Too much paper: How one company went paper-free with OnBase and avoided a costly relocation

Canal Barge had a problem. It was a growing business in the marine transportation sector, but it was sinking from the weight of its paper-based accounts payable (AP) model. The system had worked for decades, but the paper records had overrun its business space. They were literally running out of room to do business.

Something had to change. Canal Barge had three choices: 
1. Invest in a costly renovation (to accommodate more paper). 
2. Pay to relocate to pricier real estate (to accommodate more paper).
3. Eliminate paper.

It was 2013, and smart financial operation software like OnBase was making waves in the industry. Director of Information Systems and Knowledge Management, Carl Fravel, saw the writing on the wall: “We saw the alignment and realized that just the real estate savings alone would probably pay for this project.”

Canal Barge implemented OnBase to great effect. It eliminated paper, stayed in its long-time location and streamlined AP and accounts receivable. And paper wasn’t the only thing saved; some other direct impacts included:
• Full invoice visibility: No more routing paper via interoffice mail and wondering whose desk it’s on.
• Invoice data automatically captured by OnBase: Manual processioning was eliminated.
• Audits made easy: Auditors can log into OnBase and view any invoice they need.

With 300,000 to 500,000 pieces of paper eliminated annually, Canal Barge saw immediate positive returns.

In a business environment where the tide is constantly changing, OnBase offers solutions that benefit team members, customers and long-term strategic initiatives as important as office location. For Canal Barge, the adoption of OnBase led to more business and less headache to bring it in.

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