Digital workflows and e-signatures can save institutions time and money--while enhancing staff and student experiences.

3 big advantages of digital workflows


Automated workflows and e-signatures can save institutions time and money--while enhancing staff and student experiences

Digital workflows save time and money–and they also create better experiences for students, faculty, and staff. And if COVID has proven anything, it’s that digital processes are a must-have when in-person workflows aren’t possible.

During the great pivot to virtual learning–and in the return to hybrid and in-person learning–higher-ed leaders and administrators realized just how valuable digital workflows are.

The pandemic has exposed the inefficiencies in manual workflows. “When
we’re all spread out, it’s much more difficult—and we have to do a better job of
moving students’ work around and getting things signed off,” said Steven Baule, an
assistant professor of leadership education at Winona State University in Minnesota.
Manual workflows “take time,” he noted, speaking during a webinar series from eCampus News and Adobe, “and we have to move really slowly.”

By implementing proven change management strategies and thinking through fundamental knowledge management questions, institutions can achieve true digital transformation of their back-office functionality.

The process works like this: A user employs an automated solution to upload and send a document that needs to be signed. The signer clicks on the link they receive, reviews the document, and signs it electronically from a web browser, a computer, or a mobile device.

When can you use digital workflows?

The short answer: Whenever you need to. Streamlining workflows using digital forms and electronic signatures can build efficiencies throughout higher education.

Student administration: Institutions can use e-signatures to simplify student processes such as registering for classes, completing financial aid forms, adding or dropping courses once the semester begins, and more.

Hiring and onboarding employees: The paperwork that’s required when colleges and universities hire a new employee can be overwhelming. E-signatures and automated
processes can simplify this process while helping HR departments track and manage compliance. That’s especially critical at a time when staffing shortages are hindering the ability of colleges and universities to deliver exceptional service to students.

Financial administration: E-signatures can shorten the procurement process, from seeking approvals to the signing of contracts—which expedites the delivery of needed services to students and employees.

Major benefits of digital workflows

Here are four benefits K-12 leaders will realize with a shift to secure digital workflows and processes:

1. They’ll save time. A third-party analysis by Forrester Consulting indicates that reducing the steps it takes to get a manual signature saves employees 1.5 hours per transaction, on average. Over the course of three years, this adds up to an average of 125 hours saved per user.

2. They’ll save money. With manual processes and paper-based forms and documents, institutions spend a significant amount of money on paper and shipping costs each year. The Forrester Consulting analysis revealed an average cost savings of $6 per transaction in switching to fully digital workflows.

3. Digital workflows make life that much easier. With digital workflows, stakeholders can complete and sign forms using any internet-connected device, including a smartphone. This makes the process more convenient for faculty and staff who are on the go, especially those who aren’t tethered to a desk all day. It also helps institutions meet students where they are, which is increasingly online using their phones.

Adopting digital workflows helps colleges meet changing consumer expectations, notes Chitra Mittha, director of marketing to educational institutions for Adobe. “We have reached a time when, as consumers, we expect certain digital experiences,” she observes.

Security concerns

A common concern about signing and submitting documents electronically is that it’s not as secure as obtaining a manual signature. In reality, it’s even more secure.

Data privacy and security are top-of-mind issues for higher-ed leaders, as they should be. Many forms and documents contain the Social Security Numbers and other personally identifiable information for students or employees. If stakeholders aren’t confident in the security of digital workflows, they won’t be inclined to adopt these processes.

Digital workflows meet rigorous security standards, including those widely used in the banking and credit card industries. In addition, role-based permissions are built into many platforms. Users can specify who has access to certain documents, and only authorized users can view them. Contrast this with paper documents–if a document is left out in the open, anyone, regardless of their role or viewing permission, has access to that sensitive information.

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Laura Ascione

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