Corporate Culture of Defining the Business Processes
M3 Solutions,inc.
Established
November 22, 1990
Number of Employees
310 (as of May 2024)
Business
Digital transformation (DX) support for healthcare facilities (sales and support of electronic medical records, manufacturing, sales, and support of medical accounting computers, sales of advanced medical devices)
Rapid Response to Queries or Demonstration Requests
Q. What kind of Business do you use Questetra for?
M3 Solutions,inc. sells iTickets, a booking system for clinics.
Patients of clinics which have implemented the iTicket system can check the current waiting times with their computer or Smartphone before making their booking. iTicket has a feature called the “Not Yet? Screen” in which patients of the clinic can see how many people are before them in the queue and the approximate waiting time. It will reduce the stress of waiting because patients can wait comfortably at their own house or other places. The system also reduces congestion in waiting rooms and the risk of nosocomial infections and has been installed in over 1200 clinics, mainly in the paediatric ENT sector.
We use Questetra for office operations associated with the iTicket booking system, i.e. processing service applications, recording responses to demonstration requests, managing the progress of surveys and responses to enquiries, and so on.
Q. Did you design the Business flow inside your company?
We already had a well-established culture of creating business flows prior to the introduction of Questetra (2010). We were creating business flows using drawing software such as Visio. I think we were able to become proficient at creating workflows in Questetra quickly because the operation is very intuitive.
There were no major difficulties in creating business process definitions by setting business data and conditional branching expressions.
Also for Process Management in Video Production!
Q. Were you able to expand the use of Questetra?
On the iTicket, as well as showing the current waiting list on a large monitor screen in the clinic, it also displays information such as medical information and information about the office closing, which is helpful for patients in the waiting room.
So we also use Questetra for to manage the production of video contents.
For example, in the case of Doctor’s Contents, which is a direct interview with the doctor of the clinic, we do various operations such as interviews, editing, setting up the distribution and reporting the distribution performance on Questetra. Even though we produce videos quite often, I feel it has eliminated mistakes and leakages, and inter-departmental communication has become very smooth.
Besides, we often plan services that connect patients and doctors. We manage the flow of the service using Questetra and it became our custom to record performance data.
Q. Which is your favorite feature of Questetra?
Soon after we introduced Questetra, the concept of “Roles” appeared. We really appreciate it and use it frequently.
Especially in carrying out a new project, instead of thinking in a fixed manner such as ‘a task for A department’ or ‘a job of Mr. B’, the flexible grouping concept like ‘C Role’ is very convenient. This concept of Role is very useful because we sometimes actually transfer the work itself to another team in the M3 Solutions,inc.
Q. What is your purpose for using Questetra BPM Suite?
Sansan, Inc. are developing “Sansan”, the cloud-based business card management service.
Sansan will contribute to the strengthening of the sales force and to sales growth by enabling the effective use of business card information in sales activities. We also are providing “Eight”, a business card management application for individuals which is based on the concept of turning business cards into business connections.
We conducted a third party allotment of new shares with a total value of 500 million yen in April 2013 to expand the market awareness of Sansan and Eight. We will continue to promote the expansion of our organization, and the improvement of both quality and efficiency to accelerate global business development. Under these circumstances, it is important not to drop the speed of decision-making related to business expansion. We decided to make use of Questetra BPM Suite on the Purchasing Application operation, which related to the execution of the various projects as the first goal.
Q. What advantages did you find?
At first, we tried to improve the efficiency of the Purchasing Application operations by using a simple workflow system from another company, which could also cooperate with G Suite (formerly Google Apps). But we were dissatisfied with the system’s inability to allow approvers and decision makers belong to multiple departments concurrently, we could not flexibly determine the personnel in charge of approval tasks, or even configure the deadline of tasks.
Besides cooperating with G Suite, Questetra BPM Suite is also equipped with features that solve the frustrations we had with the other system. Moreover, it is also better for modeling, since we can build a system by drawing a picture of a business flow diagram.
Even without any programming knowledge we could intuitively build a highly functional business system, with functions such as sending email alerts for tasks which have a deadline approaching. After becoming able to operate Purchasing Applications efficiently in Questetra BPM Suite, we have systematized 15 business flows in HR, Affairs, Legal, and 10 more in other sections.
Decision-making with the Enterprise Social Networking feature
Q. Do you think Questetra helps in raising the speed of decision-making?
I would say the most helpful feature for Sansan is Open Chat. Open Chat is a so-called Enterprise Social Networking function where users can not only send out information, but also associate this information with each business process or application.
Through the active use of Open Chat we can exchange detailed information related to each project without using the telephone, and it leaves records of these information exchanges associated with the projects. This means that important decisions, especially in the approval and decision-making process, can now be made without delays.
