How to Transition to Paperless Office

Business and organizations spend a lot of time filing, storing and trying to find the same documents in paper form. This scenario is common in hospitals, NGOs, suppliers, construction industries and government installations among others. Paper-based document storage can be overwhelming but this can be tackled with ease by turning to paperless office.

To begin with, going paperless will mean drastic reduction or total elimination of papers in your office. However, the question in many people's mind is, how do you transition from paper-based system to the more efficient and cost effective paperless office? Here are some expert tips to help you: -

How to Move from Paper-Based to Paperless Business

First, it is good to understand that going paperless has more in it than just choosing, installing and using a technology. It entails a clear strategy that will help improve your office and business operations. So, how do you approach it?

Review Your Business

The first step towards a paperless office is to carry out a thorough and complete review of your business. This will help you understand your needs and come up with the right strategy for implementation. Every office is unique but the common denominator is that matters of compliance should be considered during the planning stages. Always consider the legal framework in your country and know whether paperless files are admissible as evidence in court. Once this is settled, you will be ready to go.

Choose the Best Technology

After you determine that electronic files have you covered in case of legal issues, choosing the technology that is right for you becomes the next step. Before engaging a provider, you'll need to consider the kind of documents you need to convert from paper to electronic files, your business's internal processes, available software, delivery methods to your clients and budget. You will get crucial advice and assistance from a reliable provider while at the same time getting help during the transition process.

Look for Essential Functionalities

When choosing a system, you should look for one that guarantees superior functions such as document imaging, audit trails, digital signatures, instant retrieval, drag & drop filing, and email filing among others. The best paperless solution should be able to integrate with your portal and also work efficiently for your clients. It should be easy to share your documents securely with relevant clients and staff members with a simple click of a button. Clients should be able to not only access the important documents remotely but also examine, edit, sign digitally and return them to you within a short time.
A good paperless office should have watertight safety features and also provide clear tracking system for any changes made to documents while showing who made them and at what time. There should be clear risk mitigation mechanisms offered by the document management system you choose.