This document discusses office automation, including trends in technology, objectives of using IT tools in offices, and concepts of office automation, workflow, and groupware technology tools. It classifies common office activities, notes how hardware and software are becoming more capable and user-friendly. The objectives of office automation include improving productivity, quality, and information sharing. True office automation requires reengineering processes to fully leverage technology for total quality management. Workflow automation uses IT tools to divide business processes into interrelated tasks completed in order. Groupware software and web technologies enable collaboration, communication, and coordination between workgroups.

1. Office Automation

2. Content
Classification of Office Activities
Trends in Technology
Aim of using IT Tools in Offices
Concept of Office Automation
Present Scenario
Need for re-engineering of processes
Concept of Work flow
Groupware Technology Tools: An Overview

3. Classification of Office Activities
Documents preparation
Data Management ( Structured /
Unstructured)
Scheduling / Planning of activities
Presentation
Dissemination of Information
Communication / Correspondence

4. Trends in Technology
Hardware
Reduced Size, Less cost, More capabilities
Software
More capable, User friendly, More towards
real world environment
Networking
Faster Communication Media, Concept for
LAN/WAN/MAN / Web Technology
cont.

5. Trends in Technology
Linking of conventional tools
Telephone, Fax, Photocopier can be easily
linked with Information Technology tools
( Computers & Communication) to
automate office functions.

6. Objective of using IT Tools in Office
Improvement in quality of output
Improved Productivity / efficiency
Optimal Utilization of Resources
Reduction in time taken in execution of activities
Better Information sharing / Transparency
Better way of delivery of information to user at a
place convenient to him / her
Reduction in the dependency on human beings
Look for simplification of procedures
Better customer support etc
.

7. What is Office Automation
( Today s concept)?
Adoption of IT Tools for enhancing
productivity and reduction of manual
labour
It is associated with paperless
office
Is it enough ?

8. Technology Vs. Business
Question arises
Should Technology change business or
Business needs should change
technology?
By providing IT tools at desk tops, should
we not redistribute responsibilities by
providing more powers of decision making
down the line?

9. Need for re-engineering of processes
To take full advantage of technology, there is a
need for re-engineering of processes
Key to successful re-engineering process is
integration of people, processes, data, strategy,
and technology
Objective of re-engineering should be to reach
Total Quality Management
IT Tools are so powerful, that dream of TQM can
be definitely fulfilled, if timely actions are taken

10. Re-engineering Process
To take full advantage of Technology, processes
need to be re-engineered
Key to successful re-engineering is integration of
people, processes, data, strategy and technology
Objective of re-engineering should be to reach
TQM
( Simplification of procedures, minimize process
delays, improve quality of output, minimize cost of
operations)

11. Objective of Office Automation ( Redefined)
To improve customer relation by bringing
transparency in systems
To achieve better management control
To simplify operations and minimise
computational errors
To improve quality of output in terms of
presentation and reduction in processing
time

12. Workgroup
A workgroup is a group of people
working towards the same goal.

13. Concept of Workflow in Office Automation
Information management / Business
processes can be divided into sets of inter
related tasks, which need to be done in
prescribed order incorporating information
from various resources.
So one has to look for work flow
automation using IT tools

14. Workgroup
contd.
The members of the workgroup may
be locally placed, e.g., people working
in a section/ department or they may
be placed at different far off
locations.

15. WorkFlow
A Workflow is anything that makes knowledge or
information sharing / dissemination more efficiently
ansl it also helps in coordination of various activities to
achieve a predefined goal .
Intermediary
Information
Data Flow
Input from
some other
source
Output
Input from Data
Bank

16. The 3 C s in a Work flow
Collaboration
Sharing the information
Communication
Exchange of ideas
Consultancy
Coordination
Monitoring the workflow
Ensuring the Quality of Output

17. What s the key to the solution?

18. Technology Drivers
Hardware Devices
Communication Devices
Processors
New Groupware S/W
Web Technology

19. Thank You
.