The release of Laserfiche 10.4 offers improvements that make working with documents simpler than ever. The update includes modifications to MS Office document handling, map locations, records management, and more. Here are just a few examples of how Laserfiche 10.4 can improve your workplace: Microsoft Office Documents A convenient new feature in Laserfiche 10.4 is allowing users to access Microsoft Office documents easily from the Laserfiche Web Client document viewer or folder browser preview pane. This new document preview service is available to users without needing an MS Office online account or installation. Another new MS Office feature enables users to create office documents directly from Laserfiche, eliminating the need to produce the documents externally and import it separately. Map Locations Are you looking to link mapped locations to files in Laserfiche? Well, now you can! Laserfiche 10.4 allows users to associate documents or folders to a location on Google maps, Esri cloud maps, or Esri on premises maps. The GPS coordinates and location descriptions are available for each point. The information displays in the details portion of the folder browser or document viewing window. Users can also perform a search using the location. Flexible Records Management New updates to Laserfiche Records Management enable users to gain increased organizational flexibility with records without compromising security or compliance. Changes include cut-off, the time or event that signals Laserfiche a record in retention and retention policies can now be assigned directly to entries in the repository. The ability to place holds on any entry in the repository, regardless of its record status, is another new feature. Users can assign a single hold or multiple. They can also include a name and due date allowing for quick retrieval of documents. Administrators can quickly view entries with holds on the management page. Web Client Updates The latest improvements are making the Laserfiche Web Client more user-friendly. Some of these changes include: Folders are displayed in color when a template is applied. The document templates appear along the side of the document name. The save or update button, now closer to the action completed, is easily visible when the user makes changes in the document viewer. The new name for the metadata tab is called "Details" and can be minimized or rearranged as desired by users. And, you are now able to view media files without leaving the Laserfiche document viewer. While this article highlights some of the changes and new features available with the Laserfiche Windows and Web Client, be sure to check out the Laserfiche support site for additional information. If you are interested in updating your Laserfiche System, please contact the CDI Support Team or fill out Update Request Form to get access to all the latest features.

Thank you to all who attended Empower 2019 both in-person and through live-stream. It was another successful year, with over 4,000 attendees from around the world, this conference did not disappoint. The event brought Users and VAR’s from all professional backgrounds to network and gained new insights into Laserfiche product features, new trends in business process automation, customer success stories, and the release of Laserfiche 10.4. If you attended the event, we hope you had a chance to stop by and connect with us at the booth. It was great to see so many of you. Not only is Empower a great place for Laserfiche Users to learn and network, but the CDI staff also takes full advantage of all that Empower has to offer. With that, here are the CDI staff’s top Empower Conference “takeaways”: Looking to expand, “Laserfiche Avante will now support subscription licensing, so adding blocks of education and community users will be supported. Laserfiche Rio will support SAML authentication protocol.” – Patrick Welsch, President of CDI “One of the most exciting things I saw was the new automation features available for Records Management in Workflow. They are going to make Records Management so much easier!” – Jessica Welsch, Consulting Director “I am excited about the ability to embed forms into Web Access, such a useful tool for so many of our customers.” – Candice Schafer, Project Manager “My favorite part about Empower was meeting our customers and learning about the innovative ways they are using Laserfiche and integrations from CDI to streamline and improve their business processes.” – Michael Mathys, Development Director “I think one of the best things I learned was the ability of the LF directory server to have a Security Token Service out in the DMZ allowing you to use windows authentication from the outside without having to expose the internal servers.” – Mike Richardson, Support Director “I enjoyed the advanced search and syntax class because it introduced a lot of tips and tricks. I learned the most efficient ways to get to documents and files when your not sure what you are looking for. Also, a new feature I cannot wait to use is the all-inclusive homepage!”- Shaun Williams, Project Manager “I enjoyed learning about the upcoming changes for 10.4, especially licensing since it will benefit many CDI customers, as well as the updates to forms allowing rich format text.” – Jenn LeMere, Account Manager “I found that utilizing Forms in conjunction with Workflow to be truly compelling. It’s a robust business processing engine that can run in tandem with or replace multiple applications to reduce IT resources, duplication of effort and staffing once fully deployed and optimized.” – Gerard McMahon, Account Executive “I found Empower to be an incredibly exciting, unique, and valuable experience.” – Stephen Krutzfeldt, Business Process Consultant “The thing I love most about Empower is that it’s a melting pot of all the best ideas and most passionate users. You can learn innovative ways to get the most out of the software you have, and solve problems you didn’t think possible.” – Zach Hanson, Account Manager If you would like to check out some of the content from the conference this year, the Powerpoint presentations will be available on the Laserfiche support site in the next couple of weeks. If you have questions about any of these topics or would like to learn more, make sure to reach out to us. Also, if you attended Empower 2019 and had insights or questions that you would like answered and featured in a future article, please email them to marketing@citiesdigital.com. We would love to hear from you.

