Imagine being trapped in a process marked by constant delays, where completing essential forms becomes a test of patience. Documents are hard to find, many go missing forever, and there’s no way to validate the accuracy of the information submitted.
This was the reality at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) before embracing a transformative digital solution. As a leading educational institution with over 30,000 students and 2,000 staff members, WSU faced administrative challenges in managing the Acknowledgement of Debt forms needed for student registrations.
To overcome these challenges, WSU integrated Adobe Acrobat Sign, facilitated by Learning Curve, which proved to be a turning point. This digital transformation aimed to streamline the process, reduce errors, and enhance students’ and guardians’ security through a more secured contract management system.
In this article, we will tell you more about this success story.
The Challenge
The student registration block, what should have been a period of new beginnings, was often unbearably difficult. WSU was saddled with a problematic and error-prone procedure for managing their Acknowledgement of Debt forms, a crucial part of contractually binding new students.
The slow and manual process led to lost documents and unvalidated information. These inefficiencies led to delays in student registration, causing administrative chaos and dissatisfaction among students and their families.
Morgan Nhiwatiwa, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at WSU, emphasises the cumbersome nature of the previous system, “The process was slow and inefficient. Many forms were lost, there was no validation for the forms, and they were not easily accessible.”
The Requirements
WSU needed a digital solution to replace its manual process. It ideally needed a system that could validate mandatory fields for electronic submissions, allow document attachments, and provide secure, centralised storage for easy retrieval.
Moreover, the solution had to support remote access so students could complete and submit forms from anywhere, eliminating the need for physical presence. If this could be achieved, it would be a game-changer.
The university was punting for a triple improvement that was faster, safer, and easier to access, no mean feat.
The Solution
WSU collaborated with Learning Curve, a premium South African education software company and Platinum Adobe Reseller, to implement Adobe Acrobat Sign, which transformed the Acknowledgement of Debt process into a streamlined, digital workflow.
Spearheaded by Bishen Gosai, an Adobe Acrobat Sign Specialist at Learning Curve, the solution included a publicly accessible Adobe Sign web form that could be completed on any device, such as a desktop, laptop, mobile phone, or tablet.
The web form had validation rules and calculations to minimise errors. It also featured the “Save a web form to complete later” option for added convenience.
All signed agreements were automatically saved to a centralised SharePoint archive folder, accessible only to the WSU admin team and indexed by student number for easy search and retrieval.
Students could now populate a web form, attach the necessary documents, and electronically insert a legally binding signature within minutes from anywhere, using any device.
This electronic shift reduced the turnaround time for processing forms from days to a few minutes and eliminated the need for physical presence at the fees office.
One of the critical features of this new system was the ability to save a web form to complete later. This feature provided flexibility for students who might not have all the necessary documents at hand.
It significantly improved the user experience and satisfaction by accommodating the needs of the younger, tech-savvy generation who demand convenience.
The integration also included robust validation rules and calculations within the form fields to minimise errors. An additional requirement was the archival of all signed agreements in a centralised SharePoint folder, which ensured secure and easy access for the WSU administrative team.
The Results
The implementation of Adobe Acrobat Sign at WSU resulted in significant improvements in operational efficiency and user satisfaction. The time taken to process forms was reduced drastically from several days to just a few minutes.
Within the first few weeks of going live, over 1,500 forms were completed electronically, and this number quickly grew to 4,000, indicating a robust adoption of the new system.
The ability for students to sign the forms remotely led to a significant decrease in physical visits to the fees office, thus streamlining the registration process. The centralised digital storage eliminated the previous risks of lost documents and enabled faster and more secure access to signed agreements.
Overall, the impact of Adobe Acrobat Sign at WSU has been profound. Operational efficiency has significantly improved, and students and staff are more satisfied with the new system.
The university now has a streamlined, error-free process that aligns with its financial policies and administrative needs. The success achieved through this project has paved the way for further.
digital initiatives at WSU, with plans to explore other Adobe solutions like cloud flows and template usage.
Reflecting on the partnership with Learning Curve, Nhiwatiwa remarks, “Learning Curve was an enabling business partner in our journey. They listened to our requirements and, in the end, were able to deliver a solution that not only met but exceeded our expectations.”
This positive experience only confirms Learning Curve’s role as a trusted implementation partner, one that WSU would readily recommend to other institutions looking to undertake similar digital transformations. Other Universities, such as the University of Pretoria, have had just as incredible results by partnering with Learning Curve.
Conclusion
It’s easy to call a product transformative. The name is entirely appropriate in the case of Adobe Acrobat Sign and WSU.
The implementation of Adobe Acrobat Sign at WSU has improved the efficiency and security of student registration processes and significantly enhanced the overall experience of students and their guardians.