Then, identify specific processes that are reliant upon individual documents, such as invoice processing and employee reviews. With top management deciding to start with the accounting department, it was now up to Jason to identify one process needing digitization.
He knew the key was to start small by focusing on only one process to gain momentum — succumbing to the urge to start with several would only slow him down. After analyzing all the processes, Jason chose accounts payable as it involved processing hordes of paper documents, was riddled with clerical errors, and had no automated workflows in place. The success of any initiative will depend on getting buy-in from C-level executives and top management.
These representatives will feed information back from departments about both the opportunities and challenges of going paperless. Setting up this leadership team will ensure everyone is vested in the process, has a voice, and drives the initiatives forward. The only thing Jason had to do was create awareness in the department by explaining the reasons for the initiative and the benefits to the users.
He understood that many employees only cared about their daily tasks and would only use a new system if they saw value in it. This meant he would have to properly communicate the value early on. Jason set up a presentation that highlighted the reasons for going paperless, the problems with current workflows, and the benefits of a new system.
Finally, because Jason lacked IT knowledge and understood that the success of the initiative depended on getting buy-in from IT, he arranged a private meeting.
They discussed the details of the project since IT would have to work closely with the ECM vendor to design and deploy the solution. Understanding all the steps involved in current processes helps you identify inefficiencies and pinpoint solutions to fix these problems.
Jason started by focusing on how employees in the department handled documents in three core areas that are typically part of any process:. To help him map out current processes and pinpoint digitization opportunities in accounts payable, he asked himself the following questions.
The design step usually leads to excitement building as end users begin visualizing the final product and how it could benefit them. This solution will depend on your process, bottlenecks and the integration points. The point Samantha was trying to make was that there are vendors focused on small and mid-sized businesses with features built for real-world workers. A company like DocuWare, for example, provides unique paperless office solutions for various business areas such as employee management , marketing and sales , and yes, you guessed it, finance and accounting.
The cloud requires minimal maintenance compared to on-premises systems, allows for rapid deployment, enables solution acquisition at the departmental level, scales better, improves operational flexibility, and does not require huge upfront license costs.
The deployment will vary depending on your company, the solution and the vendor. You could, for example, start with a test system or implement it in several steps. Jason worked closely with his document management provider and the IT administrator to implement the system in phases:. Using their documents, the document management provider demonstrated how the software would automate and improve key processes.
Ideas for improvements to the design emerged after every stage of testing. The team wanted to make sure the solution was intuitive as possible. They accomplished this by increasing the use of checkboxes and drop down menus whenever it was appropriate. Or, conversely, deciding it made sense to combine two processes into a single one. The team created a series of You Tube videos that gave a high level overview of the solution. This can save a signficant amount of time during the work day.
The same document can be duplicated, faxed, manipulated or combined at the same time. The paperless office helps multiple users to access the same document at the same time with more ease and convenience. With respect to storage and space involved, the paperless office provides bigger and more efficient storage. Large amounts of documents can be stored in a single computer. Bulky file cabinets can be eliminated.
A document can be retrieved without having to move physically from one location in the office to another. There are greater communication capabilities involved, particularly with employees working in different locations. Disadvantages of paperless office: Reading of a long document is tough on a computer screen.
It is easier to read a long document on a paper, and many people prefer reading on paper in general. Add to that the fact that, no matter what, a company probably can't be completely paperless. Some papers -- like signed, sealed deeds and legally binding contracts, or paper records for audits and IRS tax filings -- need to exist in their original form for legal or financial reasons or, particularly in the financial services industry, to show regulatory compliance.
Still, many companies will agree that becoming paperless, or at least paper-less, is well worth the effort. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how you can move your company closer to paperless -- from possible steps in the transition process to the available technology. We'll also look specifically at document management and consider how you can make your home office paperless, too.
