The mission of the Rivière-du-Nord Teachers' Union (SERN) is to represent and support teachers in its jurisdiction in defending their rights and working conditions.
Affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) through the Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE-CSQ), the SERN serves as a daily point of reference for its members. Its team supports teachers in a wide range of situations requiring close monitoring, including cases related to grievances, disciplinary measures, workplace incidents and accidents, CNESST cases, and various communications with members.
Composed of nine employees, the SERN office operates collaboratively, with each team member needing quick access to relevant information to ensure effective support for teachers.
With the constant growth in the volume of cases to manage, the organization wanted to modernize the way it stores, organizes, and retrieves its documents. The transition to digital document management thus became a priority to streamline the team’s daily work and ensure better access to information.
For this case study, we spoke with Emilie, a union advisor, and Sylvain, the SERN's treasurer. Both use Zeendoc on a daily basis and share their experiences since the solution was implemented, as well as the changes they’ve observed in how they manage their files.
Before Zeendoc was implemented, the SERN’s document management relied almost exclusively on paper archives. Member files, administrative documents, and union records were stored in about twenty fireproof filing cabinets scattered throughout the office, which obviously represented a significant investment.
Over the years, this way of working became increasingly cumbersome. The space devoted to archives kept growing, to the point where an entire room was dedicated to storing physical documents.
Sylvain explains that the accumulation of physical documents posed a growing challenge for the organization: “We have a room measuring about 12 by 16 feet filled with file cabinets, in addition to other file cabinets scattered throughout the offices. We couldn’t see ourselves continuing to buy file cabinets, taking up more and more space, and spending even more money.”
Beyond the space it took up, finding a document required several steps. You had to go down to the archive room in the basement, locate the right file, go back up to the first floor to make photocopies if necessary, and then go back downstairs to put the document back in its place.
This process wasn’t necessarily complex, but it was time-consuming and added extra steps to day-to-day file management. Furthermore, even though alphabetical filing made searching easier, a single filing error could make a document harder to find when needed.
Collaborative file management was also a major challenge. When one person accessed a paper file, it became temporarily inaccessible to other team members. If several people needed to view the same file or add notes to it, they had to wait their turn, which could slow down case tracking.
The rise of remote work further exacerbated this issue. When a team member was working remotely and needed to access a specific file, they had to contact the office, ask the secretary to locate the document, and then request that she forward certain information or scan the necessary pages. This extra step slowed down case processing and limited the team’s autonomy.
Today, all nine SERN employees use Zeendoc on a daily basis to centralize and manage their documents. As soon as an email is received or a paper document is scanned, it is uploaded to the platform and automatically placed in the correct location thanks to intelligent document recognition.
Emilie explains it simply: “We receive a document, drag it into Zeendoc, and that’s it.”
Filing is quick and easy. In just a few seconds, a document is assigned to the correct folder, allowing all team members to access it instantly.
Zeendoc’s document intelligence has also simplified the filing process. While at the beginning of the implementation several pieces of information had to be entered manually, the platform now automatically recognizes different document types and suggests the appropriate filing location.
Sylvain adds: “The application recognizes different types of documents and immediately suggests the correct filing category. Sometimes a few adjustments are needed, but it’s very quick.”
Beyond archiving, the SERN also uses dynamic notes, a feature that has become essential for tracking its cases. This allows multiple advisors to view the same case, document their actions, and ensure a smooth transfer of information when a colleague takes over the case later.
Finally, full-text search allows users to quickly find specific information—whether it’s a name, an institution, a keyword, or a note entered several months ago. This search capability significantly speeds up follow-ups and reduces the time spent searching for information.
Emilie attests to the usefulness of this feature: “Sometimes I remember discussing a topic, but I can’t recall exactly who I spoke with. I enter a keyword from the conversation into the search, and Zeendoc immediately finds the right note. That’s really great.”
Since implementing Zeendoc, SERN has completely transformed the way it manages information. Documents are now centralized, accessible in a matter of seconds, and available to the entire team, whether employees are working in the office or remotely.
The first benefit observed is a significant time savings. Searching for a document no longer requires traveling, handling paper files, or making photocopies. All information is accessible with a simple search.
Sylvain emphasizes: “The time savings are enormous. All the information is consolidated in one place, and everyone can work on the same files, whether from home or the office.”
This centralization also improves collaboration among team members. Multiple employees can view the same file simultaneously, track their colleagues’ updates through dynamic notes, and pick up where they left off with all the necessary context.
For Emilie, quick access to information has become a real asset in her day-to-day work.
“At a glance, I can see all the documents related to a particular team member. If I’m looking for a past interaction, a keyword, or even the name of a school, Zeendoc finds the information immediately.”
Working remotely has also become much easier. Previously, when an employee worked remotely, they had to ask a colleague to retrieve a paper file before they could continue their work. Today, all documents are securely accessible, no matter where team members are located.
Finally, the transition to digital document management has enabled the SERN to significantly reduce its reliance on paper. By limiting printing and the use of physical binders, the organization is continuing its transition toward a more efficient, sustainable work environment that is better suited to its needs.
Emilie adds, “It’s much better for the environment. Now, when we receive a document by email, we save it in Zeendoc, and there’s no need to print it anymore.”
Since implementing Zeendoc, the SERN has benefited from the following, among other things:
Instant access to member files.
Centralization of all information in one place.
Easier collaboration thanks to editable notes.
Full-text search enabling quick retrieval of specific information.
Support for remote work and collaborative work.
Significant reduction in paper use and physical archives.
Quick filing thanks to intelligent document recognition.
For the SERN, Zeendoc has become much more than just a document archiving solution. The platform is now a central tool that facilitates collaboration, speeds up information searches, and enables the team to better track member files.
By transforming its document management, the SERN has created a more agile work environment where information is accessible at the right time by the right people, enabling it to continue providing effective support to the teachers it represents.