Key Highlights
- Financial approvals are completed in minutes instead of days thanks to M-Files automated workflows, mobile access, and real-time visibility, significantly improving efficiency and reducing administrative barriers.
- Digitized and centralized document management replaces paper archives with a secure, compliant digital platform equipped with search, streamlining storage, retrieval, and audit readiness.
- Governance and collaboration are significantly improved through M-Files, which provides secure access, version control, and seamless information sharing between geographically distributed teams and external auditors.
Use Case
Process Management
Compliance Management
Remote Work
Industry
Country
About the Organization
The Local Health Authority Analytical Committee (LHAAC) is a public health agency of the Government of Western Australia that works exclusively with local governments across the state.
Its primary role is to coordinate a sampling program that enables local governments to access analytical services for testing substances that may affect public health, such as food, water, air, and other environmental materials.
LHAAC oversees funding for these sampling activities and collaborates with both private and public laboratories in Western Australia to conduct the requested analyses. The organization is led by Coordinator Ryan Jaines, who reports to a 10-member committee representing various local governments. Ryan and the administrative team work out of an office located at Edith Cowan University (ECU), a renowned institution in Western Australia.
The committee, which functions much like a board, meets regularly to review test results, facilitate information sharing among stakeholders, and identify future priorities for sampling and research.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Key Challenges Before M-Files
Collaboration and Information-Sharing Challenges
Before implementing M-Files, LHAAC relied heavily on manual, paper-based systems, which significantly hindered effective management, collaboration, and administrative work. The organization faced several key challenges that impacted its day-to-day operations and strategic development.
Collaboration was particularly challenging due to the committee’s decentralized nature. Since its members represented various local government bodies and the university, LHAAC functioned similarly to a board and was subject to external audits. However, the existing systems made it difficult to exchange information securely. Ensuring that only authorized personnel had access to confidential data was burdensome, and auditors often encountered difficulties in obtaining the necessary documentation.
Inefficient Document Search and Storage
Searching for information was another major obstacle. Documents were stored in a folder-based system organized by broad topics or years, which made searching time-consuming and unintuitive. Employees, committee members, and auditors often spent too much time searching for key documents, which slowed down workflows and decision-making.
Document storage practices further complicated access. The combination of a hard drive and physical paper files made it difficult for geographically dispersed participants to search for information effectively. Sharing paper documents required scanning and emailing them, which led to delays and reduced efficiency.
“When I was looking into M-Files, I expected it to be a fairly standard document management system. It turned out to be so much more. To be honest, I don’t understand how anyone could pass up M-Files. It’s simply amazing—I love it. Thank you for making my life easier.”
Manual Records Retention and Compliance Burden
Managing the document retention requirements established by law was also a burdensome task. With a manual system, employees had to manually track and monitor records to determine when documents could be destroyed. This process took up valuable time and attention that could have been devoted to more strategic responsibilities.
Cumbersome Approval Processes
Reconciliation processes, such as accounts payable reconciliation, were labor-intensive and inefficient. They involved printing, signing, scanning, and compiling documents, which often took hours. These processes created bottlenecks, especially when the individuals responsible for reconciliation were unavailable.
Lack of version control and data security
Version control became yet another problem. Without a centralized system, confusion over document versions was commonplace. Employees and auditors often had to check whether they were working with the most current version, and in some cases, documents were recreated unnecessarily.
Reliance on hard drives and paper files created significant risks related to data loss and security. Printed copies were vulnerable to unauthorized access, and the electronic folder system lacked the flexibility to ensure access control while securely sharing data with external users.
The Need for an Effective Knowledge Management Automation Platform
Recognizing this inefficiency, Ryan and the LHAAC team concluded that the existing information management systems were undermining the committee’s ability to fulfill its statutory functions and achieve its strategic objectives. They identified the need for a more efficient and secure system to manage analytical reports, confidential research data, financial records, administrative documentation, and historical information.
After reaching out to Innovative Content Management and learning about M-Files, the team found a solution that transformed its operations.
“The transition to M-Files reduced the average processing time for financial approvals from several hours—or even a full day—under the old paper-based system to 10 minutes. This improvement was made possible by digital workflows, optimized document exchange, and reduced reliance on email attachments. It reflects a significant increase in efficiency and implies broader operational time savings at LHAAC.”
M-Files Solutions
Enabling Enterprise-Level Transformation
Faced with growing operational complexity and the limitations of outdated systems, LHAAC recognized the need for a modern platform to support the organization’s evolving responsibilities. Eight months after starting the project, Ryan began a strategic search for a knowledge management solution capable of providing scalability, security, and enterprise-level customization.
