Every lender wants faster closings. Yet even with Encompass® and all the automation tools available, too many teams are still spending an hour or more just getting an Initial Closing Disclosure (ICD) out the door.
I’ve seen it firsthand. A few years ago, I visited a lender whose closer was working 12-hour days. When I asked how long it took to prep an ICD, he said, “About an hour each.” Multiply that by 10 to 15 ICDs a week, and it’s no wonder their team was buried.
That problem isn’t about effort. It’s about workflow.
The Hidden Inefficiency
Most lenders still rely on people, not process, to determine when a file is ready for an ICD. Checklists live in heads, not systems. Workflow tasks are either unused or misunderstood. And redisclosures or cures are issued before anyone validates the numbers.
Here’s the truth: If you’re still manually checking files, your ICD process is broken.
You don’t need to tell your team how to do their jobs. You need your system to remind them what’s unfinished, out of alignment, or incomplete. That’s what exception-based, task-based workflows are built for.
From Manual to Managed
The path to faster closings starts with three simple moves:
- Turn on One-Time Passcode and the New Doc Viewer. These aren’t optional anymore. They are required for enhanced conditions, Encompass Web workflows, and secure borrower communication.
- Use Workflow Tasks for ICD Readiness. Build your rule base from your checklist. Automate what’s missing, not what’s done. Then trigger notifications and document requests without anyone clicking “Generate.”
- Leverage Schedulers and Notification Templates. Set your system to flag files 10 days before closing. If the ICD isn’t in the eFolder, trigger a task. Use borrower-facing notifications the way credit card companies do. No attachments, no risk, just secure updates through the borrower portal.
Avoiding the Cure Trap
Too many lenders issue cures before they should. Use fee-level Change of Circumstances (CoCs) and restrict who can enter cures by dollar amount or persona. Always verify before paying. And remember, you don’t have to issue a cure until the final CD, not the ICD.
Don’t Forget the Pro Forma CD
If you’re not using Pro Forma CDs to balance with title and settlement agents, start now. It prevents re-timelining files and keeps your closing disclosure tracking clean. When possible, move your CD generation from EDS to local so you can leverage loan form printing rules. That’s how you take control of when and how the ICD is sent.
The Borrower Experience Matters
Every loan represents a real person with real plans, moving trucks, families, and deadlines. Communication isn’t just operational; it’s emotional. By automating updates, aligning workflows, and reducing manual touches, you give borrowers confidence that their loan is in good hands.
The Takeaway
Workflow comes before technology. If you document your process, you can automate it. If you automate it, you can scale it. And if you scale it, your closers can finally stop working 12-hour days.
Join Us Live
This article was inspired by our October 21st Mastering Encompass® Community Call, “Closing Countdown: ICD to Closing Docs.” Our next session on November 4th will dive into closing packages, hybrid eClosings, and trailing docs—what’s changing, what’s broken, and how to fix it. MasteringEncompass.com
Mortgage Workflow Partners Inc. We help lenders simplify, standardize, and scale their Encompass® workflows. MortgageWorkflowPartners.com
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