Today’s lesson: District speeds crucial processes, cuts costs

The district came up with its top-ten list of processes to standardize and automate with Nintex. First up: the issuance of building permits—an easily identifiable process with the greatest risk if not managed successfully. Responsibility for creating the workflow solution was assigned to Barbara Mattson. Far from being a business analyst or software developer, Mattson is a secretary in the district’s Facilities and Construction Department.

First, Mattson consulted with co-workers to identify all required steps in the building-permit process, the responsible party for each, and the connections and relations among the steps. Then, she used Nintex Process Manager to capture this information and create a highly visual flowchart of the intended workflow. With her co-workers’ consensus on the anticipated solution, Mattson could proceed. She completed the first Nintex solution in about two months, in time for the start of the school year.

The process is kicked off with a Nintex Form that project managers, contractors and others complete to request building permits. Nintex Workflow manages the collection of relevant data, routing, and approval. Once approved, Nintex DocGen® creates the building permit from content in the application and reviews. Then, the workflow leverages Nintex eSign to request signatures from officials. Once signed, the workflow sends an automated email to the project manager and applicant. Based on the success of the building permit approval workflow, the district plans to apply Nintex to its entire top-ten list of business processes.