BLX worked with SmartDoc Technologies, a leading integrator of dynamic document solutions, to rollout the more automated services. Adobe LiveCycle Designer and Adobe LiveCycle Forms are used to create templates and automatically pull and populate database information into those templates. An application developed in Adobe’s Macromedia® ColdFusion® helps manage broker requests, seamlessly delivering content between front-end interfaces and backend systems.
One solution, multiple uses
For BLX, the success of automating data sheet production demonstrated that other document- intensive processes could easily be automated as well. In particular, the company handles a large volume of Community Express loans that are often for dollar amounts of $50,000 or less. “Processing a loan requires a considerable investment in employee time,” says McGoff. “The more we automate our processes the better we can serve our customers, while keeping our costs in check.”
Applications for Community Express loans come directly from borrowers, who currently complete paper forms and return them for processing. The manual workflows can cause errors, with borrowers failing to submit all required information or entering the wrong information into form fields. As a result, BLX staff has to spend extra time following up with applicants to get the needed information.
Integrating front- and back-end processes
To address this problem, BLX is using Adobe LiveCycle Forms and Adobe LiveCycle Reader Extensions to generate Community Express application forms in Adobe PDF. Applicants can download the platform- and application-independent PDF forms from www.blxonline.com and complete them online or offline using free Adobe Reader® software. Built-in intelligence in the forms improves the accuracy of submitted data by handling required calculations and verifying that applicants enter the proper type of information into each field.
Completed forms can be sent electronically to BLX, where data is captured as XML files into an APPRO loan origination system. The data is distributed instantly to staff for review and processing.
“Streamlined workflows using Adobe PDF forms can eliminate days of delays and save staff and borrowers hours of valuable time,” says McGoff.
Real returns on investments
The faster, more efficient document processes benefit BLX, brokers, and borrowers. “We’ve found that growing our business and improving services do not have to drain budgets and staff resources,” says Levine. “Instead, we have to stay focused on making smart technology choices and applying the right solutions to the right problems.”