Case Study: Northcentral Technical College | EO Johnson

The Challenge

Ongoing process improvement and finding ways to be more efficient is essential to business success and growth. Northcentral Technical College recognized this when evaluating the management of their records. Cindy Thelen, Human Resources Manager, explained “Our Human Resource Department was researching ways to automate and streamline processes within the college. As part of our process improvement and efficiency efforts, and to save space and update our disaster preparation, we sought to make paper records electronically accessible from virtually anywhere.”

Having Human Resources records in hardcopy format was anything but efficient. Thelen states, “Paper records were cumbersome and hard to manage and maintain. Documents take time to get placed in the paper files due to the time commitment associated with manual paper filing.” Employee files consisted of multiple record type categories stored in individual folders, with some types filed in different storage locations. The goal was to have records organized by document type, scanned and then imported into the NTC document management system.

Working with a local resource with a high level of security was an important part of the decision of whom to partner with for the project. “We felt EO Johnson offered the best customer service, provided a detailed quote, maintained confidentiality while handling files and offered different levels of quality control to fit our various filing needs." Thelen said. "As an added plus, they were local and had worked with other schools and many banks who had more security measures and regulations, which gave us a comfort level that our confidential employee files would be handled appropriately.”

The Accounts Payable department faced unique challenges as well. Records originated from multiple vendors and were time-sensitive in nature. WRPS Board Members frequently requested documentation related to previous month’s transactions for discussion during monthly Board Meetings. Fulfilling these requests required Accounts Payable staff to manually sift through file cabinets, an inefficient and time-consuming process.

Human Resources encountered similar issues. Their records occupied several large file cabinets, and the physical volume continued to grow with ongoing staff turnover. Due to strict retention requirements, disposing of older documents was not a short-term option. Finding specific records meant physically accessing cabinets and sorting through folders, consuming both valuable space and staff time.
The Solution

To ensure uninterrupted access to active Human Resources records, EO Johnson worked closely with NTC’s HR and IT teams to design a scanning strategy that maintained daily workflow. The project began with a planning meeting and test scans to align on indexing and system compatibility. EO Johnson’s clear understanding of NTC’s record structure and document management system enabled a tailored approach, including scanning files in smaller batches to limit offsite disruptions.

EO Johnson handled the entire process - from providing boxes and prepping files to scanning and applying customized quality control based on record type. NTC supplied a database to automate indexing, saving time and costs. Data was securely delivered in daily batches via Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), allowing quick access to digitized files. Exceptions were reported immediately, and ongoing communication ensured transparency on progress, budget, and adjustments. Upon completion, EO Johnson retained and securely destroyed records after receiving formal approval, providing a smooth, collaborative, and secure project experience.

Improved Accessibility

“NTC’s scanning project wrapped up about two months prior to the start of COVID-19 lockdowns. The Human Resources department has been working remotely from home on a temporary basis and having electronically accessible files has enabled the staff not to miss a beat with accessing necessary employee information in the files. It has already proved to be more than beneficial.”
A Vision for Efficiency

“This was the first step for Human Resources to become paperless and this project created a tangible vision for future efficiencies and process improvements. The HR files are now easily maintained and up-to-date at any moment.”
Document Security & Data Integrity

Today, all digitized records are securely preserved and integrated into NTC’s regular data backup procedures, providing long-term protection and integrity of sensitive information.
Space Availability

Office space once occupied by these records has now been reallocated to fulfill other needs.

“Northcentral Technical College made the right choice with selecting EO Johnson for our employee file scanning project which was verified throughout various steps in the project. They are reliable and provide excellent customer service in delivery of a successful project in a timely manner.”

Cindy Thelen
HR Manager, Northcentral Technical College