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From the Right Template to Well-Structured Documents
It’s the ease of standard texts, automated branding, and data exchange that makes SmartDocuments stand out. Petra Verberne, who manages the templates at the Dutch municipality of Someren, explains how she uses the software in her day-to-day work.
The municipality of Someren, located in the Netherlands, has been using SmartDocuments for many years. Petra Verberne has worked for the municipality since 2001. “When I started, we had just transitioned from WordPerfect to Microsoft Word,” she says. “A few years later, we looked at how we could organize our work more efficiently, and that’s when we came across SmartDocuments. Today, almost all of our letters are created in SmartDocuments.” Petra is the Application Manager for the software within the municipality. “I manage all SmartDocuments templates across our organization.”
It took some time before the application was actually put into use, due in part to the procurement process for a case management system. “Contact with SmartDocuments was good at the time, but the development and use of templates were put on hold during the procurement process.”
SmartDocuments has now been in full use for several years and is integrated with multiple systems within the organization, such as the case management systems Djuma and PowerBrowser.
Creating Letters with Ease
“We use SmartDocuments for all letters and documents where our corporate style is applied,” Petra explains. “Completing a document step by step leads to a clear final document. For my colleagues, it has really become easier to create a letter. There is no longer a need to worry about the correct format or content. In just a few steps, they go through the right template to produce a well-structured document. In addition, thanks to SmartDocuments, we no longer need pre-printed letterhead.”
Petra emphasizes the ease of use of SmartDocuments. “Working with standard texts makes things easier and also prevents misuse of documents. The writing style, corporate identity, fixed texts such as contact details and the signature – all these standard elements are predefined, and users cannot alter them. They only need to select the right option, which makes their work more efficient. That is the biggest advantage.”
“It can be quite a puzzle, but it’s definitely an enjoyable one.”
Bringing Integrations and Templates Together
Petra is satisfied with the integrations that have been implemented: “Data that is already stored in another system can easily be added to a document through the integration. You no longer have to copy it manually.” She does note that it’s not always easy: “An integration requires a lot of preparation to get everything out of it properly. Although it varies by integration, it can be quite a puzzle, but it’s definitely an enjoyable one.” The same applies to creating templates, she adds. “Some are very easy, while others are quite complex. Some include extensive question trees. I enjoy figuring that out. It takes quite a bit of work to prepare a template properly, but once it’s set up, it works. Then I know I’ve done it right.”
Smooth Collaboration
In addition to the software, Petra is also positive about the organization behind SmartDocuments. “The collaboration is great. Working with the SmartDocuments team is very straightforward. If I have a question, the support team responds right away. I also receive tips and tricks that go beyond the software, for example about working in MS Word. I don’t have to worry about technical support either, because I know it’s handled well. That collaboration and communication are very valuable.”
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