Amann: Digital HR documents as a key to efficient HR processes

The AMANN Group’s central HR department wants to completely digitize its HR documents. The foundation for this was laid with the introduction of Centric's Employee File. The HR team cites flexibility, time savings, and sustainability as the reasons for doing away with paper files.

“Digital documents are at the heart of modern HR processes,” says Stephanie Sauer, HR Manager at AMANN. “The COVID-19 pandemic and the demand to be able to work with files on the move and not just directly in the office have shown us that we need to enable remote access to all files – also when a manager wants to borrow them, for example.”

Roll-out strategy: Gradual expansion to a complete solution

The Centric Employee File digital filing solution was implemented in the first half of 2022. At the same time, 500 paper files were scanned and imported into the system. Thanks to the Scan2EmployeeFile module, HR users can now digitally file email attachments or documents scanned with a multifunction printer in the right place. At the end of 2022, the Centric Document Builder was added for automated document creation, and in summer 2023, DocuSign integration for digital signatures was added.

The HR team selected Centric's digital file solution in a tender that included a detailed list of requirements. It was just the right decision for AMANN, as HR Manager Stephanie Sauer confirms in retrospect: “We’d do everything exactly the same way again.”

When evaluating the providers, Centric scored highly as a general contractor that also offered a scanning service for digitizing paper files. Other key advantages were the close SAP integration, the intuitive user interface, and the future-proof technology underpinning Centric’s solution. At AMANN, Centric’s cloud-based products are integrated into SAP HCM.

Well-planned implementation of Document Builder and Employee File

AMANN has also been using Centric’s compliance products to check its payroll accounting in SAP HCM for several years. The company therefore knows that Centric is a reliable product and implementation partner. Cooperation during the introduction of the digital employee file went as well as expected. Silke Schweiker, Head of Payroll & Administration, particularly emphasizes the transparent project management and the weekly scheduled meetings with Centric and the internal IT department as factors that contributed to the project’s success.

The HR team’s intensive preparations also facilitated its speedy implementation. For example, before digitization, they looked at all the files, discarded some or brought them up to date, and defined the future file structure at an early stage. Centric Employee File was launched with 500 digitized personnel files; another 100 files have since been added and plans are underway to add a further 100.

A few months after the roll-out of the filing solution, the Document Builder for automated document creation was added. Initially, the team set up simple documents, such as letters of congratulations, before gradually integrating more complex documents, such as salary-increase letters or confirmations of termination with the corresponding attachments.

Efficient work processes

The main advantage of digitization is that all HR employees now have access to the employee files at all times, even across different locations. “You can immediately file and archive the documents in the respective files. They are always up to date,” says Silke Schweiker. “Issues such as data security, GDPR compliance, and deletion periods are now also optimally addressed.” The option to simply lend files to line managers is also helpful in business. In addition, the full-text search function means that specific information or documents can be found and accessed immediately. Stacks of paper that can only be processed directly in the office are a thing of the past.

Automation offers security

At AMANN, the full potential of automation has emerged due to the interaction of the integrated Centric tools. One example concerns salary-increase letters. Today, these are created using the Document Builder at the request of the line manager. The system provides the correct text modules on the current stationery and transfers the master data and pay grade from SAP. The DocuSign workflow is then used to obtain the necessary signatures. This makes searching for letter templates and pay grades, forwarding documents by internal mail, making photocopies, filing paper, or making notes for forwarding and resubmission a thing of the past. Instead, processes are completed on schedule in defined workflows, the risk of errors is significantly minimized, and those involved know where the document is being processed at all times.