Automation is a hot topic for many customers, more specifically learning how to get Laserfiche components to work together. A question our support team gets asked frequently is how to connect Laserfiche Forms and Laserfiche Workflow? In this tech bite, we will discuss two recommended methods for getting workflow and forms to interact Method One – Storing a completed form in the repository to initiate a workflow. We will use the example of an employee review process to illustrate the first method. The process begins in Laserfiche Forms, a user completes the form, and as a final step in the forms business process, a service task is assigned. The storage of the form and final step of the forms process is where we will focus. The Save to Repository service task allows us to take a completed form and save it as a TIFF or PDF to Laserfiche. After identifying the connection profile for the repository, the user has the option to specify the storage location, file format, and template information to be applied to the completed form. For this example, the completed review document uses the HR-Employee Files template. This service task also allows the user to designate any metadata to be pulled from the form and populated in the template’s fields. The appended fields for Process-ID and Submission-ID are required when you want to send a form into Laserfiche, but then have workflow run on that form and retrieve the collected data from the forms process. For the Employee Review example, when the completed form is stored in Laserfiche, a workflow monitors a location. The starting rule states when a document is created in the specified folder, start the workflow. In summary, the process begins with the service task submitting a form into Laserfiche. Then the starting rule monitors the location where a workflow will start once the document is filed. For users to see real value from this process, the key is to collect Process ID and Submission-ID of the forms instance. Here are some helpful tips when implementing this first method if you want Workflow to perform additional tasks with the form besides merely storing it. Retrieve Field Value Activity – Your workflow will need to start with this activity. It will point to forms and grab the Process ID and Submission-ID of the forms instance for use within the workflow. The Process ID and Submission-ID must be input upon storage so that workflow knows what to reference. Retrieve Business Process Values – This activity will allow you to specify the information from the form that you retrieved the with Process ID and Submission ID. Method 2 - A Laserfiche Form is submitted, and a Laserfiche Workflow initiates from within Forms. This method uses the Workflow Service Task in Laserfiche Forms. Once the Workflow Service Task is added, configure by merely specifying the workflow name. This workflow needs to use the Retrieve the Business Process Variables activity, but unlike method one, there is no need to define the business Process-ID or Submission-ID because this workflow starts from Forms. Beginning in Forms means that Workflow already knows which instance it needs to refer to when collecting the information. This method is used when the workflow doesn’t deal with anything directly in the repository. Some use case examples might include: Updating information such as a database from the completed form Triggering an email notification Creating a folder structure Once the form is submitted, start the workflow. It’s a simple process. An example to help illustrate this method is updating account information in a CRM such as Salesforce. A Client Update form could be filled out, upon submission a workflow kicks off and pulls the data from the form. Using the CDI Update Salesforce workflow activity, the information will then be updated in Salesforce. There are many ways that these applications can operate together. Forms is an easy and intuitive way to gather information and pass information into Laserfiche. It is a great way to curate the experience for the user. You can hide fields, show fields, get fields dynamically, easily collect information and facilitate a process. If you are looking to start using these versatile tools, the Consulting experts at CDI can undoubtedly start helping your organization save valuable time and resources.