On the next page, let's look first at the benefits some companies have realized by going as paperless as they can. There are many benefits with a paperless office, beyond simply having less paper to deal with. While you're unlikely to have a completely paper-free office, electronic communication and other systems can eliminate much of it. Let's take a closer look at how this has benefited some businesses:. Taken one step at a time, moving toward a more paperless office doesn't have to be difficult.
Go to the next page for some steps to put the process in motion. If you're considering the transition to a paperless office -- or at least a more paperless office, you may be wondering where to start and what you'll need. Many companies offer document management systems, hardware, software and consulting services to help improve electronic communication on the road to having no paper. We'll look at some of those later in this article. For now, let's explore the process.
Here are some decisions for you to consider before you start the transition to a more paperless office:. Based on recommendations from experts and companies who have gone through the process, here are some basic steps for the transition process.
Digital documents, like paper, need to be stored so they can be retrieved and used as needed. For a paperless office -- or more likely, a near paperless one -- you'll need a way to turn paper documents into digital, or electronic documents. That type of communication transformation is handled by a document imaging system.
Since not having paper is unlikely, you'll probably find an ongoing need to turn paper into electronic files. A document management system usually goes beyond that transformation to deal with all documents -- computer generated, as well as those that are faxed, scanned or e-mailed.
The basic document imaging system consists of a scanner and software that allows paper documents to be scanned, converted to electronic images and saved in PDF, TIFF or other formats for storage on CDs, DVDs, a computer hard disk or a network server.
Most document imaging systems include optical character recognition OCR. This allows the images to be recognized as text when saved as searchable PDFs or copied into programs like Microsoft Word or Excel. With OCR, you also can search for specific words or phrases within a scanned document. Document management systems provide the electronic file cabinets and filing system tools.
They combine data storage space with software that goes beyond document imaging to include functions such as audit trail and reporting tools, document expiration controls to delete documents at specified dates and Web-based document viewing. If you have large quantities of paper documents to turn into electronic files or need help getting the job done quickly, you may want to outsource document imaging to a company like microMEDIA.
One of the company's current on-site conversion projects includes OCR and fully searchable PDF files with more than 25 million images. And if you don't have a robust enough server or want to store electronic files off site, many document imaging companies offer a hosted server solution.
Web-based document hosting allows you to store or back up your files on their server and then access them securely anywhere, any time. The advantage is that valuable files are off site in case your company's server goes down or cannot be used on site, like during a hurricane.
Beyond your company's paperless needs, employees may have a home office. On the next page, we'll look at how to bring a paperless look to your home office. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or a telecommuter working full or part time from home, there's no reason your home office can't be as paperless as possible. In fact, given limited space and available time, the move to electronic communication and reduced paper may be even more important at home than in a conventional office.
Most of the same concepts apply, only on smaller scale. Start your at-home push to paperless by taming your inner pack rat. No, you probably don't need marketing materials from five years ago or every scrap of paper related to completed projects.
Once you've cleared out the unnecessary, you can work to keep those newly cleared spaces clear permanently. Next, switch to electronic with everything you can. Electronic banking eliminates statements and checks. Online credit card and financial statements knocks out more paper.
Check to see what other accounts, like insurance, you can make online. This helps with organization as well as cost management. Additionally, one of the major benefits is the decrease in recurring costs of maintaining storing paper files.
Scanning comes with an initial, one-time cost. However, it quickly makes up this fee through benefits and long-term reduction of costs.
At cents per page, scanning is a one-time investment and cuts out copying costs. In a paperless office, files are accessible and able to distribute electronically.
Additionally, off site storage recurring monthly fees are removed from the budget. Paperless offices use systems, like cloud storage and electronic document management systems, to house and manage data. This is a more effective method of storage than cabinets and containers. Using cloud or DMS software opens up various money-saving opportunities. This includes streamlining daily operations to cutting down basic supply costs. Additionally, document management systems usher in more productive behaviors and enable employees to have more control over their files.
Also, employees are able to seamlessly share and collaborate using a digital system. In turn, this increases efficiency as well as project completion.
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