Workplace investigations range from workplace safety incidents to cases of employee misconduct. No matter what type of investigation you need to conduct, it’s important to have a standardized process for initiating, conducting, and concluding an investigation in a way that’s fair and efficient for everyone involved.
Investigation management software can help you conduct effective investigations by providing a customizable, cloud-based platform to streamline your workflow.
Here’s how investigative case management software works, and how to choose the best option for your business or industry.
What Is Investigation Management Software?
Investigation management software is used by everyone from HR departments to law enforcement agencies to facilitate the investigation process in cases such as:
- Workplace safety incidents
- Employee misconduct
- Whistleblower reports
- Illegal or criminal behavior
- FMLA compliance violations
- Workplace discrimination
- Corporate security incidents
- ITIL (IT infrastructure library) incidents
Investigation management software makes it easy to create new cases, review open cases, search closed cases, and more. You can also use it to store case documents and create templates to standardize the incident management process.
Investigation management software is also known as investigative case management software and has some overlap with case management systems. The key difference is that a case may include multiple investigations, so a case management solution may place more emphasis on administration rather than the investigation itself.
Why Use Investigation Management Software?
Some workplace incidents are simple miscommunications that can be resolved through disciplinary action or a performance improvement plan. Others are complex cases that require interviews with multiple witnesses and a comprehensive set of case files. You can use investigation management software to:
- Ensure compliance: A thorough compliance management system can help you ensure HR compliance with employment laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
- Prevent fraud: Investigate financial crimes such as fraud or embezzlement, as well as cases of FMLA abuse and fraudulent leave of absence requests.
- Improve workplace safety: An investigation management platform can help you log workplace incidents, make reports to the appropriate agencies, and even file workers’ compensation claims following an accident.
Key Benefits of Investigation Management Software
Private investigators, law firms, and other investigation agencies use investigation case management solutions to manage their caseloads — and so can your HR department. The best investigation management systems allow your investigative teams to:
Collaborate in real-time
By using cloud-based investigation management software, you can store case files and other relevant information in one central place. Multiple team members can work on the same case and get notifications whenever something needs their attention. Plus, you can use automation to perform recurring tasks that don’t require human input.
Safeguard confidentiality
Some workplace incidents involve sensitive matters, and you may have an obligation to keep things confidential to protect privacy and maintain the integrity of the investigation. With configurable role-based permissions, you can make sure that only the appropriate investigation units have access to the most sensitive aspects of the case.
Maintain a paper trail
By digitizing the investigation management process, you can keep a detailed record of every step in the investigation. If you face questions or legal challenges about a case, you can point to your digital paper trail to show how it was conducted. You can also generate reports that summarize the outcome of the investigation.
Take preventive measures
Investigation management tools can also help with link analysis — that is, finding links between incidents so you can take steps to ensure they don’t happen again. The best investigation management tools come with reporting dashboards that you can use to track the frequency of incidents over time and look out for ongoing trends.
Best Investigation Management Software of 2023
The best investigation management solution for your team will depend on your industry and current approach to incident management. Healthcare organizations, public safety teams, and HR departments all have their own unique needs, but modern web-based tools come with configurable modules that you can use to customize the software to meet the needs of your organization.
Here are five of the best investigation management software solutions of 2023.
1. Pulpstream
Pulpstream is a comprehensive HR management platform that can handle everything from ITIL incident management to workplace safety violations. You can use it to create incident reports, conduct investigations, file workers’ compensation claims, and more, making it a great fit for corporate HR departments.
Pulpstream relies heavily on no-code automation, so you can automate recurring tasks and simplify your workflows without having to learn any code. In addition to investigation and risk management, Pulpstream can handle leave of absence requests, performance management, and other processes related to employee relations.
Pulpstream works well with external tools like Microsoft Word and Excel, providing you with a digital document management system you can use for all of your cases. It also offers Android and iOS mobile apps so you can access the platform on-the-go.
2. Resolver
Resolver is an investigations and case management system that specializes in areas such as loss prevention, workplace violence, and brand protection. It uses AI tagging and link analysis to help you find the underlying cause of workplace incidents.
You can also use Resolver to track the chain of custody of any evidence related to the case, so you always know which of your team members had access to it.
Resolver is best suited for enterprise-level risk management and has a subscription pricing model. Unlike Pulpstream, Resolver doesn’t offer any mobile apps, so you’ll need to use the web-based interface to access it.
3. Crosstrax
Crosstrax is an investigation management platform aimed at private investigators. In addition to case management software, it offers tools for managing relationships with clients and staff, such as invoicing and expense tracking.
Crosstrax offers integrations with over 1,500 other apps and software tools, including Adobe and Microsoft products. It also facilitates field investigations with a mobile app and built-in GPS tracking for overseeing multiple investigators.
Although it’s cloud-based, Crosstrax allows you to download and save data on a hard drive or local device to ensure offline access.
4. Case Closed
Case Closed is an investigation management tool for law enforcement agencies, public safety bureaus, and other organizations with a focus on “multi-jurisdictional units.” It’s CJIS-compliant, which means it complies with the security standards set by the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division.
Case Closed has a built-in incident tracker that can keep track of search warrants, tips, trash pulls, and other sources of information, as well as evidence for chain-of-custody documentation. Case Closed has a mobile app, and supports multiple languages and real-time translations so it can be used by international teams.
5. Convercent
Convercent has a focus on ethics and compliance, with tools for building a transparent company culture through risk management and employee engagement. You can use it for policy management, disclosure management, and third-party due diligence to help you develop a workplace where everyone feels comfortable speaking up.
Convercent uses data analysis to help you proactively identify and address risks, and has whistleblower protection to prevent retaliation during incident investigations.
Streamline Investigations With a Case Management Platform
Investigation management software can help you keep track of workplace incidents and conduct thorough investigations into compliance issues or employee misconduct. These web-based tools allow you to store case files online, maintain chain-of-custody records, and generate detailed investigation reports. Plus, you can set permissions so that only authorized users have access to confidential case files.
When you use a dynamic case management platform like Pulpstream, you can use it at every stage of incident and investigation management, from audits and inspections to filing business insurance claims. Of course, you can also use Pulpstream’s no-code automation tools to streamline the process and eliminate tedious manual tasks.
Request a demo today to see what else Pulpstream can do!