Q. Do you have any expectations for Questetra in the future?
Because both the sales and the number of employees have been increasing rapidly in the last few years in Sansan, it has become a big issue to strengthen the internal management system to cope with this. From now on, we would like to establish an environment where business can be conducted efficiently and securely by systematizing it in Questetra, allowing us to implement our internal company regulations.
We had made a strong request to Questetra about the improvement of Open Chat, and you responded to us superbly. One of our current request is that we want to be able to set conditional splits in accordance with the organization which the applicant belongs to, and I’m sure that this request will also be met.
Questetra BPM Suite は、G Suite と連携して利用できるだけでなく、これらの不満を解消できるだけの機能が揃っていました。特に優れているのは、業務フロー図を絵に描くことでシステム構築していくという仕組みが備えられているという点です。
プログラミングの知識がなくても、「締め切りが近づいたタスクのアラートをメールで送信する」というような高機能な業務システムを、直感的に構築することができました。購買申請業務を Questetra BPM Suite で効率よく運用できるようになってから、人事・総務・法務で15個、その他各部門の10個の業務フローが Questetra BPM Suite でシステム化されています。
Kyoto, Japan — August 7, 2013 — Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced an agreement on a business and capital alliance with enterprise application integration software vender APPRESSO K.K., a subsidiary of SAISON INFORMATION SYSTEMS CO., LTD.. We will continue to contribute to operational efficiency improvement needs of the enterprise by strengthening the Joint development system for “DataSpider BPM suite”, a BPM software with EAI function.
DataSpider BPM suite (EAI-BPM Software)
“DataSpider BPM suite”, a BPM software with Data integration function, is a product which is combined “Questetra BPM Suite” a SaaS BPM of Questetra, and “DataSpider Servista”, a EAI software of APPRESSO. It will allow processing the operations such as Decision making, Claim and Request, Drafting, Complaint handling, following the default procedure. Also you will be able to connect project data which has been entered, into the core system automatically, after processing and aggregating. In addition, you can configure the Business Process and Data Connection totally without programming, so that you can continue to change the Business system freely to match the changes in your business environment. DataSpider BPM suite is co developed by Questetra and APPRESSO, and is sold by APPRESSO and their distributors.
May 21, 2010: DataSpider BPM suite version 1.0
Nov 30, 2010: DataSpider BPM suite version 1.1
Jun 6, 2011: DataSpider BPM suite version 1.2
May 29, 2012: DataSpider BPM suite version 2.0
Apr 4, 2013: DataSpider BPM suite version 2.1
Questetra BPM Suite (BPM Tool)
“Questetra BPM Suite” is a Cloud-based Workflow. You can build and adjust your Business Processing system by drag and drop placement of processing steps. It is standardly equipped Monitoring feature for business progress, Aggregating feature for performance, and Enterprise Social Networking feature for smooth communication, and it allows visualizing the full range of internal operations. You can start the Free Trial Edition in the same day.
DataSpider Servista (EAI Software)
DataSpider Servista is software that automates Data Connection Processing without programing. It allows to collect, to combine, and to convert ‘Business data’ which is scattered in various formats such as Excel files or DB system, by configuring the processing of data with Drag and Drop. It totally automatizes complicated operations such as for example, Synchronization of customer master data, or Aggregation of order information and stock information.
EAI Adapters
The Agreements of Capital Alliance
We, Questetra, Inc. have issued New Shares through a Third-Party Allotment to APPRESSO K.K., to strengthen the Joint development system for “DataSpider BPM suite”. In addition in conjunction at the same period, we have issued New Shares through a Third-Party Allotment to Kyoto University Venture Fund I, L.P. which is existing shareholders of Questetra. By the issues above, we Questetra issued outstanding stock became 25000 shares, capital became 182.5 million JPY. And APPRESSO K.K. became the shareholder of Questetra, Inc. by 4.00%.
About Questetra
Questetra, Inc. is the enterprise cloud computing company in Kyoto Japan, founded in 2008. We optimize the world’s Business Processes.
Q. What type of operations do you use Questetra for?
At SMART VALUE we are proposing a wide range of cloud services for the solution of social issues.
More specifically, we offer a range of cloud services for the public sector, sales of vehicle information systems and equipment, operation of data centers and servers, and sales of mobile terminals.
We have introduced Questetra to visualize purchasing operations. Many of our purchasing operations require approval in advance, and we are using Questetra for the workflow from approval to ordering. In the approval flow, the approval route will be decided automatically depending on the scale of the purchase.
Q. How had you been handling the operations before Questetra?
We had been handling purchasing information on paper documents before.
However, the procurement process can be complex, with some staff placing orders themselves and others being managed by the administration department, and with multiple locations for the delivery of goods. Also, in some cases internal stock checks are required or internal approval is needed in advance. I guess there were only a few employees who understand the flow of the business perfectly at that time.
If you ask me whether the Workflow system of Questetra has accelerated business operations, I would say not that much.
