Anoto Digital Pen for SAP

Many Organisations invest heavily in process automation to improve efficiencies, reduce manual tasks and ultimately decrease operational costs. While process automation is one method to become more efficient in a constantly changing business environment, these improvements often stop at the organisation boundaries. Imagine the potential of extending these process improvements to your customers, your suppliers and external communities. Acclimation can help you realise these benefits using SAP NetWeaver suite of technologies.

It's all about keeping track of dots...

1. Each form has small dots on it which the pen reads.
2. The Pen records each stroke the pen makes and sends this data securely to the Server via a tethered Mobile Device or when cradled.
3. The Server converts the pen strokes into an electronic ?image? of the original form. Additionally, the handwriting is processed via OCR and the parsed output made available for further processing by SAP. This means that all data is collected via a handwritten form, and the form content is delivered to SAP in real time. The completed form can be discarded or left with the client as all information is recorded and stored when the form was completed. Additional information such as GPS location, date, time, voice notes and digital images can be attached to the form when it is transmitted.
4. An Acclimation Consultant will work closely with you in creating new forms or converting existing paper forms. Forms are created in special designer software allowing our developers to nominate data types for each field for improved accuracy for data mapping. Our servers can manipulate data into any format that may be required ie XML, CSV via web services or email. In addition, we have developed custom connecters allowing rapid integration into SAP.

Use Cases

Four principle areas of good fit are:

1. For organisations with a mobile workforce seeking a low cost solution for data capture from the field and the integration of this with their business systems. Digital pen and paper solutions cost significantly less than other "hard devices" such as laptops and PDAs, which also have much higher training and support costs.
2. In situations where pen and paper are still an intrinsic part of an organisation?s business processes. For example the financial sector still uses paper forms extensively, because clients are comfortable with it and they provide an undisputable, signed record of an agreement.
3. Where devices such as Laptops and PDAs create a barrier to the natural interaction between a company representative and their client. Digital pen and paper allows this vital interaction to flourish while still facilitating fast and effective data capture from the field force.
4. Where information has to be captured on paper because the form or carbon copy needs to be left with the client. Examples of this are assurance assessments, insurance reports, service reports, order receipts etc.

Some of the benefits of using the DPS

1. Less 'admin' time spent typing data into systems
2. Real-time delivery of data for alerting, followup & decision making
3. Losing forms is not a disaster - your data, and copies of the form are still available online
4. Secure archives of information available for clear audit trails and regulatory compliance
5. ERP real time updates by staff members without requiring computer access