Going paperless is a bit of a misnomer. It’s impossible to be completely paperless, even in this digital age. There are some documents that need to be maintained in the original hard copy – certain contracts, certificates and so on. But not withstanding those hard copy “must haves,” a great deal of the paperwork that is dealt with today can go digital. Digitizing sales orders, invoices, reference material, business cards, and business documentation is a smart move.

The summary:

Benefits

  1. Reduce paper clutter
  2. Mobile access
  3. Fast searching
  4. Low cost storage

Tips

  1. Choose location – desktop or cloud
  2. Choose file structure
  3. Use filename convention
  4. Use scanner regularlybinders in computer

My clients find digitizing is beneficial for four reasons. The first is that it reduces the amount of paper clutter in your surroundings. This in itself is beneficial in reducing dust in the environment, as well as reducing stress caused by the presence of clutter. The second is that your documents can now be available where ever you are if you put them “in the cloud.” No more having to go back to the office to collect a document. You can work on them anywhere (although I don’t advise doing that all the time – a balancing act where I often see people tipping the scales towards work.) Thirdly, digital files are infinitely faster to search than paper files and they can be searched using a number of different categories. Lastly, the technology today allows us plenty of storage space for a low cost.

There are four tips for successfully storing digital documents. First, choose where you will store your files – on your computer hard drive (back up essential), in the cloud. If you need access to your files remotely, unless you have a dedicated server, you will need to find a solution in the cloud. Secondly, create a file structure that either mirrors your existing paper file storage, or the structure you wish you had! You will still be filing the same information as you always have, so you will remember it in similar ways. Thirdly, use a file name convention. This can have any structure you find useful, e.g. [Document type] [Client name] would become: “Agreements – Joe Bloggs”, “Agreements – Sally Sully” and so on. Lastly, use your scanner regularly and consistently.

Getting started is sometimes the hardest part. It is not necessarily cost effective to scan a massive backlog of items, but start with today’s filing and go forward scanning anything you would normally physically file. It takes practice reading documents online, but with the ability to read them on your laptop, mobile device, multiple screens on your desktop, there is likely to be a format that you can get used to and no longer need to print to paper what is already digital.

Once your records are online, look into other file formats that will help you track your business more effectively. Even using simple spreadsheets can be a useful first step towards documenting much of the communication that needs to happen between team members.

Going paperless is a tough challenge, but there are many changes you can make to move toward it. For more hints and tricks, give us a call.