Are you interested in ensuring proper handling of your records in Laserfiche? Consider starting the new year using Laserfiche Audit Trail Reporting. In this article, CDI Consultant and Trainer, Kyle Knebel, goes in depth on the features, benefits, and some real-life examples of how companies are generating reports using Audit Trail today. Audit Trail is an important component of the compliance program that organizations have put into place. Tracking user actions within the Laserfiche repository and discovering how to generate reports is key to a successful implementation. Learning more about the solution is a great place to start our conversation with Kyle and find out all that Audit Trail offers. What is Laserfiche Audit Trail? Kyle explains Audit Trail as a “Laserfiche reporting tool that allows one to track and report on activities that happened in a Laserfiche repository.” Can you describe the differences in the Audit Trail Editions, and how to choose one? When evaluating the various editions of the solution, it is best to determine which will meet your organization's needs, Kyle describes: 1. Starter - If you need basic regulatory compliance, this is your best choice, and tracks success events of ALL users. The reporting module is the same as all other versions of Audit Trail. The only limitation is that you can’t report on failure events. 2. Standard - Allows reporting on events on per user or group basis, and you can report on both success and failure events. 3. Advanced - Includes all the features in the Standard edition, but adds the ability to track security changes and any searches performed by users in a repository. How granular can you get with the reporting? There are many ways to tailor the reporting features to your individual needs. Kyle says, “Not only can you report upon Event Classes, but you can also select specific events within that class. For example, there are 17 primary Event Classes, each with numerous sub-classes. If one were to look at the ‘Entry’ Event Class, it contains 33 sub-classes. You can check all of them, or just a few, for your report.” How do you create a detailed audit report? Kyle tells us, “Creating an Audit Report is as easy as selecting the event type(s) you would like to see by checking the boxes in the Event Type panel. The results grid will automatically refresh to display the matching information.” What are the most popular audit reports performed on Laserfiche systems? Kyle says that the most common reports are: 1. Entry Creation 2. Entry Deletion 3. Pages Created 4. Session Logins 5. Records Management Activity Does Audit trail require a separate database? “Yes,” Kyle shares. “Audit trail uses a separate MS SQL or Oracle database; which is configured during initial installation. This database is different from your Laserfiche repository database. All reports are generated from this database for the set date range(s).” Can you explain how watermarks work and the benefits of using them with Laserfiche Audit Trail? Kyle explains that “Group Watermarks are available in Advanced Audit Trail. You can add watermark text to the group, configuring it in the Laserfiche Administration Console. These choices will then be available in the client when you download or email a document. You can leave the default (the first in the list) or select a different watermark text. When exporting a document, by email or download, you will have an additional area on the download dialog box to choose the watermark. The Windows Client gives a simple pop-up when downloading or emailing. Select the Group Watermark text you’d like to use, and it will be applied to the document. The Web Client has a slightly different dialog box: Since you are now tracking exported watermarks, you can use Audit Trail to report on them, as well as a filter on different Watermark text values.” Who has access to Audit Trail and the reporting features? According to Kyle, “Audit Trail reporting can be accessed directly on the server by a user who has local server administrator privileges, or any Windows Domain users who have been permitted to access the Audit Trail site. Permissions can be allocated from the Permissions tab found in the Audit Trail Configuration utility.” Are there any caveats to using audit trail? The only real caveat Kyle describes is, “If Audit Trail was not licensed with your initial installation of Laserfiche, and you later decide to add Audit Trail, you will only be able to audit events starting from the date of the installation forward.” While the needs of each organization vary, there are definite advantages to implementing a solution like Audit Trail for tracking activities for compliance and maintaining a secure solution. If you would like more information or help with configuring your Laserfiche Audit Trail Reports, contact the Team at CDI.

Information transparency is an increasingly popular trend. The availability of technologies like ArcGIS® linked with Laserfiche® Document Management allows municipalities to capture, manipulate, analyze, and display data conveniently on a map. The interactive web maps provide data in context and real-time, allowing municipalities and businesses to deliver better services to their customers. For example, information about city initiatives, plans, and programs – from public works issues like potholes and light outages to crime and fire data, are available from within Laserfiche® and can be seen directly on the map via Laserfiche® WebLink or Web Access. What is the ArcGIS Integration by CDI? The ArcGIS® Integration allows for seamless interaction between the ArcGIS® interface and the Laserfiche® Repository. The integration enables users to upload documents to Laserfiche® directly from the ArcGIS® interface and view/upload or edit any related files based on permissions. The map populates indicating which features have documents associated with them in Laserfiche®. The reverse is also true when configured properly Laserfiche® users can view documents in Laserfiche® and see the related map layer in a custom metadata pane within Web Access. What features and benefits does the integration provide? The integration boasts features that promote continuity and convenience for organizations using both ArcGIS® and Laserfiche®. The benefits that the integration provides include: Documents on the Map –Users can quickly and easily pull up an exact location on the ArcGIS® map, highlight the associated feature, and view Laserfiche® documents without ever leaving the application. Radius Search - The integration can conduct a radius search for documents. The map author needs to add the "select" widget to the map which allows the users to draw a circle to select the features on the map within the radius. Connection profile options - allow users to connect and view information in different ways. Read-Only – This option uses a read-only WebLink connection to view Laserfiche documents from the map. Read-Write – This option uses a read-write Web Access connection to create, edit and view documents or attachments for specific map features. An integration layer must also be configured to display folders, not documents. Secure – Credential specified allows users with the appropriate permissions to access the content layer from ArcGIS® through the repository. Upload documents - to Laserfiche® directly from ArcGIS®. Protect editable layers - Organizations can provide access and protections for editable layers within ArcGIS®. The new secure layer access works by requiring users have appropriate credentials to view or edit any layer content. New Integration Feature for Laserfiche® allowing Inside Access – Data from ArcGIS® is displayed on a map within Laserfiche® Web Access 10.3 or newer and includes information about the records associated with that specific map item. Examples of this feature include property files, street centerlines, water mains, fire data, election data, and public utilities to name a few. The integration links both documents and folders and places them on the map through template field data, not just geo coordinates. Configure a custom metadata pane for ArcGIS® related documents. Limit map details to specific folders within the repository. As long as there is a template field that matches the property data, the integration allows users to link to any layer that exists in ArcGIS with the associated information. View Secure Layers - Easy access to documents via secure connections, based on specified permissions. Now users can view Secure Layers requiring credentials to access information within the ArcGIS® layers. Allow users to view these secure layers with a read-only profile and eliminate the fear of changes to the ArcGIS layers. Previously, only public layers were visible with the integration. The ArcGIS® integration provides a variety of benefits that improve daily efficiencies for organizations making information more readily available. It may be time to put your documents on the map and increase transparency across your business. Contact the CDI Team to learn more about this innovative solution.

