Documentation Automation Software
Key Features and Platforms
With 35 years in software development, ScienceSoft provides consultancy on document automation software
Documentation Automation Software: the Gist
Documentation automation software reduces the drafting time of highly formalized documents (e.g., financial statements, invoices, government forms, employment contracts) by employing reusable document templates that leverage conditional logic and connected data sources. Documentation automation software integrates with OCR, DMS, CRM software, etc. The implementation costs of platform-based documentation automation solutions are around $30,000 - $50,000.
Documentation Automation Software: Key Functionality
Based on ScienceSoft's experience in similar projects, our consultants have outlined the core features of documentation automation software.
Template creation and management
- A template editor for creating intelligent templates consisting of dynamic fields and interview forms with complex branching logic.
- Converting an org’s electronic documents (e.g., contracts, invoices) stored in DMS or other repositories into intelligent templates.
- Template approval workflow.
- AI-based conversion of scanned documents into readable documents (e.g., in PDF format) and extracting data from them into intelligent templates using built-in or integrated OCR software.
- Centralized storage of intelligent templates.
- Templates search by titles, full text and metadata.
Document generation and management
- Document creation using interview form answers or due to automated data extraction from integrated data sources (e.g., enterprise systems, databases) into intelligent document templates.
- Batch document generation (e.g., contracts, invoices, letters, applications, claims).
- Document assembly workflow.
- Built-in e-signature.
- Alerts and notifications (e.g., document creation or approval, template modification).
Document output and distribution
- Multiple output formats (.pdf, .docx, .pptx, .html).
- Document output in different languages.
- Mobile access to documents and mobile signature capture.
- Offline access to documents.
- Automated distribution of created documents via email.
Document security and compliance
- Data encryption.
- Role-based access control.
- Multifactor authentication.
- Document versioning and audit trail.
- Document archiving and retention/deletion policies.
- Document backup and recovery.
- Document compliance management (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR, GLBA, SOX).
Recommended Integrations for Documentation Automation Software
ScienceSoft recommends integrating documentation automation software with third-party software and data sources to enable auto-population of intelligent templates with relevant data, fully automate document life cycle, extract data from PDF documents, and more.
+ Data sources
(CRM, ERP, DMS, and HR systems, databases, email services, etc.) to enable auto-population of intelligent templates with relevant data. For example, integration with CRM allows automatically populate templates for contracts and sales proposals with customer data (e.g., names, legal addresses).
+ DMS
to fully automate a document life cycle from creation to e-signing due to intelligent templates of documentation automation software and workflow capabilities of DMS.
+ BI
to build visualized reports on the use of automatically generated documentation (e.g., number of approved/rejected/pending documents, document flow by department) in BI software to evaluate the efficiency of documentation automation software.
+ OCR
to convert scanned documents into readable formats like PDF and extract data from them into intelligent templates.
Documentation Automation Success Factors
Based on ScienceSoft's ample experience in software development, we've defined the key factors, which if covered, help maximize ROI of documentation automation software.
Easy integration
with data sources (e.g., CRM, ERP, HR system, databases, email services) from which business data is extracted into intelligent document templates.
No-code document template editor
to enable even non-technical users to create intelligent document templates.
Mobile and offline access
to allow users to generate documents at any time, at any place, using any device and without dependence on the Internet connection.
Strong security features
to comply with governmental and industry-specific regulations like GDPR, SOX, GLBA, HIPAA, and more.
Documentation Automation Software: Investments
The average costs of platform-based documentation automation software range between $30,000 and $50,000. The cost of custom solutions is usually larger and depends on their level of complexity.
Key financial outcomes
Based on our experience, key financial outcomes of using documentation automation software include:
- Increased employee productivity due to 70% reduction of the time spent on document drafting.
- 100% documentation accuracy due to automated document generation and ensured compliance.
- Decreased costs of document creation due to reduced time and human effort.
