Production of offer letters for students was a manual and time consuming process, files were received, opened in excel where a macro added additional data and the resulting csv data file was merged with a template and sent to print. This was not only time consuming but production was reliant on human intervention. This resulted in the print and mailing of the letters backing up to almost unmanageable levels and also delayed the communication to the prospective student.
Due to the importance of this communication, it was decided that we would make a strategic investment in a solution used by some of the worlds leading companies in market sectors such as financial, manufacturing and retail. This solution (PlanetPress Connect) would automate and enhance the production of offer letters.
Splitting the process into each constituent part, data ingestion, data processing, merge, output sortation and the automated print. Each process was then configured, tested and deployed in the PlanetPress application utilising the various modules, data mapper, multi context designer and powerful workflow automation tools. This resulted in the entire process becoming 100% automated from data submission to printed output.
We have also enhanced the process by delivering the offer letter as a PDF attachment to a fully personalised responsive email on the same day as the data file arrives, ensuring our prospective students get the offer they deserve without any delay.
Print production in our secure print room is triggered automatically at 5am every workday and is ready for inserting and mailing without intervention.
of offer letters are sent by email the same day the data is received.
letters and emails sent in 2021
cost increase to customer
improvement in print production efficiency
Improving time consuming and repetitive process is a key objective for improving departmental operational efficiencies and also allows us to offer new products and services across the university and our partner organisations. Digital transformation is key to supporting the services across campus and now we have robust and proven tools to connect with almost any data source and system, enhance and automate your everyday print related business processes. Other successful projects include ID card production, incoming document scanning and digital proof of deliveries.