This article illustrates troubleshooting and resolutions for common issues encountered when using document scanners. Issue #1: Scanner Doesn’t Turn On Check the scanner power and USB cables to ensure secure connections. Issue #2: Scanner Drivers Missing or Outdated When scanner drivers are outdated, it may prevent proper function of the scanner. If the drivers are not current, the most recent scanner drivers are available on the Canon or Fujitsu Support Websites. It is essential to make sure that you have the exact model name of your scanner to ensure you get the proper drivers. *Please note that for some scanners the drivers are actually on the scanner for download (plug and play). Canon Scanner Drivers Link Fujitsu Scanner Drivers Link Issue #3: Paper Jams and Feed-Errors Some scanners will display an error code when a paper jam occurs. If a paper jam occurs while scanning take the following steps to clear the jam. The first step is to open the scanner lid. This action is what triggers a reset for the scanner. Even if the paper has been extracted without opening it, you will still need to open the unit to restart. Remove any documents remaining in the feed tray. Pull the open lever and open the front unit toward you; this will vary slightly by scanner model. Remove the jammed document. Close the unit, gently pushing up on both sides until it clicks into place. Some units will require pushing down. Then continue scanning. If a double feed or other feeder jam occurs, clear the jam using the steps described above but also clean the scanner rollers and fan the paper before loading. If you are still having issues, the rollers may need to be replaced. Issue #4: Insufficient Memory If the scanner settings are configured to use a large amount of the computer's memory, scanning may stop if there is insufficient memory. This issue will vary based on the computer’s actual memory size and criteria set in the scanner settings. The more scanner setting options selected, the more resources required. Scanner settings that use a lot of memory include: Color Mode (24-bit) A large page size (i.e., legal, or scanner max) A high resolution 600 dpi Moire Reduction is On Prevent Bleed Through/Remove Background If space is limited on the scanning computer and the error appears, exit the application, adjust the scanner settings (decreasing the resolution or page size) and try scanning again. Issue # 5: Streaks and Splotches Are your scanned images coming through with undesirable white lines or streaks? There could be dust, dirt, correction fluid or glue on the scanner glass. Clean both sides of the scanner glass and the rollers. It is essential to wipe the glass carefully with just enough pressure to clean the area where the lines appear. If the issue is not corrected with a thorough cleaning, the interior glass of the scanner may be scratched, in which case it is best to contact CDI. Follow these steps to clean your scanner glass and rollers: Open the document feed tray and pull the unit toward you. Use compressed air to remove any dust and paper particles from inside the scanner. Clean the scanning glass. Wipe the glass with a cloth that has been damped with water and wrung out thoroughly, then use a soft cloth to wipe away any residual moisture. Clean the rollers, wipe the rollers using water or a light soapy mixture. Then thoroughly dry with a paper or cotton cloth. *Caution: Be sure to keep diamond rings away from scanner glass. Permanent scratches in the glass can occur. Check out this video to see how. Issue #6: Missing or Skipping Pages If the scanner is missing or skipping pages, there are a couple of solutions that you can try. First, check if your scanner has a feed width button, this button adjusts the thickness of the feeder for the paper fed through the scanner. This setting may result in two issues if the incorrect selection is chosen: 1. Pages are missing - If pages are feeding through, but too many are pulled at once, some pages are missed. Remedy this issue by adjusting the feed width button to the narrower setting and try scanning again. 2. Pages are not feeding - If the pages are not feeding at all then maybe the feed width needs button needs to be adjusted to a thicker setting. If the feed width is not the issue, then see if the skip blank pages setting is enabled. If it is turned on you may need to adjust the likelihood of skipping setting up or down. If you do not want any pages skipped, even if they are blank, then change the setting to duplex to scan both sides of all documents. While scanning issues can arise occasionally, following these simple steps could help you minimize any downtime you might experience. If you have gone through the list and have not found a resolution contact the CDI Support Team for further assistance. Resources: www.usa.canon.com

