REGION OF CRETE

The goal of the action was the digitization for the electronic use of the content of driver licensing archives of the Directorate of Transport and Communications at the Regional Unit of Heraklion.

Beneficiaries of the proposed good practice were first of all the citizens, who benefited directly in terms of digital services offered, but also indirectly, in the context of achieving smooth, quick and efficient servicing. The use of digitized electronic files drastically reduced the service time needed for the citizens concerning the processing of their claims.

May 2014 - September 2014

The work group was divided into two subgroups of three people each. One subgroup was the staple-removal group and the second was the scan group. The scan group consists of the scanner user, who has the overall supervision of the process, the software operator and the person responsible for quality control.
 

The stages of the digitization process:
 

1. Delivery/ Acceptance Process: The responsible person for the archives of the Directorate of Transport prepares the folders (in groups of 200 pieces), registers their data in the Digitization Sheet and signs it. Then he delivers them to the warehouse manager of the Program in special transport boxes. Each stack of a hundred (100) files is a shelf (Dexion) in the warehouse of the archive of the Directorate of Transport.
2. Preparation of the folders: The warehouse manager distributes the transport boxes with the folders to the staple-removal group accompanied by the Digitization Sheets. The process involves the separation of administrative documents in each folder and removal of metallic elements (staples, pins, fasteners, etc.). Separation is then carried out for the pages that need special treatment due to non-removable metal elements (photos, diplomas with rivets etc.). At the end of the preparation of each folder, the corresponding position is marked in the Digitization Sheet and is placed in a new transport box. At the end of the process of staple removal for the entire transport box the Preparation Sheet is signed by the responsible person. The new transport box is then sent with the Digitization Sheet to the scan groups.
3. Scanning Process: The scan groups receive the transport boxes. The operator of the scanners places the documents in ADF - Auto Document Feeders (automatic paper feeders) and informs the operator of the software to start the scanning process. Special treatment documents are scanned in their turn in a flatbed-type scanner. The operator of the software make the necessary corrections (pages rotation, any necessary sequence changes etc.) and marks at the corresponding position of the Digitization Sheet that the folder has been scanned.
4. Audit process: Responsibility of the quality control officer is to confirm that the physical folder is identical to the corresponding digitized one. At the same time, he/she completes to an Excel file the folder number and the citizen’s name in order to create a database for future use.
5. Management of Physical Archive and Storage: Physical folders already digitized are collected by the program warehouse responsible. Then they are packed, appropriate labels are placed on the packages and they are placed on pallets. The pallets are stored in a warehouse of Region of Crete.
6. Collection and Archiving Digitized Material: The person responsible for archiving, at the end of the day, collects the digitized records and ranks them. In the next step, there is synthesis and conversion of the scanned documents into PDF files which are then electronically signed by authorized officials of Region of Crete.

There was no collaboration with any other institution/association. For the implementation of this project worked Region of Crete employees along with beneficiaries of OAED (Workforce Development Agency) with a 5-month term contract.

The good practice was carried out by Region of Crete using its own recourses, with the support and quality control of work conducted by officials of the Directorate of Transport and Communications and the Directorate of Citizen Service.

Heraklion Crete, Department of Transport and Communications, Regional Unit of Heraklion, Region of Crete.

The implementation has contributed to the overall improvement and proper functioning of services and the use of the possibilities offered by new technologies. With the implementation of this project, the volume of the conventionally handled and archived printed material was significantly reduced.

The number of pages and folders that have been digitized are shown below:

• May: Number of pages: 172702, number of files: 5031
• June: Number of pages: 338646, number of files: 13702
• July: Number of pages: 438140, number of files: 17785
• August: Number of pages: 427777, number of files: 14044
• September: Number of pages: 183721, number of files: 5262.

It is obvious that this good practice:

• Has significantly reduced the time to respond to citizens' requests resulting in faster service.
• Has reduced the search time of driving licenses folders in the physical file, which until now was in very poor conditions.
• Has reduced the volume of the physical file to a significant extent, so that it has already changed use.
• Has greatly increase the security of data files, because they are now accessible only to authorized users, whereas in the previous situation the archive facilities were not protected against the possibility of entering third persons as driving teachers, individuals, lawyers.

The digitization of the files and the operation of the new electronic filing system resulted in a significant reduction of services operating costs. The implementation of this practice has achieved savings in archiving and preserving files, reducing drastically the required archive facilities and therefore the associated costs. Particularly, with respect to services related to the digitization of existing archival material in printed form, the content of files under digitization are fully usable and safe. There is infrastructure for encryption and digital signing of documents, for immediate and safe handling of information. The digitization of printed files and its electronic management also promotes the security, integrity and recoverability of information systems. Also, significant are the benefits for the personnel of the organization, since electronification mechanisms of the processes and the documents handled have improved, have automated and speed up the operation of the organization, leading to a significant increase in productivity.