German Media Company

This case concerns the implementation of a workflow-management application at a large, publicly listed, German media company. The system collects information-rich business-process documents, stores them in an organizational memory system, distributes organizational knowledge, and ultimately informates staff and management in various business situations. The implementation was based on a combination of workflow management software from the SAP corporation and archiving software from the IXOS Software corporation. The management was able to document and report organizational performance gains in terms of both process efficiency and knowledge effectiveness. The implemented system has reduced the amount of paper and shelf space needed, sped up the manual archiving procedure, and increased the efficiency in the accounting department. The overall gains in organizational efficiency are estimated to be approximately 50%. The new system also improves organizational effectiveness through better information-distribution and knowledge-access by staff and organizational decision-makers. This case serves as a practical example that demonstrates how an organization can create business value through process automation, resulting in more efficient operations and improved performance