Do you have piles of forms to be scanned and indexed? Consider starting off the new year automating your standardized forms processing with Laserfiche Quick Fields. In this article, CDI Consultant and Trainer, Kyle Knebel goes in depth on the features, benefits, and some real-life examples of how companies are using Quick Fields today. Quick Fields is a solution often overlooked but is beneficial for many organizations, saving users hours in document identification, capture, and indexing. Learning more about the solution is a great place to start our conversation with Kyle and discover what Quick Fields offers. What is Laserfiche Quick Fields? “Quick Fields,” Kyle tells us, “is a powerful and highly customizable data capture solution that uses automation so that you can identify and capture documents, extract information, sort and index the documents, and store documents in a Laserfiche repository.” Can you describe the out of the box functionality available with Quick Fields? There are extensive options when it comes to the Quick Fields solution. Kyles shares, “Without installing additional ‘add-ons,’ Quick Fields comes with the following Image Enhancements: OmniPage OCR - Obtains text from an image and then stores and associates it with the image. Universal Capture - Captures image files from a computer or network drive. TWAIN scanning - Captures images from a scanner. Laserfiche Capture Engine – Captures images and PDFs from a Laserfiche repository. Text Extraction – Extract text from electronic documents (not from image files). Page Size Identification – Based on the dimensions of a page, identifies and assigns these pages to a document class. Page Removal – Removes a blank page or a specified page (like page 1) from documents.” With so many organizations frequently processing high volumes of forms, can you explain which Quick Fields add-on processes might be advantageous? Enhancing the Quick Fields solution with the following add-ons, Kyle shares, “can significantly turbo-charge the processing volume of structured documents. OmniPage ZoneOCR – This process generates text from a specified area of an image. It does not associate any text with the document. It just reads and gives you access to what it reads in a token. If you want text associated with the document, use OmniPage OCR. Form Identification – This process matches an image being scanned with a master form to determine whether the page should be assigned to a document class. If you need to process many applications that have a distinctive layout, this add-on process can enhance the accuracy of the identification. Real-Time Look-Up – This process allows Quick Fields to take a value (or values) extracted from a document and use it to match information in a third party database. When a match is found, data can be used in Quick Fields for page identification, field population, document naming, and document storage. Retrieve PDF Form Content – When dealing with a PDF form with fillable fields, we can use this process to retrieve some of the form values as tokens. These values can then be used in other tasks in the session, like naming the document, populating fields, or storing the document. Barcodes - Many people use barcodes on slip sheets to identify and categorize documents or use barcodes in conjunction with “Real-Time Lookup” to accurately populate many fields based on a number encoded in the barcode that refers to an item in an external database.” What is the importance of image enhancement features like Form Alignment (formerly called Form Registration) and Form Extraction when it comes to Quick Fields Processing? Kyle explains, “These two image enhancements work together to reposition an image so that it is aligned with a master form and then removes the form outline/text so only the typed user input remains. When used with OmniPage Zone OCR, these three processes make data extraction very accurate.” What new feature is available for users in Quick Fields 10.3? “The new multi-value field group names in Laserfiche 10.3 are supported in Quick Fields and Quick Fields Scanning, allowing users to label the related groups,” Kyle says. Can you give an example of how organizations are implementing Quick Fields solutions for Forms today? “Many of our clients deal with quarterly statements and invoices.” Kyle tells us, “We frequently build Quick Fields sessions to process these types of documents. These installations produce a quick return on investment since it significantly reduces the hours needed to process such documents.” What benefits do organizations receive when implementing a Quick Fields solution? According to Kyle, “Implementing Quick Fields provides benefits like reduced employee time spent on manually indexing and filing documents into Laserfiche and increased accuracy with barcode and real-time lookup. Time spent on quality control of the (already separated and indexed) documents, speeds up the intake of documents and make it easier for staff to do their jobs. Quick Fields makes a painstaking task effortless by automating most of the work.” The functionality of Workflow has expanded over the years, can you share some key reasons why an organization would implement Quick Fields and how it differs from Workflow? Looking at the two applications side by side they are very different. Workflow functions on entries once they are in Laserfiche, whereas Quick Fields processes documents during capture. Kyle says, “Although Laserfiche Workflow does have a ‘Retrieve Document Text’ activity that can be combined with ‘Pattern Matching,’ it’s not the same as the Zone OCR module in Quick Fields. Quick Fields is an excellent solution when used on structured documents that have information in the same place on each document. Invoices are a good example. If you need to scan hundreds of invoices, and have values like Vendor Name, Amount, Date and Invoice number pulled from the page; then Quick Fields is an excellent solution for this scenario.” While the needs of each organization vary, there are definite advantages to implementing a solution like Quick Fields when you have standardized documents. Having information pulled correctly from your forms initially, allows documents to easily trigger workflows and creates an even more expansive use of the solution. If you would like more information on Laserfiche Quick Fields contact the Team at CDI.