Platforms We Recommend
ScienceSoft doesn't recommend open source options for large enterprises and organizations from highly regulated industries like healthcare. They may lack important features like multilingual support and an e-signature workflow and are less likely to meet the required government and industry-specific compliance regulations. As for commercial products, we recommend the following feature-rich and the most used ones:
SharePoint Online
Best for: healthcare, financial services, construction, education orgs.
Description
Rating: 4.21/5 by Software Advice (Gartner)
Key strengths: Support of multiple document formats, robust security features, customizability, OOTB integration with Office 365.
Cautions: Lack of built-in digital signature and limited scope of OOTB document workflows, which require customization and integrations (e.g., DocuSign, Power Automate).
Features
- Support of multiple document formats (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .pptx, .zip, .odt, .ods, .xlsb .ppsx).
- Built-in templates for fast creation of typical documents like letters, contracts, policies, invoices.
- Libraries of document clauses and fields for formalized documents like contracts.
- Built-in workflows for document approval, collecting signatures, and more.
- Document co-authoring.
- Versioning and audit trail.
Pricing
$12.50 - $57 user/month (including Office apps).
Windward Core
Best for: pharma, life sciences, banking, and insurance orgs, government agencies.
Description
Rating: 4.8/5 by Software Advice (Gartner)
Key strengths: Support of multiple data sources (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics 365).
Cautions: No built-in digital signature.
Features
- Multiple document output formats (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .pptx, .html, .svg, .xlsx).
- Document template designer.
- Batch document processing.
Pricing
Starts at $547/month, free trial is available.
Formstack Documents
Best for: accounting, education, healthcare, and real estate orgs.
Description
Rating: 4.78/5 by Software Advice (Gartner)
Key strengths: Built-in digital signature.
Cautions: Non-convenient pricing model for a large amount of documents.
Features
- Multiple document output formats (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .pptx, .html).
- Document templates.
- Batch document processing.
- Automated content-based document classification to organize documents into categories or topics.
- Automated document workflows.
- Versioning.
Pricing
Starts at $92/month, free trial is available.
When Custom Documentation Automation Software Is the Best Fit
ScienceSoft recommends you to opt for custom documentation automation software if your company has specific needs, for example, ones that require the use of advanced technology like artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML), for example:
- AI-powered detection of sensitive information in documentation and templates (e.g., based on specific keywords) to ensure an additional level of protection for organizations in highly regulated industry like healthcare.
- ML-based detection and removal of duplicates or near-duplicates of templates and documents.
- ML-driven text classification for assigning a newly generated or captured document to one or several categories based on individual words, phrases, headings, metadata, and even imbedded images and routing it to a relevant specialist, which helps save time and resources.
Documentation Automation Software Implementation by ScienceSoft
Experienced in developing document management software, ScienceSoft provides consultancy and implements solutions for automated document generation.
Documentation automation software consulting
- Analyzing your company’s document workflows and types of docs to select documents for automation (e.g., invoices, financial statements or reports).
- Prioritizing features for your document automation solution.
- Deciding on a fitting implementation option: platform-based or custom development.
- Suggesting necessary integrations based on data sources required for intelligent documents (CRM, ERP, HR, ecommerce, accounting software, and more).
Documentation automation software implementation
- Drawing up technical requirements for document automation software.
- Implementation of a platform-based or custom documentation automation solution.
- Integration with enterprise systems (e.g., CRM, ERP, HRMS), other data sources (e.g., databases), or advanced technology (e.g., AI, ML).
- Quality assurance.
- Post-implementation support.
What makes ScienceSoft different
We achieve project success no matter what
ScienceSoft does not pass mere project administration off as project management, which, unfortunately, often happens on the market. We practice real project management, achieving project success for our clients no matter what.
About ScienceSoft
ScienceSoft is a global IT consulting and IT service company headquartered in McKinney, TX, US. We offer consultancy, implementation, support and evolution of documentation automation software to bring businesses fast and accurate document creation and ensure regulatory compliance. Achieving project goals in spite of time and budget constraints, as well as changing requirements, is ScienceSoft's top priority. You set goals, we drive the project to fulfill them.