Compliance is part of everyday business, whether we like it or not. And let’s face it, it’s not the sexiest topic in the world. But, as we head towards a world of perfect automation, let’s talk about what we can automate today. You see, the thing is, compliance documents are as necessary as they are uninteresting. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to successfully monitor all the various forms of compliance and that in turn, would lead to many more accidents, mistakes, errors and fraud. So, if humans don’t enjoy producing them, especially given the risk associated with producing something incorrectly, why don’t we let the machines do it for us?
“How do we do that?” I hear you ask – the answer is, it’s pretty simple: we connect our data source with a document generation platform and build some automation around it. That’s usually done by matching variable fields in the documents with the appropriate data fields in the database – this can usually be done by any logic-oriented person (in other words, you don’t need someone from IT to do it for you). Once that is done, you can either trigger the production of error-free compliance documents individually, via the use of a user interface, or you can get a computer to do it in large batches, using a scripting or programming language, or an automation tool like Zapier or IFTTT.
Once everything is in place, all you need to do is make sure that the data that is meant to change is kept up-to-date and accurate, and the document generation platform will do the rest. It will guarantee that everything else remains as it should be, ensuring no human error or foul play. And the best bit is, if “static” information changes, it can be amended in one place and automatically propagated through all other areas that refer to it.
The key to it all is the use of a document generation system that’s modern, easy-to-use and integrates with your office tools, like the Microsoft and Salesforce stacks. If you pick the right tool, it won’t be a burden on your IT team, or your wallet, for that matter.
Written by Kareem Tawansi, Founder of ExactDocs
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