Q. What kind of Business are you using Questetra for?
Nippon Ichi Software Inc. is a game development company headquartered in Kakamigahara City, Gifu Prefecture. We are developing games for a variety of platforms, such as PlayStation, Wii, smartphones and the Internet, etc.
We are developing a lot of products for the joy of our customers under the founding philosophy that a game is a product, not a work of art, and our management philosophy “Is that fun?”. Some of our most famous titles are “Disgaea” and “Hayarigami”.
We are using Questetra for a variety of applications, including budged approval requests for developing projects.
Q. What challenges did you have?
Previously we had been managing budgets on paper.
I think there were three main issues:
Not knowing the budget consumption status immediately (separate calculations were required)
A time consuming approval process (snail-mailed from outside the headquarters)
In rare cases paper got lost in the process
With the introduction of Questetra we can now easily monitor the use of the budget at any time. Also, I think that processing which used to take about one week has been reduced to a few days. Worries that the documents might get lost in the process have been completely eliminated by the visualization of the progress.
Incidentally, we were also keen to reduce our paper consumption in the interests of the environment, so we are delighted with the results.
Collaboration with Office 365
Q. Please tell us about your usage in collaboration with Groupware.
In day-to-day operations we are using the groupware Office 365, for the bulletin board, email, schedule management and web conferencing.
So, we were considering a workflow which can operate in collaboration with the systems we use in day-to-day business.
Fortunately, Questetra has a SAML integration function, so we have configured a Single Sign-on environment with Office365 / Azure AD since the beginning. I think it is helpful for Users in terms of not needing to enter a password for each system, as well as for system administrators in terms of reducing the work load.
Q. Please let us know why you chose Questetra.
The most important thing is that it’s easy to implement the business flow.
We were able to understand the entire business visually from an overhead view, and the designing process was as easy as arranging icons with a mouse. We were able to clarify Processes and Steps from the staff in charge of each operation. For applications and decision requests which had previously been carried out in paper, we now have a much clearer picture than we expected.
Also, we are satisfied with the function for collaboration with other systems.
Even though we still have a long way to go, we would like to promote more collaboration with other in-house systems, and to take advantage of Questetra’s API.
Q. What kind of situations did you start using Questetra BPM Suite for?
Shanon Inc. is a software company that provides Marketing automation to help companies market themselves.
We support companies in their marketing activities in the form of cloud services. In addition, we have also deployed comprehensive marketing consulting services such as outsourcing, process design and infrastructure system building, besides offering the tools for its implementation (cloud services). In market research for integrated marketing support we have received the rating of No.1 market share for five consecutive years (*). (* ITR Market View; Marketing Management Market 2015)
We are a young company. Even though the history of the company is short, we are using Questetra BPM Suite under the belief that we want to strengthen the backbone of the company by systematizing the expertise which we have gained so far!
We began using Questetra BPM Suite in February 2011 with about 60 people. In the beginning, we used it only for application-related tasks, but after a few years we started using it for all employees’ tasks.
Q. Please tell us specific ways you utilize it.
There are approximately 100 Business Processes operating in Shanon. Among them, although we have very strict rules for the transfer of information, we have created a Business Process so that everyone can follow those rules.
More specifically, for example, in the handling of personal information we define a Workflow procedure that can achieve the following:
Checking by a third party
Saving work evidence
Recording of work history and ensuring traceability
Even though we will not store personal information in Questetra itself, we can simply indicate the Business Process Definition for personal information management and its business history when we get evaluated by the certification institution for updating the Privacy Mark.
2004: Information Security Management System BS7799-2: 2002, certified
2004: Information Security Management System ISMS V2 Conformity Assessment Scheme, certified
2007: Information Security Management System ISO 27001, certified
2008: PrivacyMark System, certified
We appreciate that even the staff in overseas bases (like Shanghai) can use it at the same level of service as domestic staff.
Data Integration with Google Spreadsheet and Backlog
Q. Please tell us about your implementation.
In a slightly different area of internal control, we also link data to Google Spread Sheets for asset management.
Since we have a lot of IT equipment such as personal computers, etc., which are difficult to manage, we implemented request applications on the Workflow to install new equipment or dispose of the old. The latest information is automatically registered on a Spreadsheet for asset registration, so we can monitor equipment use in real time. This is also useful for third party asset checks, as they can quickly see what equipment is being used, where and by whom.
In addition, we have recently implemented a collaboration with Backlog, the project management tool. We are now aiming to execute operations according to the the progress plan in Backlog, as well as the progress management and business records in Questetra.
