Does Neoserra support a paperless environment?
Yes! As discussed in the following sections, there are many aspects of Neoserra that contribute to the worthwhile cause of a paperless environment:
Client Intake Information
Neoserra works in tandem with eCenter Direct to collect initial client information. The electronic version of the client record replaces the paper version. Neoserra's various record types electronically store all client, client achievement, and client interaction data that you track for your program. All small business assistance programs, including the programs supported by DoD, SBA, Department of Treasury, Department of Transportation, etc. accept electronic versions of the client data. No paper copies are required. Similarly, electronic signatures are recognized to indicate the client's consent to conduct business electronically, and electronic signatures are legally binding.
When clients use your eCenter Direct portal to request services, they can be prompted to provide the same information that is found on the paper forms. You can customize the intake form to ensure that all necessary information is captured. When their registration is complete, the information is saved in the Neoserra database along with an electronic signature as a client record. If a printed version of their client record were ever required down the road, Neoserra does support the generation of a compliant SBA 641 Form using the information stored in the client/counseling session records.
For more information on generating an SBA 641 Form from Neoserra, visit the FAQ titled How do I generate parts I, II, and III of the SBA 641 form?.
OutreachSystems places no limits on the number of client records that you can store in your Neoserra database. In other words, you could have 500 clients or 50,000 client records (along with their activity records) stored in your Neoserra database, and the annual fees would remain the same.
Note: This does not apply to document attachments, as discussed in the next section.
Attribution
Neoserra and eCenter Direct, working together, can also capture attribution from your clients. There are two ways to track whether your assistance contributed to your client's success:
- Clients can report their growth directly via the eCenter Direct interface and subsequently attribute their growth to your program;
- You can document your clients' economic successes in Neoserra as a milestone or capital infusion record, and then subsequently send them an email asking them to affirm the growth and also attribute it to your program.
For more information about attribution, you can refer to the How can I ask my clients to affirm their economic growth and attribute it to my program? FAQ.
Document Attachments
By default, every Neoserra database is provided with 500MB of document attachment storage capacity. The ability to upload external documents into the Neoserra database will likely be a big part of any migration process undertaken. Documents can be attached to client records, conference records, and center records.
As discussed in the FAQ titled How do I upload and manage attached documents?, there are many management tools that come along with the document attachment feature that allow Neoserra administrators to control the individual file sizes and types that are uploaded to Neoserra. There is also an interface that provides central visibility of all attached documents to allow for oversight and deletion of documents that are no longer necessary.
As mentioned previously, every Neoserra database is provided with 500MB of document attachment storage at no additional cost. However, if you require additional document attachment storage capacity, you can upgrade your storage capacity for an additional annual fee.
Please note the distinction between document storage fees and general database size. As mentioned in the previous section of this FAQ, there are no additional fees for the general size of the database (i.e. number of records). These additional fees only apply to document attachment storage allotment.
Data Integrity & Locking
Neoserra offers a data locking tool that allows database administrators to lock records of a certain age. When used consistently, this feature helps ensure that previously-reported data remains in the same state as it was when reported. This preserves data for future auditing purposes and reporting integrity.
For more information on data locking, visit the FAQ titled How do I "lock" previously reported data to ensure database and reporting integrity?.
Want more? Browse our extensive list of Neoserra FAQs.