Trillions of sheets of paper are used, often needlessly, on a daily basis. One of the trends becoming popular today is becoming a paperless office. The transition saves corporations money, reduces the use of natural resources and in many cases is easier than one would think. Here are some tips to help your business make the changes.
Begin to share documents electronically. There are many programs and online applications which will allow employees to share ideas and thoughts. When documents need to be sent in a protected form, save them as a locked PDF file for security.
Take steps to reduce the amount of mail you receive. Ask that companies no longer send catalogues. Switch to electronic banking and pay bills online. Use electronic banking to provide direct deposit of your payroll to employee's accounts.
Store files electronically. The more the business does this, the easier it becomes. If older files must be accessed regularly, consider scanning them for permanent storage. If they are not accessed regularly, consider storing them offsite until no longer needed.
Eliminate the need to print and fax documents with an online fax service. Such services send incoming faxes directly to the employee's email inbox, where they can then be saved to the appropriate file. Enable each employee to digitally sign any outgoing faxes.
For group presentations choose programs that allow the presentation slides to be stored directly to participant's computers instead of needing to prepare large paper documents. Such information is more likely to be accessible when needed. In addition, some programs allow participants to take notes on slides with a smart phone or tablet.
In preparation for the change, be sure the data is regularly backed up. While most locations are already taking care of electronic media in this way, be sure to check. Work with your IT department to ensure the plan is in effect before the planned date for the switch. Ensure preparations have been made before the change.
It may be impossible to eliminate all paper from a business. In many locations, there is a requirement that original notarized documents require non-electronic signatures. However, it is possible to reduce the number of natural resources used by establishing a plan for recycling documents that are no longer needed.
A paperless office is a great goal for many businesses. Once you have a plan and the necessary software, set a date to implement the changes. Once employees make the change, most will appreciate the convenience electronic files provide.
Begin to share documents electronically. There are many programs and online applications which will allow employees to share ideas and thoughts. When documents need to be sent in a protected form, save them as a locked PDF file for security.
Take steps to reduce the amount of mail you receive. Ask that companies no longer send catalogues. Switch to electronic banking and pay bills online. Use electronic banking to provide direct deposit of your payroll to employee's accounts.
Store files electronically. The more the business does this, the easier it becomes. If older files must be accessed regularly, consider scanning them for permanent storage. If they are not accessed regularly, consider storing them offsite until no longer needed.
Eliminate the need to print and fax documents with an online fax service. Such services send incoming faxes directly to the employee's email inbox, where they can then be saved to the appropriate file. Enable each employee to digitally sign any outgoing faxes.
For group presentations choose programs that allow the presentation slides to be stored directly to participant's computers instead of needing to prepare large paper documents. Such information is more likely to be accessible when needed. In addition, some programs allow participants to take notes on slides with a smart phone or tablet.
In preparation for the change, be sure the data is regularly backed up. While most locations are already taking care of electronic media in this way, be sure to check. Work with your IT department to ensure the plan is in effect before the planned date for the switch. Ensure preparations have been made before the change.
It may be impossible to eliminate all paper from a business. In many locations, there is a requirement that original notarized documents require non-electronic signatures. However, it is possible to reduce the number of natural resources used by establishing a plan for recycling documents that are no longer needed.
A paperless office is a great goal for many businesses. Once you have a plan and the necessary software, set a date to implement the changes. Once employees make the change, most will appreciate the convenience electronic files provide.
About the Author:
Loris F. Anders is an office management specialist focused on optimizing workflow processes in document management. If you would like to learn more about paperless office, she recommends you check out Docufree
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