Laserfiche Solution Contributed by Monica Harding, Accounting & Utilities Finance Supervisor, Matt Ames, IT and Shelly Carter, Finance Manager at the City of Tumwater. Home to one of the oldest permanent American settlements in the region and located at the southern tip of the Puget Sound, is the rapidly growing City of Tumwater, WA. Implementing a paperless process for the City’s Business and Occupation (B & O) tax return filings has been a longtime goal of the Finance Department and City Administrator. Recognizing the benefits of eliminating paper, improving accuracy in both payments and data entry, and accelerating turnaround time, all while ensuring security has been instrumental to their success. The updated process also offers improved convenience for businesses and helps the Finance Department provide even better customer service. Previous Process Initially, the B & O Tax Return filing was an exclusively paper-based process. Monica Harding, Accounting and Finance Supervisor at the City of Tumwater explains, “The tax returns came to the City either by fax or US mail, varying daily from 100-300 envelopes. Staff would open the envelopes individually and sort the contents, which was a very time-consuming process.” The B & O tax forms were then manually entered into their ERP software for cashiering and forwarded over to business license and tax division for sorting and scanning into Laserfiche. The paper process contributed to many issues including numerous mathematical errors due to incorrect entries and calculations. These issues resulted in procedures that required staff to create adjustments, additional billing, or possible refunds for over-payment. Taxpayers were left to their own devices to calculate taxes resulting in frequent errors. New Process Several years of searching for the right solution led city staff to Cities Digital and Laserfiche Forms. The new Laserfiche B & O Tax Return filing e-form allows taxpayers to go online to the City’s website and select the B & O Tax Return, then complete the form and pay their B & O Taxes. The form includes a database lookup, complex calculations, dynamic fields based on form selections, and payment option. “The City, with the help of the Consultants at Cities Digital, were able to develop a solution that has exceeded their expectations,” according to Shelly Carter, Finance Manager. The form begins with fields for the Taxpayer’s license and activity number. Once entered, a database lookup is performed. The filer will enter their information into the form, where a database verifies the data is correct. This step verifies that the person is paying on an active license and paying on a quarter that requires payment. After the information is validated, the rest of the form loads, populating the business name and filing period. Once the form data is populated and the filer has indicated that they have receipts for the filing period, the form loads to help them calculate the taxes due. These complex calculations used to be done by the filer by hand. The new form allows the filer to add the numbers to the form, which is configured to perform the calculations automatically. Additionally, if the box is checked for service income apportionment, a separate worksheet will load. Once the form has been filled out in its entirety, filers can submit payments conveniently online. Once the tax form is submitted a Workflow initiates, depending on the amount and status, it will follow a variety of paths from successful payment notifications and storage in Laserfiche, to further action or payment required. Benefits The City has already experienced success after implementing this form, and filers are taking to the new process quickly. The Finance Department Staff is benefiting by saving time, since eliminating many of the following tasks: Opening mail - since the forms are digital the number of envelopes decreased. Entering Payments – the forms are automatically filed, and data is available immediately. Making Corrections - limited manual data entry and automatic calculations makes for fewer errors to fix. Processing Adjustments – refunds and over-payments are becoming less frequent. Processing Refunds – calculations are contributing to greater payment accuracy. Sorting and Scanning Documents – digital forms are automatically filed, sorting and scanning are becoming a way of the past. Form Legibility – forms are clean, clear, and precise since filers are typing data. In the end, The City has taken their process to the next level with automation. They are improving the experience for their business tax filers and continuing to be innovative in the transformation of their processes. If your city is interested in learning how Laserfiche workflow and forms can help automate your office, contact the experts at Cities Digital today.

