Paperless Workflow

How to make use of paperless workflows in Handle CRM.

When setting up Deal Packages, most businesses struggle with getting the paperwork done and done right. A lot of time and energy is invested in data entry, decisions around which forms to include — and fixing errors when either of things is done wrong.

In reality, 80-90% of deals have some kind of issue with them. Someone forgets a form or a piece of information. Data is missing or incorrect. And every time this happens, it can delay the deal by 24 hours or more.

We’ve set up Handle’s Paperless Workflow to minimize data entry, decision making, and errors. We’ve also reduced your time entering data by 99+% — from 30-45 minutes to about 2 minutes — giving you a smoother workflow in a fraction of the time without errors.

• Dramatically reduce data-entry time
• Simplify paperwork so it can be done in minutes
• Automate procedures to minimize on-the-fly decision making
• Auto-populate forms and fields with data — no unnecessary data entry
• Customize your deal workflow, making it as simple or as complex as you need

In this article, we’ll take a deeper dive into:

1. Starting a Deal
2. Integrations
3. Conditional Fields / Requirements
4. Media Requirements
5. Finalizing the Deal (Real-time Refresh)
6. Dynamic Forms & eSign
7. Settlement Sharing
8. Time & Error Savings

Starting a Deal

When setting up a new Deal Packet, you generally have to worry about entering the right data in the right forms. With Handle, all you have to worry about is selecting the purchase order or quote. The system then knows which forms are required for the deal. 

For example, you might be selling an item that has specific rules or conditions. Maybe it’s got a warranty behind it that needs to be included in the set-up process. 

Once you select the quote or PO, either from an external system or inside Handle, the system can do most of the grunt work of selecting and filling out the required forms. 

1. Do a search for the PO or quote
2. Select that item or link to it to automatically import all the data
3. Our conditional rules engine will then determine what is needed to finish the paperwork
4. Once completed, it will auto fill your paperwork

The system will trigger the appropriate rules for your deal based on the data gathered from your PO or quote. These rules are set up in advance, and they determine which forms are needed to ensure the deal is set up quickly and accurately. 

Integrations

There are eight types of integrations that can be used to pull data from different sources in different ways to dynamically create the necessary docs and prepopulate them. The most common are:

1. Pulling information from the Handle database 
2. Calling a service to pull information from an external application 
3. Data scraping from PDFs
4. Cross-referencing data to ensure it’s correct and complete

For example, when the system identifies the type of equipment you’re selling, it might pull the stock number or serial number from the quote or PO. But if it’s a particular type of equipment, like a UTV, it may also need a license and registration. That information is stored somewhere else, so the system references that other system and pulls in the additional data. 

All of this is automated. You don’t have to do anything except watch for the rules that will pop up on the screen. They’ll tell you when another form or piece of information is required.

Conditional Fields / Requirements

Conditional fields help us set up any rules related to a deal. A simple example of this is tax exemptions or different payment types. 

If you select “Tax Exempt,” you’ll see a prompt that says, “Tax Exempt is required.”  So the user can’t accidentally move forward without entering this information.

Conditions are configured in advance. Then, every time a required field is filled out, the system checks to see if there are any conditions or rules that require additional information. 

When possible, these rules will trigger an integration, so the required information can be gathered automatically. But in some cases, it may ask for manual input or prompt the user to  upload another document.

You can configure the rules and conditions however you like. You may have one simple condition or multiple conditions, and you can require that the condition be met before the deal set-up moves forward. 

Media Requirements

Some data can’t be pulled from different sources or scraped from PDFs. You simply need to upload a document or image. The system tells you when this is needed, so the user can’t forget to include important documentation in the deal.

This might be a picture of a driver’s license or a receipt, payment, or financial documentation. Handle can’t automatically pull these into the system, so you need to:

1. Take a picture of it 
2. Upload it to the system
3. Label the image or document appropriately 
4. Check the box next to that attachment

Once the system has verified that the data is uploaded, it will allow the user to move on to the next stage. 

Finalizing the Deal (Real-Time Refresh)

Rarely does a deal go through without changes. So we’ve set up the process to allow you to easily edit the Deal Packet while keeping all the rules in place. 

If someone decides to buy one item rather than two or purchases add-ons at the last minute, you’ll see a red banner at the top of the page that reminds you to regenerate the purchase order. This is automatically triggered when there is a change to the quote to ensure the paperwork reflects the exact deal.

Simply click the alert, and the system will refresh in real time, re-scraping the data and verifying that all required information is included. If anything is required, the system will tell you.

Dynamic Forms & eSign

One of the things that differentiates Handle is our Dynamic Form eSign feature. With most esignature apps, you upload a form and request a signature. But when you’re creating a complex deal that has multiple forms per deal, e.g., warranty or registration, you need a signature app that can dynamically create multiple copies of a form and grow when more rows are needed.

Our system allows you to dynamically build your esignature packets and configure complex rules for collecting signatures and distributing the executed documents. 

You can preview the forms as you build the Deal Packet. They’re created on the fly, and you can easily see if any adjustments need to be made. 

When your forms are ready, you can either print them or collect the esignature. And you can set defaults, ensuring the right documents are distributed to your customers, as well as the rest of the team, in a consistent, professional format.  

For instance, you might want to turn certain forms on or off. Or you might want to set rules for which forms go to the customer and which are sent internally. You can also uncheck or check forms and reorder them. 

By setting these default values or processes, you can significantly reduce the potential for mistakes. People don’t have to think about which forms are needed and who they’re sent to. The default settings take care of that for you.

You can also set defaults around signatures:

• Allow for multiple signers
• Always include specific signatures that are required by law or by your organization
• Save a clean version for your records before sending it out for signatures
• Distribute signed documents to different people/groups in a specific order
• Require a blank signature packet for wet signatures as well as esign

We’ll help you configure the defaults and rules that work for your organization, so everyone gets the exact documents (or individual pages of documents) they need. 

Settlement Sharing

Every organization has a different process for settling and invoicing. It may include other systems or a specific list of checks and balances. 

We can configure the system to include a checklist at any stage of signature. When the user hits that stage, you can require that they check off each item on the list before the deal set-up can continue.

This is especially important when some checks must be done manually. The checklist not only reminds them to perform that action but also verifies it was done.

Once all required steps have been cleared out or completed, then the deal can move to the next stage. 

Fewer Errors / Less Time

Paperless workflows and esign can save time and minimize errors, but only if everyone follows the procedures you’ve set up. Our flexible, dynamic Deal Packet and eSign workflow ensure everything is done right the first time. 

Your requirements and processes are built into the system, so there’s no room for errors. 

1. Data is entered correctly the first time.
2. Required forms are automatically filled out and included in the paperwork.
3. Required signatures are automatically requested and verified.

We automate everything, so Deal Packets can be built in just a few minutes, with fewer errors and no complications. 

That means faster deals and less time to cash in hand.

Ready to set up your Paperless Workflow? Contact Texada support for more information.