How Oakland Community College Replaced Two Legacy Systems and Saved 15,000 Hours Annually — Without Increasing Costs

Oakland Community College (OCC), one of Michigan’s largest community colleges, serves more than 15,000 students across five campuses with a team of 1,200+ faculty and staff. Faced with outdated systems, manual processes, and growing demands for efficient student services, OCC sought a modern, integrated solution to improve operations without adding cost.

• 15,000+ hours saved annually
• 100,000+ forms processed per year
• 13.8% increase in enrollment
• 12.7% increase in credit hours taught
• Zero cost increase

The Challenge: Paper-Heavy, Manual Processes Slowed Growth

OCC faced several operational challenges that were limiting both student success and internal efficiency:

1. Over 1,000 forms managed manually through PDFs, Word documents, and spreadsheets
2. Outdated systems such as ImageNow and DocuSign that lacked flexibility and scalability
3. Paper transactions across departments that delayed essential services, including financial aid and student records
4. Limited mobile access and non-compliant systems that created accessibility barriers
5. A looming transition to Ellucian Colleague SaaS, requiring seamless integration with new digital tools

Without a new solution, OCC risked continued delays, higher workloads, and a poor user experience for students and staff.

Why Oakland Community College Chose Softdocs

After evaluating its options, OCC selected Softdocs, a proven education-focused platform for document management and process automation.

With Softdocs, OCC was able to digitize, streamline, and automate high-impact processes while staying aligned with its cloud-first strategy.

Key benefits included:

• Automated eForms & Workflows: For financial aid, student records, human resources, hiring, and personnel actions
• Cloud-Based Document Management: To eliminate paper, simplify recordkeeping, and boost productivity
• Mobile-Ready, WCAG 2.2-Compliant Tools: Enabling inclusive, accessible services for students and staff
• Full Integration with Colleague SaaS and Ethos: To reduce manual data entry and improve accuracy across departments

Featured Webinar: Higher Education

How Oakland Community College Replaced Two Legacy Systems and Saved Thousands of Hours Annually with Zero Cost Increase

Is your institution held back by outdated systems and manual processes? Oakland Community College (OCC) was in the same position—until they switched to Softdocs. By replacing two legacy systems with a single, cost-effective solution, OCC gained more functionality and saved thousands of labor hours annually.

Duration: 45 minutes

Watch the Webinar

Chuck Flagg Executive Director of Technology Infrastructure Oakland Community College

Anna Boomer Client Success Manager Softdocs

The Impact: Faster Processes, Better Outcomes

Implementing the Softdocs Platform was more than a system upgrade — it transformed how OCC serves its students and manages operations.

Key Benefits & Results

Institutional Impact:

• 13.8% increase in enrollment
  Reduced administrative burdens made it easier for students to apply and register
• 12.7% increase in credit hours taught
  Improved workflows and service delivery supported student persistence
• Expanded support for dual enrollment
  Faster onboarding and processing for high school students taking OCC courses

Operational Efficiency:

• 15,000+ labor hours saved annually
  Equivalent to 5–6 full-time staff positions now reallocated to student support
• 100,000+ forms processed annually
  Forms that once took days or weeks are now completed in hours
• Course Change Process reduced from 12+ hours to under 1 hour
  Faster schedule updates improve course planning and resource allocation

These changes created measurable benefits across all five campuses and helped OCC reduce its long-term technology debt while achieving net cost savings.

A Success Story for Your Institution

For Oakland Community College, the move to Softdocs was more than a system upgrade — it was a strategic shift that delivered measurable results. With outdated tools replaced, over 100,000 forms processed annually, and 15,000+ hours saved each year, OCC is now better equipped to serve students and operate more efficiently.

From seamless integration with Colleague SaaS and Ethos to eliminating the need for multiple disconnected tools, Softdocs has become a core part of OCC’s digital transformation.

For institutions still managing manual processes or navigating aging systems, the question isn’t whether to modernize—it’s how quickly you can get started. Find out how Softdocs can help your institution achieve similar success.