When it comes to your Laserfiche Records, can you ensure you are meeting compliance regulations? In this month’s issue, we sit down with Kyle Knebel, Consultant, and Trainer at CDI to discuss some of the most recognized best practices for managing records in Laserfiche. Laserfiche Records Management is a solution that allows institutions to preserve and identify records of fiscal, legal, and historical value. Policy adherence ensures documents are in line with established compliance rules and regulations. In this article, Kyle highlights why Records Management is useful, how to manage records, retention schedules, permissions questions, and more. What makes Laserfiche Records Management an effective solution for tracking record life-cycles? Kyle shares, “Records Management, is a standards-based solution that allows specially designated Laserfiche users to act as a ‘Records Manager’ to formally manage those documents identified as ‘records’ and allows them to track those records through their document ‘life-cycle.’ It is effective because it can help ensure that records meet regulatory compliance requirements and prove that they are being removed or retained appropriately.” Can you explain the types of actions performed on active records? Kyle begins by first, “Defining an ’Active record;’ these records should be easily accessible, well-organized, and retrievable by the right people at the right time. Any document placed into a record folder is automatically a record, regardless of how it got there. The following are actions performed on active records: Modification – Active records reside under the Records Management records series structure but are not placed under retention by the Records Manager. They function like any other documents. Users can perform actions like having metadata updated, pages added, viewed by users, etc. Relocation – Documents not yet under a retention policy can be moved around in the Laserfiche Records Series structure as needed. Close– A record, but more typically a record folder, can be “closed” to prevent modification. The contents of a closed record or record folder cannot change. A closed record folder will not allow: Metadata Modifications New document or folder creation Deletion of document pages Annotations added to pages Data appended Frozen – Individual records could be retained for legal purposes. When the records are frozen, they are taken out of the standard records management life-cycle until un-frozen. So, in effect, a frozen record will not be affected by any disposition actions performed on it or its parent record folder. However, freezing does not change its eligibility date.” What best practices do you recommend for setting retention schedules using the records management tools? According to Kyle, “There are a couple of best practices for creating and setting retention schedules on a record series. When creating a set of retention schedules, name them generically, which allows for use across multiple Record Series. For example, a good retention schedule name is ‘Keep 5 years then Destroy’, or ‘Keep 3 years, 6 mo. Transfer, then Accession’. When setting Retention schedules on the Record Series, apply it at the highest record series level possible, since any children of that record series will inherit the Retention Schedule, when creating new Record Folders.” How is record cutoff determined? Using Laserfiche Records Management, Kyle says, “There are many ways that cutoff is determined. Laserfiche RME can be configured to use the following cutoff properties: Time Event Time + Event Superseded Disposition Action Interval Interval + Event Cutoff Instructions are usually assigned at the Record Series level, the Records Folder level, or even at the Records level (not common). The records manager will manually cutoff a records folder or multiple records folders, and typically use the “Records Management Search” criteria in the Laserfiche client to find the appropriate records folders to be cut off, by event, date, or other schedule.” Can you explain some considerations for implementing a Transparent Records Management solution? Kyle shares, that “Often Records Managers prefer creating a records folder design that fits their records retention logic, rather than a design that meets the typical business rules for filing documents. Frequently, records managers file several different document types under one retention schedule. Business users might find it challenging to manage documents while trying to use a Records Folder structure. The two needs, Records Management vs. Business Management, will have conflicts. The resolution came with the invention of Transparent Records Management (TRM). Using Laserfiche Workflow to store records in the Records Folders, and then creating shortcuts to those records in the standard business management folder structure, both users are satisfied.” Kyle also reveals, “Some common considerations when building a TRM solution, which include: Define all the document types that will be handled and create a list field so that users can easily pick the document type. Design the TRM Workflow to move the document type to the appropriate Records Folder under the correct Records Series. The same workflow will need to create shortcuts in the appropriate business management folder structure (standard folders). Configure security so only Records Managers can browse the Records Series and records folders yet allow business users to open record shortcuts from their business folder view.” What permissions are needed to manage records, and how do you ensure that the records follow retention schedules? “Records Managers need to be assigned the ‘Records Management’ privilege on their Laserfiche trustee account.” Kyle tells us, “This setting allows the designated individual(s) to take Records Management actions within the Laserfiche client and define Records Management properties in the Laserfiche Administration Console. Also, Users who are not Records Managers can receive limited Entry Access rights to perform specific Records Management actions like: Set Last Review Date Close/Reopen Folder Freeze/Unfreeze Set Event Time” How are permanent records retained using Records Management? Kyle explains, “Records Managers can mark a Record Series as Permanent which do not follow a retention schedule with a Destruction or final disposition. If the record series uses a retention schedule that has a final disposition of Accession or None, they can be kept in