Argentine bank leverages information infrastructure to manage loan documents

Managing the operations of a large national bank comes with unique problems. For Banco Hipotecarios S.A., some of its problems have been solved with document imaging and database technology.

Banco Hipotecarios is Argentina's largest mortgage bank with $4.67 billion in assets, a 41.6 market share and 1,570 employees in 24 branch offices. Its paper-based loan document filing system got so massive that the bank had to add special structural supports to keep its building erect.

For a permanent solution to its paper problem, Banco Hipotecarios decided to electronically convert over 30 million of its paper loan documents into electronic images.

To do this, fifteen employees are working eight-hour shifts to prepare and scan an average of 100,000 documents (5-7 GB) each day. Documents are scanned into six Kodak 3500 Dulpex scanners, which are preset for particular types of documents to accelerate the capture process using applications from local integrator File Solutions SA.

Once scanned and indexed, the documents are inspected by QA representatives from File Solutions SA, and are then stored in the bank's Informix Dynamic Server database using KOM's OptiStorm optical software. The documents are managed and made accessible to users through Westbrook Technologies' Fortis client/server document management software, custom designed to interface with the Informix database.

With this system, the information contained in the loan records (about 120-140 pages each) is instantly available at user's desktops for customer inquiries or internal communications.

By plugging document management technology into its existing records database, the bank is reducing the paper piles in its offices, and accelerating in-house data processing and customer service delivery, according to Juan del Rio, Banco Hipotecarios System Manager.

Moreover, he added, the electronic retrieval and management of loan information is "bringing a greater level of organization, productivity and efficiency throughout the institution.