Learning how to function without using paper helps reduce the amount of waste produced in offices, saves time and money, makes it easier to retain critical documentation in a secure manner, and may even save some trees.
If you run a small business that is one of many that is finding the shift from paper to paperless to be difficult, the following are some recommendations that can help you along the road.
Cloud storage
You need to have a safe method of storing all of your documents before you can make the transition to a paperless system. You can certainly save them on your computer at the office, but what happens if you need to view them when you are at home? What happens if all of your coworkers need to be able to access them and edit them simultaneously? Not only that, but by storing them in the physical memory of your device, you will also use a significant amount of memory space, which might cause your computer or another device to perform less efficiently. Documents can be stored safely in the cloud using services such as Dropbox and Google Drive, as well as more specialized services, which allow for the documents to be viewed from any location by the individuals who require them.
It is important that when your devices stop working or become obsolete, they are disposed of safely and responsibly. Even if you think they are wiped clean, they may have sensitive data still stored, so taking them to a specialist e waste recycling facility can make sure they are taken care of efficiently and securely.
Paperless meetings
How many of us have left a meeting with a pile of papers that we promptly tossed on a desk or filed away in a drawer and then promptly forgot about? Probably the majority of us! One of the things that are the least difficult to transition away from paper is meetings. A slideshow can be cast directly from your computer to a TV screen, projector, or another display device with only an HDMI cable. This allows you to display the presentation for participants at an event. After the meeting is over, you may send them an email or share the slideshow with them using cloud storage.
Use electronic communication
Eliminating the need for physical letters and memos in favor of electronic communication is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce or eliminate paper use. An email is an instant form of communication that delivers messages to their intended recipients in a significantly shorter amount of time, and there is virtually no risk of the message becoming “lost in the post.” In the event that you require it, you will also have a digital trail and record of the communication, and it will be simple for you to add any type of media or attachments to an email. Text messages are also becoming an increasingly common method of communicating with clients; in fact, hospitals and doctors’ surgeries now rely on SMS to remind people of their forthcoming appointments.
Digital calendars
The days of having a physical office diary or wall planner are long gone; today, an increasing number of organizations (and households!) are choosing a digital calendar, such as the one that is provided by Google. This trend is expected to continue. The advantage of this is that people can access it from their devices anywhere, which means that they do not need to go into the workplace to add anything or check anything, for that matter.
Use e-signatures
Up until quite recently, in order to sign a contract, one would need to either print out or copy a large number of pages. You can now review and sign papers anywhere and at any time with the help of an e-signature app or software that can be downloaded for free and is recognized as having the same force of law as a traditional signature.
Going paperless may appear to be a significant undertaking; nevertheless, if you carry out each step in the process in turn, you will be able to make the switch in an orderly and effective manner, so saving yourself time, money, and the environment.