the repository (None) or exported for offsite storage (Accession).” What are some beneficial searches that can be performed to make retrieving records more efficient? “There are quite a few Records Management search criteria in the Laserfiche Client.” Kyle shares, “Our top 3 favorites are: Cutoff Search Disposition Search Vital Record Search” He says, “The Laserfiche Web Client has these three RM searches pre-built. It will search for Records Folders by default unless you check the ‘Include records’ box. When using the Windows Client, records managers will use the Advanced search window to create their searches. We recommend making these saved searches by using the ‘Save’ feature. Here’s an example of the same ‘Eligible for cutoff’ search in the Windows client advanced search." How are Records Managers notified of records that are eligible for destruction, and is Workflow required? “Laserfiche Records Management does not provide automatic notification of records eligible for disposition. However, you can use Laserfiche Workflow to generate the report and email a list,” Kyle explains. What information does a Records Management File Plan contain and how is it exported? “A File Plan is a list of the structure and rules that govern the records. You can export or print this information at any level of the records management file structure.” Kyle tells us that, “performing the action on the root folder provides information for the whole repository. The action on a record series or record folder includes information for the contents of that object and its children. The File plan can be printed or exported while in the Laserfiche Client, by selecting the desired record series or record folder. In the Windows client, click on Records >’Print File Plan/Disposition Instruction…’ or Records>’Download File Plan/Disposition Instruction…’ In the Web client, click on More Actions>Record Actions>Download File Plan.” Today’s digital advancements are requiring organizations to be in greater compliance with records management regulations. Laserfiche RME provides users with the tools and flexibility to maintain that compliance and track documents efficiently throughout their life-cycle. If you need help getting your records under control, contact CDI Support to help you get back on track.

Considering the vast efficiencies workflow automation achieves, understanding how first to initiate a workflow is a critical step. This article highlights all you will need to know about your Workflow starting rules. What are Workflow Starting Rules? In a workflow, the starting rule determines when a workflow will run. Typically based on a condition or schedule, an enabled and satisfied starting rule is essential to any operational workflow, unless another workflow is invoking it. The types of starting rules are as follows: Conditional Starting Rule – stipulates the conditions required for a workflow to run. The conditional starting rule is applied to business processes, as well. Use consideration when using the “if any” criteria it could trigger workflows unexpectedly because only one condition needs to be met. Scheduled Starting Rule – is time-based and specifies when a workflow will run. When the schedule starting rule is the chosen, try to schedule repetitive and non-critical workflows to run during non-peak hours. How are starting rules configured? Configure starting rules from either the Publishing wizard or the Rule Manager. Publishing wizard – is a step-by-step method that includes publishing and creating a starting rule. Rule Manager – the rule manager allows users to select a workflow that has been published and create, edit, enable or disable it’s starting rules. What are some best practices to consider when it comes to starting rules? Since starting rules are essential to most workflows, follow these common, best practices and save time and energy in the future. Exclude the Workflow User from workflows – This will help to prevent runaway workflows by limiting triggers. The configuration options are found in the Admin Console in Advanced Server Options. Add conditions likely to fail first – Starting rules are evaluated from top to bottom so if one condition fails, the ones below are not evaluated. Add conditions that call the repository last – If the workflow is having to find a path for an entry, put it last. Be specific with conditions –Limit rules by adding specific criteria. If a document is a trigger and not a folder make sure to designate that criterion. Example: If all of these conditions are true… How can you troubleshoot a starting rule? Conflicting Starting Rules – If the workflow is not running as designed, you may have conflicting starting rules. These are starting rules that will begin their respective workflows based on the same starting event. When two workflows are trying to run on the same entry at the same time, it may result in the workflows not running successfully. Example: Starting Rule assigned to Workflow A: Run Workflow when a document is created, and the document page count is less than 50 Starting Rule assigned to Workflow B: Run Workflow when a document is created, and the document page count is greater than 25 When these workflows run, if Workflow A runs on a document that has 45 pages and workflow B runs on a document with 32 pages, both workflows will run because their starting rules are met, resulting in a conflict. In this scenario, you would need to adjust the starting rules to include additional criteria or select another trigger. Runaway Workflows – The possibility exists of creating a workflow that starts other workflows. An infinite loop of workflows. The starting rule is fulfilling itself. Example: Workflow Y: Whenever a document is copied into folder A, the workflow copies the document into folder B. Workflow Z: Whenever a document is copied into folder B, the workflow copies the document to folder A. If you encounter a runaway workflow, disable the starting rule for the workflow. Then modify the starting rules and workflow definitions to fix the issue. It is always a good idea to exercise caution if you use the Invoke workflow activity ensure that your workflow reaches completion. Hopefully, you can now rule over your starting rules. The benefits of knowing how to implement, troubleshoot successfully, and which best practices to use are instrumental in using workflow. If you have questions or would like more information on starting rules contact the Cities Digital Support Team.