However, the business rules and flow of the business has been clarified, so it is effective for internal control to eliminate rework and unify the different ways people handled things. In addition, I think it was quite a big improvement that I can grasp the number of purchases and how much we paid for them.
Easy to Design Flows. Now Expanding beyond Administration Work
Q. Please tell me about the difficulties you have been through.
We have conducted a drastic overhaul of internal rules along with the introduction of Questetra.
I think we designed the business very smoothly because we designed the work procedures from scratch. Even though we were anxious about how to draw a workflow diagram in the beginning, we could get used to it very quickly. It was very helpful for me as the person in charge of the introduction, because I didn’t need any programming skills, so the time from making a flow to testing it was short.
One thing I struggled with was the configuration of the allocation rules for each operation. We have so many sections and roles, so we have to set a lot of Swimlanes. It would be very useful if Questetra had a function that made it easier to set them up all at once.
Q. Are you considering expanding the use of Questetra to other operations?
The system is already being used for handling travel requests and business trip expense settlements. About 270 employees make requests for interim payments and reimbursements online, and their supervisors or the management department handles them online as well. Now, about 30 different operations are handled online.
More recently, we expanded its use to include the operational flow of SSL server certificate updates, besides the request handling. Even though we are still in the trial phase, it provides us with a detailed work record which was not previously available. We would like to encourage other departments to use the system in the future.
Questetra BPM Suite は、仕入調達業務の可視化のために導入しました。スマートバリューの商品仕入業務は、「事前に稟議が必要なもの」が少なくありません。Questetra を使って事前の稟議承認から発注までの業務フローに活用しています。承認フローは、調達規模に応じて自動的に承認経路が変わります。
Kyoto, Japan, June 17, 2013, Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced that they have published the new version 9.6 of the cloud-based Workflow product “Questetra BPM Suite”. With the new version, With the new version, storing files to Google Drive, the Online Storage, is automated.
e.g. Only the approved quote is transferred after automatically generated
“Questetra BPM Suite” (Cloud-based Workflow) that digitizes business data, has been equipped with “Service Task” which ‘automates processing’. You can automate PDF file Generating, Arithmetic operations or Date calculation, only by placing Service Tasks in between human processing such as ‘Input’ and ‘Approve’.
With this new version 9.6, it automates File-Storing to Google Drive, the Cloud-storage as well. With this feature for example, you can totally automate the processing that ‘Storing a backup of only approved Quotation to “Google Drive”.
Questetra BPM Suite
“Questetra BPM Suite” is a Cloud-based Workflow which you can build and adjust your Business system by drag and drop placement of processing steps. No programming is needed. BPM: Business Process Management
Because it is standardly equipped with Real Time monitoring feature for business bottleneck and with Aggregation feature for performance, it helps you to improving the flow of business (Business Process) aggressively and continuously. The Free Trial Edition, it is limited by the number of users up to five.
Google Apps Connectivity
Even though they are independent Cloud-Services, you can use “Questetra BPM Suite” the Cloud-based Workflow, and “Google Apps” the Cloud-based Office Suite, in collaboration by 5 minutes setting.
Single Sign-on: Log-in with Google Apps ID/Password (OpenID)
Synchronizing of Users, Groups, Roles: Synchronizing with Google Apps Accounts (OAuth Consumer)
Google Gadget on Gmail: MyTask List, Colleague Workload (OAuth Service Provider)
Google Calendar Export: Exporting deadline date to Google Calendar (OAuth Consumer)
Google Drive Export: Exporting the list of business data or files to Google Drive (OAuth Consumer)
[New Feature] Google Drive Auto-Storing: Background file throwing to Google Drive (OAuth 2.0 Client)
Google Drive:
“Google Drive” is a Cloud-based storage (online storage) service, which is widely used to centralized management and to share of files. It is also included in “Google Apps”, the Cloud-based office Suite. In the year 2012, it has added features such as directly attach stored files to “Gmail” or “Google+”, and feature to synchronize with folders in Personal Computer. Now it is becoming a main service of Google Apps.
[New Feature] Auto-File-Throwing to Google Drive
Other Upgrading
In the New version 9.6, the following features are added other than ‘Auto-File-throwing to Google Drive’.
More Stiackers for Enterprise Social networking:
New series of Stickers which help to show feelings are added.
Messages of Enterprise Social Networking in Workflow screen:
Message-box will remain open on the screen to operate an allocated Task if there are messages related to the process.
APIs for Developer:
New APIs which operate allocation and termination are added to “Monitoring API” in Workflow APIs. Also, added new search criteria ‘Starred’ in “Worklist API”, sorted JSON response is available.
About Questetra
Questetra, Inc. is the enterprise cloud computing company in Kyoto Japan, founded in 2008. We optimize the world’s Business Processes.
