Paper is well recognized as being one of the information-carrying mediums that is both inexpensive and portable. However, employing paper documents comes with a number of problems, the most significant of which is the fact that these papers are susceptible to being damaged, destroyed, improperly filed and lost.
Additionally, we need to be worried about the state of the environment. The manufacturing of paper takes enormous amounts of water and results in the destruction of a large number of trees.
Because there are now so many digital technologies on the market, it is now possible e signature software for small business and medium-sized firms to implement a paperless office system, which means they will no longer make use of paper documents.
Here are some methods in which your company may avoid the disadvantages associated with the use of paper while also being more cost-effective and environmentally friendly in the process:
Digitise Paper Files
Even though there are now document scanners that can digitise paper documents in mass, this may be the stage in the process of becoming paperless that requires the biggest amount of manual effort. The use of optical character recognition software allows for the correct conversion of printed text into editable electronic text, as well as the preservation of the visuals and formatting of the original document.
The process of digitising paper documents will enable you to give each file a name and include relevant information, making the digitised papers easier to locate. You may also implement access restrictions and employ electronic file systems to better manage your information. This will ensure that only authorised people can see, alter, or distribute the papers.
Cloud-Store Digital Documents
If you do not have a digital copy of a document saved on your computer, then losing a physical copy of the document might result in the loss of the only copy that exists. When working with electronic documents, you won’t have to worry about this issue as long as you keep the files on the cloud and take the necessary precautions to back them up.
In addition, having documents available via the cloud enables users of the internet to work together in real-time on the same files, even if they are physically located in separate places. It should come as no surprise that this cannot be accomplished with paper documents.
Use e-signatures
Because they are under the impression that digital papers cannot be signed, many proprietors of businesses continue to insist on utilising paper for legal documents such as contracts. This is most likely due to the fact that they are not aware that electronic signatures may truly be used to make signature online. E-signatures are recognized for their validity in the legal system, and there are several different methods that documents can be digitally signed:
- Register with an electronic signature provider that operates online.
- Make use of a text editor that comes equipped with a function that enables you to digitally sign papers.
- Establish a system within your organization that will enable you to add your own digital signature.
Another advantage of adopting electronic signatures is that they are more difficult to fake than traditional signatures, and they also make it simpler to keep track of the contracts and other papers that have previously been signed by the user.
Use Electronic Bills Payment Services
At this point in time, neither sending paper bills nor receiving paper billing statements is necessary. You may instead choose to send your clients electronic invoices and set up automated recurring charges for them to be applied to their accounts. You can use online banking or mobile banking to make one-time payments or payments on a recurring basis to your billers. You also have the option to get additional forms of financial documents, such as fund performance reports, insurance policies, and other similar sorts of paperwork, solely in electronic format.
Stop Junk Mail
A waste of paper in every sense of the word, junk mail is exactly what its name implies: correspondence that is destined for the garbage can. Directly contacting the sender of the junk mail and requesting that they remove you from their mailing list is one way to reduce the amount of unwanted mail that is delivered to your mailbox.
Conclusion
If you want to take advantage of all the benefits of going paperless, you will need to ensure that all of your electronic documentation procedures are in good operating condition.