Q. Please tell us about your expectation for Questetra in the future.
Although it has already been more than four years since we started using it, we still feel that the setting up the operator of each Step is difficult.
For instance, the decision-making authority is determined by the combination of Role and Organizational hierarchy, but the rules are very complex and therefore the Workflow diagram will become really complex as well. Although this might be a somewhat unreasonable demand, we would appreciate if settings for operating personnel became more intuitive even when the assignment rules are complex.
Also, we are planning to get more staff involved in Business Process designing. We would be able to accelerate the improvement cycle of Business Processes if the help function and manuals were enhanced together with improving searchability.
Charts of Downtime, Response Time, for each Tenant
Kyoto, Japan – July 6th, 2015 – Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced that they have published the new version 10.3 of the cloud-based Workflow product “Questetra BPM Suite” on July 6th, 2015.
In this new version, System monitoring function for each user company has been added. Thereby each company will be able to confirm that their workflow platform is running normally at any time as well as the service down in the past. This allows the personnel for system operations, to take quick and effective measures against such as cloud linkage error.
Chart of Uptime and Downtime feature
Service Uptime is indicated in a chart, together with Uptime ratio, Response time, and failures of the past so that you can confirm at any time. Your dedicated web page is prepared separately on a server other than your Workflow system.
Other Improvements
Sequential Operation feature
You can now sequentially operate Tasks which assigned to you. Clicking on the “Execute sequentially” button after selecting multiple Tasks on the list screen, Operating screen will open one after another. It is convenient, e.g. when you want to handle all the Approval Tasks which are close to its deadline.
Image Embedding in PDF Auto-generation
You can embed “Image file” (File type data) at PDF Auto-generation Step. Thereby you can embed any business data to “Template PDF” such as “Date type” or “Select type”. However, files to be embedded are limited to 100KB or less.
Annotation on Business Flow Diagram
When defining a Business Process, you can describe “Text annotations” at any location on the Flow diagram. Since annotations are indicated on the screens for normal workers to check the progress of an Issue, you can have them help raising awareness for the notes on the business.
Mitigation of Limit on Number of Start
System limitation of “100 Starts” in every 15 minutes is now mitigated to “100 plus Number of the license”.
From Request and Claim operations to Sales Support in only 3 years!
Q. Please tell us what you are using Questetra for.
MIRACLE LINUX CORPORATION (currently Cybertrust Japan Co., Ltd.) was founded in 2000 as a company that provides operating systems for servers. Today, we develop and sell products for system monitoring and backup software, based on OS kernel technology. We introduced Questetra as a workflow system in the spring of 2010 for online expense reports and applications.
When selecting a workflow for Miracle Linux we wanted A) to reduce the number of paper application procedures as much as possible, and B) a cloud-based service (SaaS) which was accessible from anywhere, because we make so many business trips, both domestic and overseas.
The actual selection and implementation process was done by two people, the president, who has had a long career in the IT industry, and the HR manager, who has no programming experience. It was introduced officially in only about one and a half months. Above all, I think its Flash-based workflow modelling tool is excellent. When it was introduced 18 business procedures were made paperless. Specifically, these procedures were Expense reimbursement request, Expense report, Travel request, Name card order request, BYOD request, Contract creation and reviewing request, Admittance request, among others.
Over four years have passed since we started using Questetra and now we are doing almost all our work on it. In terms of Workflows we now have about 70 different types of business operations.
Q. How did the number of applications increase?
In the beginning, we were using it mainly for operations managed by the Accounting department.
However, once we experienced the advantage of not having to pass around paper documents we wanted to promote the reduction of paper application procedures as much as possible.
Thanks to the Questetra modeller, which allows people without IT knowledge to build complicated Workflow systems, it was possible for our internal staff to increase the number of applications.
However, since Miracle Linux is a company that deals with Linux OS, there are numerous engineers who are familiar with information systems working at our company, and sometimes they had pretty severe feedback about, for instance, the ambiguity of the data input screen or in the business flow. In fact user survey questionnaires were conducted several times, and we made gradual improvements to address the complaints gathered from them.
Recognized the effectiveness in case of an earthquake
Q. Could you tell us your impressions after all the years you have been using the system?
Although this can be said of any tool, it is very important that A) it is usable at any time, and B) it is available from anywhere.
The Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11, 2011, about a year after introducing Questetra.
There was a quake of around 5 degrees on the JMA scale in the Tokyo area as well, where Miracle Linux is located. We fell into a really confusing situation because the in-house server was no longer available and the employees could not even go home. However, we could continue using cloud services like G Suite (formerly Google Apps) (Email / files) and Questetra (Workflow).
