solving staffing woes through transcript automation

Solving Staffing Woes Through Solving Staffing Woes Through Transcript AutomationTranscript Automation

Since 1997 Credentials Has Serviced Students as an Agent for Higher Education

Process Focused

Service Architectur

e

Consumer Facing

DegreeVerification

DegreeVerification

EnrollmentVerification

EnrollmentVerification TranscriptsPlus®TranscriptsPlus®

RoboRegistrar®Integrated

Automation

RoboRegistrar®Integrated

Automation

: Our Services

How can I maintain or improve my How can I maintain or improve my transcript service with fewer resources?transcript service with fewer resources?

Let’s start by examining the costs Let’s start by examining the costs in today’s process…in today’s process…

A Department of Education study from 1997 concluded that a paper transcript costs the average institution $4.35 to produce today.

Based on an analysis of the various components that

contribute to the total cost, the Department of

Education study gives us a great starting point when trying to identify where to

start when we look to reduce our transcript

production costs:

How much does it cost to produce a paper transcript?

25%25%

75%75%Labor

Hard Costs

Total Transcript Production Cost

One other cost to consider…

With miles, points, and cash back rewards attached to such a high percentage of credit cards today, the low rate you were promised is rarely achieved.

Order ValueOrder Value Processing FeeProcessing Fee

$3$3 $.24$.24

$5$5 $.30$.30

$10$10 $.44$.44

$15$15 $.59$.59

Using an estimate of 2.9% of the transaction plus a $.15 transaction fee for AVS checking, the following

table outlines the fees your institution pays for various

transactions.

What are your labor costs?

Data EntryData EntryData EntryData Entry

AuthenticationAuthenticationAuthenticationAuthentication

Locating RecordsLocating RecordsLocating RecordsLocating Records

Hold Checking Hold Checking and Releaseand Release

Hold Checking Hold Checking and Releaseand Release

CommunicationCommunicationCommunicationCommunication

Printing/Sorting/Printing/Sorting/MailingMailing

Printing/Sorting/Printing/Sorting/MailingMailing

Records OfficeRecords OfficeRecords OfficeRecords Office

Allow your students and alumni to helpAllow your students and alumni to help

The first step to transcript automation is to make your process available online

• By encouraging students to order online, you reduce the data entry responsibility of your staff

• Eliminate difficulty of reading hand-written forms

• Provide 24/7 ordering access for students/alumni

• Once the order information is online, you’re able to automate many other processes ranging from hold checking to electronic fulfillment

Data EntryData Entry

Provide access to your ENTIRE audienceProvide access to your ENTIRE audience

Last Name, First Name, SSN#, DOB, Addr.1...

Personal Data From Transcript Request

AuthenticationAuthenticationAuthenticationAuthentication

While your current students appreciate online ordering, what about your alumni?

• In order to maximize the impact of your online option, both current and former students need access

• Partnering with The Ohio State University and the University of California – Berkeley, Credentials developed a process that electronically authenticates 70% of former students OUTSIDE of the student information system

• By comparing credit card data with various pieces of non-directory information, alumni are not required to remember a student ID number

Help students help themselvesHelp students help themselves

Hold Checking and ReleaseHold Checking and ReleaseHold Checking and ReleaseHold Checking and Release

Get the records staff out of the hold business!• Set system up to relieve your staff from having to manually manage holds

• Communications should be specific so that students are able to resolve issues with a single phone call…to the correct department

• System must automatically recognize when holds satisfied and subsequently release the transcript request

• Avoid unfriendly policies such as preventing students from placing an order as this can generate unnecessary phone calls

Answer their questions before they ask themAnswer their questions before they ask them

CommunicationCommunicationCommunicationCommunication

The key to saving your staff time is to keep them off the phones• Online system must communicate proactively with order status updates

• Students need to be able to log in to check status of order

• What’s the most effective way to communicate with students today?

Locating Records - OfflineLocating Records - OfflineLocating Records - OfflineLocating Records - Offline

Streamline your archived records processStreamline your archived records process

Use what you already have online to help your staff.• Online system must identify and segregate those records which are offline

• All recipient information has already been entered into the system so there’s no need to re-key it!

• Allow your staff to print batches of archived requests so that they can handle several archived requests at a time.

• Automate the printing of envelopes or labels regardless of where the transcript is printed.

Now that we’ve automated the majority of your labor, how can we reduce or eliminate your hard costs?

Printer/Maint./Printer/Maint./SuppliesSupplies

Printer/Maint./Printer/Maint./SuppliesSupplies Paper/EnvelopesPaper/EnvelopesPaper/EnvelopesPaper/Envelopes PostagePostagePostagePostage

ELECTRONIC TRANSCRIPTS

Which format is right for you?

PDF Certified PDF(Digital Rights Management)

EDI / XML

There are advantages to each format so why limit yourself to one?• Send your records in a format appropriate to the recipient

• For schools that can receive EDI/XML, a PDF is not efficient

• Offering PDF’s to students and 3rd parties can improve customer service and school image

• Gain access to unique partnerships such as the University of Phoenix Alliance

• Whatever you do, DO NOT add labor to the equation by forcing your staff to manually upload each file!!!

Automating all Fulfillment OptionsAutomating all Fulfillment OptionsAutomating all Fulfillment OptionsAutomating all Fulfillment Options

Integrating Additional Options Provides a Better ServiceIntegrating Additional Options Provides a Better Service

RoboRegistrar© will automatically segregate electronic fulfillment from the production of paper transcripts, initiate the data extraction process, apply appropriate formatting for the requested electronic delivery method, and deliver the electronic record to the appropriate transcript hub.

Printed: Standard

Printed: Overnight

Electronic: TranscriptsNetwork™

Once all processing steps are completed, RoboRegistrar© will generate commands to print the transcript at the designated printer in your records office.

When a transcript is requested for overnight shipping, RoboRegistrar© will electronically place the order with FedEx. RoboRegistrar© will also print the airbill and send the student automated notifications with tracking and receipt information.

1) Credentials compares the transcript destination of each outgoing transcript with a stored list of trading partners.

2) Credentials then automatically segregates printed transcripts from electronic transcripts based on the destination.

3) The record is then formatted according to the receiving institution’s capabilities.

4) Finally, automated “sent” and “received” communications are sent to the requestor.

Our Approach… RoboRegistrar™

SIS

Fire

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l

So…how am I solving my staffing woes through transcript automation?

Based on the Department of Education study we talked about earlier, each transcript costs the institution roughly $3.27 in labor. By automating the majority of this work, let’s calculate the savings

that can be achieved.

Annual TranscriptsAnnual Transcripts Cost SavingsCost Savings Labor Savings*Labor Savings*

20,00020,000 $20,000-$60,000$20,000-$60,000 1,280-3,900 hours (.6-1.9 FTE)1,280-3,900 hours (.6-1.9 FTE)

40,00040,000 $40,000-$120,000$40,000-$120,000 2,500-7,700 hours (1.2-3.7 FTE)2,500-7,700 hours (1.2-3.7 FTE)



*Based on an employee costing the institution $32,000 including salary and benefits.

Thank you for attendingThank you for attending

Jack WeberJack Weber

847-716-3030847-716-3030

[email protected]@credentialssolutions.com