Whitby Hydro Builds a Secure Data Repository and Lays the Framework for Automated Workflow in its Engineering Department

Another FileNexus for Harris Success Story

Whitby Hydro Energy Services Corporation

The Whitby Hydro Energy Services Corporation (“Whitby Hydro”) has been providing energy market and engineering/construction expertise to industrial and commercial customers since 1998, and has been a FileNexus client since March 2010. When the Engineering department saw the improvements FileNexus had made in the Whitby Hydro Customer Service department to manage their customer service related files and enhance their Harris CIS deployment, they were eager to leverage FileNexus to make similar improvements for themselves.

Quick Facts

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FileNexus provides an easy to access repository of information. With FileNexus you can experience:
  • A secure data repository
  • Automated workflows
  • Instant recall and management of virtually any record
  • Storage and access to multiple documents electronically – eliminate filing cabinets, microfilm, storage facilities, etc.
  • Integrate with various software applications
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The engineering department needed a secure data repository to prevent critical documents from being deleted, moved or improperly filed, while improving searching. When documents are stored in FileNexus, they can’t be amended, moved, or deleted without appropriate security permissions. Everything done in FileNexus is tracked by user, date, time and action. FileNexus documents are indexed and categorized to deliver more relevant search results. Through its implementation, FileNexus has achieved the original mandate of providing a system for business continuity, but has also laid the framework for engineering to automate workflows and streamline existing manual processes, thereby improving its efficiency.
A large part of this implementation was the archiving of historical documents. Loris Technologies Inc. worked with Whitby Hydro to review the engineering department’s directory architecture and helped develop a plan for their archiving strategy. The team at Loris created a custom routine to automatically import all Whitby Hydro’s historical engineering records for commercial, subdivision and residential projects into FileNexus. The team also made recommendations on improving the document management strategy on a go forward basis. By using FileNexus to standardize the way in which data is organized, FileNexus has improved searching, document retrieval and overall access to information.
“Working with Loris was a great experience. Loris gave us a schedule and met with those deadlines. They were very good at implementing changes we requested. Loris was listening when we were speaking and made suggestions on how we could improve the process or make a better workflow.”
Kevin Whitehead, Vice President Engineering and Business Services,
Whitby Hydro Energy Services Corporation
Loris worked with Whitby Hydro to create a systemized process for indexing, storing and organizing work orders. FileNexus also allowed Whitby Hydro to standardize templates for their letters and forms. Now current versions are stored in FileNexus, easily found and accessed, ready for use.
For Whitby Hydro, FileNexus is really becoming the document repository and archival system for the whole organization.
“If the building burned down we can still access our records in FileNexus. That is a reason why all the departments—Finance, Customer Service, Operations are using it. FileNexus is really meant to maintain business continuity in the event of a disaster.”
Kevin Whitehead, Vice President Engineering and Business Services,
Whitby Hydro Energy Services Corporation
FileNexus was implemented in the engineering department in August. With the initial project complete, discussions are already underway as to how FileNexus can be maximized to refine existing workflows. As an example, Engineering currently assigns and tracks work orders through a spreadsheet, but this practice can easily be automated with FileNexus. Loris is working with engineering to find ways like this to reduce data entry, eliminate duplicate documents and streamline processes.
To learn more about Whitby Hydro, please visit their website www.whitbyhydro.on.ca

About FileNexus

The FileNexus Document Management System gives utilities, both large and small, the ability to capture virtually any type of document from any source (i.e. paper records such as maps, drawings, manuals, electronic files such as host generated reports, client statement streams, IVR recordings, etc.), index and compress them for secure archival and future recall—providing a single cohesive repository for all document management, workflow, archival and business continuity needs.

For more information on how FileNexus can improve your business efficiency, please contact Kathryn Peet, Director of Communications, at kpeet@loristech.com or call 416-252-4701 x242.

To learn more about FileNexus and Loris Technologies Inc., please visit www.filenexus.com and request a FileNexus demo.

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Published December 4, 2012