Although we talk in the terms of “Business continuity” or “BCP” nowadays, it was thanks to cloud-based services that we could continue our business activities without stopping. We are very happy with its high operational performance, even in normal times.
Q. Please also tell us about points to be improved in Questetra itself.
Questetra, as a cloud-based service, is good because it has periodic additions and enhancements to the functionality. On the other hand, as users we need to examine carefully the content of the new version specifications to make sure it does not incur big changes in day-to-day operations.
In some cases, we need to carry out pre-testing of the changes. We would be grateful for a mechanism which allows us to recognize Workflows that might be affected when such changes occur.
Also, we submit business processing records in Questetra for the year-end audit, etc. For this we need to print out Questetra’s data because even these days much of the audit trail must be submitted in paper. I think it would be useful if there was a mechanism that could enable us to customize the layout of the information, because currently data unnecessary for the audit is included in the print contents, and therefore it increases the number of pages that need to be printed.
もっとも、ミラクル・リナックスは Linux OS （サーバ用の基本ソフト）を取り扱う会社であり、情報システムに精通しているエンジニアが数多く在籍しています。時には、データ入力画面や業務フローの曖昧な所などについて、非常に厳しい意見が上がってきました。そこで、何度か「利用者アンケート」を実施し、共有された「不満な点」について自分達自身で少しずつ改修すると言うカイゼン活動を展開しました。
Shifting to the system where approval rules are naturally followed, following the company’s listing on the Stock exchange
HOUSEDO Co., Ltd.
Established
2009
Number of Employees
757 (as of June 2023, group total)
Business
Franchise business, house leaseback business, financial business, real estate sales and brokerage business, real estate distribution business, renovation business, building management business
A Decision-Making Platform That Can Handle External Audits
Q. What kind of operations do you use Questetra for?
HOUSEDO Co., Ltd. provides our customers with one-stop residential services by developing a 3-in1 distribution system for activities such as real estate brokerage, brokerage of resale houses plus renovation, brokerage of land plus construction of new houses, renovation and resale.
We did not merely developed a distribution system of brokerage, renovation and buying. We are also providing related services such as mediation of mortgage and insurance, in addition to planning and coordinating design and financial planning at a single agency, aiming to give a new and friendly service for those who buy and sell houses.
In 2006, based on the accumulated know-how at the company’s agencies, we started the franchising of real estate brokerage. The Housedo chain aims to create a safe and convenient contact point for customers by publishing their real estate information, and has grown to 285 stores nationwide (as of end of 2014).
We have introduced Questetra to systematize the internal approval and decision-making process.
Q. What kind of challenges did you face?
Previously, we were using a workflow system which is associated with groupware for approval decisions.
However, in that workflow system applicants needed to set the decision-maker and the approver each time. That is, the system was not a system that facilitated compliance with internal rules. As we entered the period of business expansion the approval formats climbed up to 40 types, so the task of entering the person responsible of decision-making/approval according to the company’s rules was not easy, especially for new employees.
Therefore, we decided to redevelop the approval system by introducing Questetra to solve these problems.
After Questetra was put into operation, no matter who submitted the application it was automatically processed in accordance with the company’s internal rules, which eliminated the need for complicated input and enabled us to build a proper approval process. Thanks to this system HOUSEDO was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers (Market of the high-growth and emerging stocks) in March 2015, and we can now immediately answer “who did what and when?” in the event of an accounting or operational audit.
Systematizing complicated company rules
Q. Please tell us the key aspects that made you chose Questetra.
We were considering reforming many business processes besides decision-making.We compared and reviewed so many so-called workflow and BPM products. Eventually, we chose Questetra because of the three following aspects.
The capability to systematize and maintain the business with only internal staff who do not have programming knowledge. The capability of advanced integration with other systems because the APIs have been well developed. The response of the Customer Service was very good.
In particular, we think the ability for in-house staff members to perform system maintenance is a significant feature. In fact, even though some of the company rules have been revised after putting this workflow into operation, we were able to modify the related business processes quickly, so we are very satisfied with it.
Q. Please let us know if you have any demand.
If our business processes are more automated and efficient, we can further accelerate our business expansion.
Our use of Questetra so far has focused on comparatively simple indirect department processes. Now, we are considering increasing the utilization ratio of more complicated direct department processes in the future.
Indeed, Questetra has been enhanced in various ways since we installed it a year and a half ago. However, requests for further enhancement or additions came up from the floor where they are using Questetra. We will continue to provide feedback as user requests, and we hope that the system will be developed as fast as possible to make it more user-friendly.
