Document Imaging 

OnBase Document Imaging enables paper documents to be systematically captured and stored in standard electronic formats. Once documents are indexed, any system or person with appropriate permissions may retrieve them online. Documents can be scanned with any industry-standard scanner, individually or in large batches, indexed, and archived in OnBase, leveraging several automation methods.  By converting paper documents to images, OnBase reduces physical storage costs, enables documents to be securely used and shared, and enables faster retrieval of business information. There are four primary parts to imaging via OnBase: 

1. Scanning: Process of using a scanner to transfer any image or text on paper to a digital picture. 
   
   • All types of documents can be scanned, such as vouchers, journals, invoices, admissions applications or purchase orders.
2. Uploading: The sending or uploading of data from a local system to the hosted document repository, which means it's not on the Fordham network.
3. Indexing: Process of assigning “keys” to the document. It gives the system a piece of information specific to that document so it can be retrieved, and the ability to link other documents using the same piece of information. 
   
   • For example, a great deal of information at Fordham is linked to the student’s ID, or F I D N, so we can say that a great deal of information is indexed on F I D N.
4. Retrieving: Once a document has been stored in the system, you need to be able to get it back and view it. Retrieving a document is done by searching one or more of the index keys.

Request Access to Document Imaging

Contact the IT Service Desk via fordham.edu > My Pages > Tech Help, (718) 817-3999, or [email protected], and describe what imaging access you require:

• View existing OnBase documents
• Upload new documents to OnBase

To expedite your request please ensure the following:

• Obtain supervisor approval to access the OnBase document(s).  
• Confirm document group or document type required

Each business area at Fordham has a dedicated OnBase data steward.  If you need assistance determining the appropriate document and/or user group, please indicate this on your ticket. We will connect you with the data steward for your area.

Costs

Imaging, the scanning and indexing, and storage of the documents involved in your work may not cost anything if there is a scanner or multi-function copier available, and the volume of documents is small. As the volume increases, the cost may increase if a scanner needs to be purchased, or a license for Disconnected Scanning to do 30-50 or more documents as a batch.

Disconnected Scanning

The OnBase Disconnected Scanning module is a full-featured, standalone scanning application that allows users to scan documents without being connected to the document repository. This module is normally used in two conditions: 

• Bulk scanning: to scan large volumes of documents
• Disconnected devices: when the scanner in use is not directly connected to the database repository from which the documents will be retrieved.

How it Works: 

1. Paper documents may be scanned and converted to digital images on the scanning workstation using a standard scanner. 
2. Scanned batches are uploaded to an OnBase database through a connection to the OnBase Web Server. The upload can be performed manually or scheduled for non-peak hours. 
3. Once in the OnBase database, OnBase Client retrieval stations may access the documents.

At Fordham, we have a hosted environment and the repository is disconnected from the network. Once scanned, an internet connection is used to upload the document batches.

Virtual Print Driver (VPD)

The OnBase Virtual Print Driver VPD provides a mechanism to output TIFF images from practically any Windows-based application with print capability. The VPD module enables users to import any document, report or other content that is printable from a Windows application into OnBase as a TIFF image. Once installed, the VPD acts as a standard print driver accessible from any Windows application that offers a print option.

Microsoft Office documents, web pages, screen dumps, reports, hosted sessions and so on can all be imported via the VPD by simply "Printing" them into OnBase. Once the VPD is installed as a Windows print driver on a user's workstation, subsequent printing of documents to the VPD automatically invokes the following two-step process. First, the VPD renders the document into a multi-page TIFF image and copies that TIFF rendition to a user-specified spool directory. Next, Web Client users manually invoke the "upload" feature of that client to import the TIFF rendition of the document from the spool directory. Completing the document import dialog and clicking the "import" button concludes the process.

Workflow

OnBase Workflow is an electronic document routing system that enables users to process work more efficiently, faster, and more accurately than with traditional paper processing. A workflow solution can be initiated by the submission of a web form or by the import of a specific document. 

• The OnBase Workflow module uses a configurable set of rules and actions to route documents through a user-defined business process. 
• The point and click configuration of OnBase Workflow enables organizations to quickly deploy robust workflow solutions, streamline business processes and create the opportunity for continuous improvements. 
• OnBase Workflow can prompt users for input or automatically process documents based on information such as a keyword, the type of document, when the document arrived, the presence of a supporting document, or information from a line of business system.

Request a Workflow solution

Contact the IT Service Desk via fordham.edu > My Pages > Tech Help, (718) 817-3999, or [email protected], and describe your request. The Enterprise Process and Content Services Team will connect with you and work with you to: 

• Identify the type of solution
• Determine the best application to manage your new solution
• Empower you to build your own solution and/or develop the solution for you

Form Developer

Create web forms that leverage drag and drop technology via the Onbase Form Developer feature. Forms can be used to capture information and be routed within workflows. 

Request Form Developer

If you are new to forms, contact the IT Service Desk via fordham.edu > My Pages > Tech Help, (718) 817-3999, or [email protected] and request access to the Form Developer test instance. Completion of the Form Developer training is required in order to be granted Form Developer access in Hyland OnBase.

1. To create a form once you have access, contact the IT Service Desk with the following information to create the Unity Form document type:
   
   1. Document Type requested (e.g., AR Transcript Request)
      
   2. Keywords to retrieve the document in the future (e.g., FIDN, First Name, Last Name, Vendor, FY). Keywords can be free text or configured with a drop down/select list.
      
2. Once your request is received, you will be set as a forms developer in the Hyland OnBase Test instance (UT1/TEST). Configure and validate your form in this area. 
   
3. Notify the Enterprise Process and Content Services team via email to [email protected] when the form is complete, and they will move the forms to production.

Note: Ask the Enterprise Process team for assistance when:

• Your form requires a workflow for routing/approvals, or contains email notifications that will be triggered by the process.
  
• Your business case calls for an authenticated form. ECM will help you draft the specs to call the data from the system of record (e.g., Banner/PowerFAIDS) and/or if data needs to post from the form to the system of record/target system.

Form Developer Training Resources

Sign up to join the Hyland Community. Then check your Fordham inbox for an email from Hyland confirming your affiliation with Fordham. If you don’t receive the email in 48 hours, check your Spam folder. After successful registration, log in to the premium training site. We recommend the following videos and training labs for hands-on experience: