Although generally perceived to be behind other industries in its use of technological efficiencies, the NFP sector often drives technological innovation. By cleverly combining policy, process and technology NFP organisations have successfully transformed previously labour intensive obligations into innovative, income-generating solutions through what can best be described as "Workplace Automation".

As an example a Melbourne based association manages the monitoring of medical professionals who are legally required to participate in further education to maintain professional qualifications. The ongoing assessment is of high importance to medical professionals as it affects their income and employment prospects. Until recently these on-the-job assessments were managed using paper based forms and resourcing required for manual data entry and as such assessments were quite restrictive.

The difficulties with building online forms are the strict, and often very complex, procedures that govern assessments. These procedures are needed to remind staff of actions required and to manage the participation of assessors conducting the tasks required for assessing specific medical procedures. Using WPA this organisation has been able to streamline their processes, relieve the exhaustive manual commitment and reduce costs whilst increasing flexibility within their workplace. It can handle forms, questionnaires, business processes, email reminders, automatic marking and uses an Australian Quality Training Standards based training management system.

Similar projects are starting up in Wellington (NZ), Sydney and Hong Kong. Almost overnight, organisations have independently come to the conclusion that they need to find solutions and have gone to market looking for an off-the-shelf software solution. Projects range from marketing and event related services, to organisations seeking to automate their certification and accreditation processes.

A WPA system is actually a combination of several familiar components including:

• Customer relationship management system
• Membership management software
• Communications platform (integrated email, web forms, tasks and calendar)
• Workflow or process automation
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Document and media management (links electronic files to customers, courses, events, responses, invoice etc)
• Website content management
• Configurable Business Processing Engine (enables customisation of specific business rules and process automation).

Organisations are able to build their own WPA system by purchasing and integrating the above components or purchase an established product from organisations such as Coresoft.

Regardless of its origin, NFP organisations are finding that the introduction of WPA systems critical in maximising the return on IT investments, increasing operational efficiency and improving member satisfaction.