The National Golf Club
The National Golf Club Drives Efficient Knowledge Work Automation with M-Files
Highlights
- 30-50 percent reduction in manual document handling
- 40-60 percent faster document retrieval times
- 20-30 percent reduction in compliance risks
- Up to 90 percent decrease in document loss incidents
- 25-35 percent increase in operational efficiency for document-related tasks
Use Case
Compliance Management
Process Management
Quality Management
Industry
Sports and Recreation
Country
Australia
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Company Introduction
The National Golf Club has more than 40 years of history and experience providing exceptional services and golf facilities for its members. The historic golf club caters to a diverse membership base of more than 3,200 members that includes amateur enthusiasts, professional players, and corporate clients. It offers a wide array of facilities beyond the links, such as dining services, event hosting, pro shop, and coaching.
The National Golf Club faced significant operational challenges due to its outdated paper-based accounts payable system. This inefficiency often led to delays in invoice processing, negatively impacting the overall efficiency of the club's operations. The club worked with implementation partner, Element3, to integrate M-Files across its operations and transform this critical business function into a 100 percent paperless system, streamlining processes from invoice receipt to approval and payment.
The M-Files solution replaced the outdated manual filing system with a digital, automated process that eliminated physical document handling and minimized the risk of invoice duplication and loss through advanced version control and audit trails. This transformation has improved the accounts payable department’s efficiency and accuracy dramatically, setting a benchmark for digital transformation across the business more broadly.
Key Challenges Before M-Files
Inefficiencies in Accounts Payable
The National Golf Club's previous accounts payable process was entirely paper based, causing substantial operational inefficiencies. This outdated system was prone to missing invoices, which frequently led to payment delays and financial discrepancies. The manual nature of the process required physical document handling, sign-off, and filing, resulting in excessive use of resources and time. It also made it difficult to track and retrieve documents, requiring employees to sort through files manually when suppliers enquired about payments.
Eddie Warfield, Finance and Administration Manager, National Golf Club, said, “The old system slowed down the club’s operations significantly. Staff members were constantly dealing with lost or misplaced invoices, which not only delayed information management processes, but also impacted supplier relationships.”
Limited Visibility and Tracking
Another major challenge was the limited ability to track invoice status. The incumbent system made it difficult to track invoice progress, which meant that there was no way to track where an invoice was in the approval process, unless a note was made, or a supplier called. This lack of visibility often resulted in delays and increased the time spent by staff managing and locating physical documents, detracting from their ability to focus on more strategic financial management activities.
"M-Files' impact on our business processes has been tremendous, and the metrics speak for themselves. There has been a drastic reduction in the time spent managing documents, which has empowered the team to focus more on strategic tasks. The efficiency gained and the reduction in compliance risks are a testament to M-Files' effectiveness in transforming the National Golf Club’s document management processes."
Eddie Warfield, Finance and Administration Manager, The National Golf Club
"M-Files has revolutionized how the National Golf Club manages documents. The club has significantly reduced the need for manual intervention by automating its processes, which has made operations much more efficient."
Eddie Warfield, Finance and Administration Manager, The National Golf Club
The M-Files Solution
Streamlined Implementation and Custom Workflows
The National Golf Club has transitioned to a completely paperless accounts payable system. Through knowledge work automation, invoices are now received via email and entered directly into M-Files, where they are coded and allocated to the appropriate manager for approval. All invoices are accounted for using this system, and approvals are tracked and recorded in real time.
Eddie said, “M-Files has revolutionized how the National Golf Club manages documents. The club has significantly reduced the need for manual intervention by automating its processes, which has made operations much more efficient.”
The M-Files knowledge work automation solution was tailored specifically to the National Golf Club’s needs with the support of their implementation partner, Element3. They established a custom workflow so that the organization didn’t need to fit into a pre-defined mold. This flexibility was critical in adapting to the club’s specific operational needs and security requirements.
Eddie said, “Element3 and M-Files designed a purpose-built workflow that meets the club’s unique needs. Adjusting the permissions for invoices means that only relevant departments have access, which helps to maintain security standards while enhancing accessibility.”
The Results
Enhanced Business Processes and Efficiency
Using M-Files to automate the accounts payable workflow has led to significant efficiency improvements for the National Golf Club. Manual document handling has been reduced by approximately 30-50 percent, freeing up staff to focus on higher-value tasks. Document retrieval times have similarly decreased by 40-60 percent, boosting productivity across the board. The M-Files implementation has also substantially lowered compliance risks, with a drop of approximately 20-30 percent in compliance-related issues. Document loss or misplacement incidents have also been diminished by at least 90 percent, which is critical for maintaining compliance in legal matters for the club.
Eddie said, “The impact on the National Golf Club’s business processes has been tremendous, and the metrics speak for themselves. There has been a significant reduction in the time spent managing documents, which has empowered the team to focus more on strategic tasks. The efficiency gained and the reduction in compliance risks are a testament to the effectiveness of M-Files in transforming the National Golf Club’s document management processes.”
"The National Golf Club’s vision is to extend the benefits achieved in accounts payable across all departments, using M-Files to make every document and piece of data within the business digital, accessible, and secure. This vision supports the club's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in managing its extensive historical records and day-to-day operations for current and future golfers."
Eddie Warfield, Finance and Administration Manager, The National Golf Club
Ongoing Success and Expansion
Following this successful M-Files implementation, the National Golf Club plans to expand the use of M-Files to other departments, leveraging its capabilities to enhance efficiency and compliance across the organization. Plans include integrating M-Files into the golf operations and catering teams to streamline event planning and improve service delivery. The club is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools from M-Files to enhance member services by tracking gameplay metrics and improving course management to enhance the overall member experience.
Eddie said, “The National Golf Club’s vision is to extend the benefits achieved in accounts payable across all departments, using M-Files to make every document and piece of data within the business digital, accessible, and secure. This vision supports the club's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in managing its extensive historical records and day-to-day operations for current and future golfers.”
The Bottom Line
- Reduced manual document handling through knowledge work automation, enhancing staff capacity for strategic initiatives.
- Improved compliance and security measures in document management.
- Boosted operational efficiency through faster document retrieval and streamlined processes.
- Established a foundation for future expansions to further enhance services and operations.
Partner
Element3
Element3 is an experienced Melbourne-based systems integrator that partners with organizations looking to enhance their operational efficiencies through innovative technology solutions. Element3 has a strong focus on custom workflow integration and digital transformation, and works closely with clients and vendors to tailor systems that meet specific organizational needs, putting security, accessibility, and efficiency at the forefront of their service delivery.
Contact
Element3
[email protected]
+61 1300 032 015
Why M-Files?
M-Files is the leading platform for knowledge work automation. With the M-Files platform, knowledge workers can find information faster, work smarter, and achieve more. M-Files features an innovative metadata-driven architecture, embedded workflow engine, and advanced artificial intelligence. This enables customers to eliminate information chaos, improve process efficiency, and automate security and compliance.