After evaluating several platforms, including Microsoft SharePoint, LHAAC selected M-Files due to its unique ability to support complex, distributed operations while remaining independent of institutional infrastructure. M-Files stood out for its metadata-driven architecture, deep integration with Microsoft 365, and cloud-based deployment model, making it the ideal choice for public sector organizations with stringent compliance and governance requirements.
Enterprise-Level Security and Accessibility
As a government agency, LHAAC needed a solution capable of meeting strict data protection and access control requirements. M-Files Cloud, hosted on Microsoft Azure, provided enterprise-grade security using end-to-end encryption, role-based permissions, and geographically redundant storage. The platform’s flexibility enabled secure access for users from multiple locations without relying on a shared local network, ensuring both flexibility and compliance.
Designed for Strategic Impact
The implementation was carried out by a certified M-Files solutions engineer from the partner Innovative Content Management, who worked closely with LHAAC to develop a custom metadata structure aligned with the organization’s strategic priorities. This included support for research and analytics, financial management, stakeholder engagement, and historical data archiving, ensuring that the platform could scale in line with LHAAC’s mission.
Results:
Automated Financial Workflows
M-Files enabled LHAAC to digitize and automate its financial reconciliation processes, eliminating manual bottlenecks and reducing reconciliation time from days to minutes. Intelligent workflows routed reconciliations to designated stakeholders, while integrated banking data and associated documentation simplified processing and reduced administrative costs.
As Ryan explains: “The transition to M-Files reduced the average processing time for financial reconciliations from several hours or even a full day under the old paper-based system to 10 minutes. This improvement was made possible by digital workflows, optimized document exchange, and reduced reliance on email attachments. It reflects a significant increase in efficiency and implies broader operational time savings at LHAAC.”
Real-Time Visibility and Control
Dynamic dashboards and mobile access enabled employees and committee members to manage approvals on the go, ensuring full transparency regarding the status of workflows and audit logs. Automated permission controls ensured that only authorized users had access to confidential financial data, strengthening internal controls and audit readiness.
Digitized Archives and Intelligent Search
LHAAC transitioned from paper-based archives to a fully digital solution. Using M-Files’ optical character recognition (OCR) and Google-style search, employees were able to instantly locate indexed documents, which significantly increased productivity and reduced the need for physical storage. Retention policies were automated using the M-Files Ownership Calculator, ensuring compliance with government-mandated retention periods.
Improved Governance and Compliance
M-Files provided a centralized and secure environment for all types of content—from analytical reports to management documentation. Automated version control, metadata tagging, and retention policies have enabled LHAAC to confidently meet its compliance obligations. External audits have become faster and more efficient, while read-only access has reduced the workload on staff and increased transparency.
Strategic Outcomes
- More than 90% reduction in approval cycle time.
- Full compliance with public-sector retention and audit standards.
- Digitization of legacy archives, improved access, and freed-up physical space.
- Streamlined collaboration between distributed teams and external stakeholders.
- Management satisfaction rating of 5/5 for usability and impact.
Delivering Measurable Impact Across the Organization
The impact of implementing M-Files at LHAAC has been overwhelmingly positive. Ryan says of M-Files: “The time savings and efficiency gains in our internal processes are simply fantastic.” Ryan rated M-Files 5 out of 5, highlighting its ease of use and the significant efficiency gains the M-Files solution has brought to LHAAC’s day-to-day operations.
“When I was evaluating M-Files, I expected it to be a fairly standard document management system. It turned out to be so much more. Honestly, I don’t understand how anyone could pass up M-Files. It’s just great—I love it. Thank you for making my life easier,” Ryan concluded.
Why M-Files?
M-Files is the leading platform for automating knowledge work. With the M-Files platform, professionals can find information faster, work more efficiently, and achieve more. M-Files features an innovative metadata-driven architecture, a built-in workflow engine, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies. This enables customers to eliminate information chaos, improve process efficiency, and automate security and compliance.
For more information, visit LITIKO: Complex solutions for automating your business.
*P.S. This article has been translated for Russian-speaking readers from the M-Files vendor’s website and is presented as an example of the platform’s implementation.
LITIKO is a certified Delivery Partner in Ukraine. Contact us for consultation and implementation! You can order the service by filling out the form on the page: M-Files: Effective Document Management from LITIKO.
