There is no doubt that digitising paperwork to create a paperless office has great benefits in terms of business practice. Another positive aspect of document management is the environmental advantage of working without paper. Many offices around the world are 'going green' and encouraging employees to cut back on the amount of paper they use. Many email signatures now state "please do not print this email unless it is necessary" - another step taken to prevent needless paper usage.
With the latest digitising software and scanner hardware technology available, a business can do more than simply 'cut back' on paper usage. Creating a digital office means that the need for paper is almost completely eradicated, helping to reduce businesses' impact on the world's precious resources. When an office evolves to 'paperless' or heavily reduces its paper consumption, costs are saved, productivity increases - potentially bringing significant financial gains - and environmental impact is minimised.
Of course, there will always be some paper required in an office. However, keeping the use of paper to a minimum is greatly assisted by the introduction of scanners, scanning and document management software.
Invest in document management and imaging software today and start revolutionising your office whilst conserving the environment.
Why save paper at work?
Paper is made from trees - the very things that oxygenate air for breathing, reduce carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere, and thus moderate the planet's temperature. The majority of the world's paper is consumed in offices and work environments, which is why saving paper in the workplace will have the greatest positive effect on the environment.
A few facts about trees and the environment:
71% of the world's paper supply comes from forest-harvested timber. This timber is felled in areas with valuable and diverse habitats, causing serious environmental disruption. The other 29% is harvested from timber felled at specially planted tree farms and plantations. Aside from the depletion of trees for paper, the pulp and paper industry is the largest consumer of water in the industrial sector, and is third on the list of highest greenhouse gas emitters, succeeded only by steel and chemical plants. One tree makes 8,333.3 sheets of paper. One ton of uncoated, non-recycled paper uses 24 trees.
3 easy ways to create a paper-free office
1. Think before you print
A considerable amount of paper is wasted in offices due to lack of foresight. For example, printing is done without a proper print preview to ensure that the format is correct, or employees print emails rather than saving them on their computers. If a conscious effort is made, and awareness is promoted throughout an office emphasising the need to be paper-wise, there will be less paper wastage - and less money wasted.
2. Communicate digitally
Faxes, emails, presentations - in most offices, these have required printouts at some stage. But these days, paper-consuming activities can be managed digitally. Emails can be saved and filed on a computer's hard drive or server for easy reference. Similarly, faxes are now available in a digital format, eradicating the need for printouts. Memos and agendas can be kept in a digital file and emailed to who need access to them.
Many businesses run a communal server or company network which can be accessed by all employees. Saving important emails, faxes and other documents on the server means that all employees have easy access to the information without needing printed copies.
It is also much easier to find a file on a server, in electronic format, than in a pile of papers! Information retrieval is much easier when it is digital.
3. Digitise documents with scanning and document management software
Modern technology has afforded offices the ability to digitise all loose documents and save them in a repository or database. Scanning hardware is available for a multitude of specialist scanning applications, including book scanning and image scanning.
Character recognition software stores data digitally and allows for document management software to archive scanned data into a searchable repository. This repository can be accessed by staff from an Internet interface.
Document digitising: Saving money for your business while helping to conserve the planet
Document digitising automatically scans the material required, quickly and in large batches, thereby freeing valuable employee time. This leaves staff able to focus more closely on business processes and executing projects in a quick and efficient manner. When time is saved, money is saved.
Digitising loose documents also frees up space where material would previously have been stored. This saves money on things like filing cabinets, bigger offices, and rental of large warehouses previously used to store important documents.
In the case of a paperless office, business processes are streamlined due to the increased time available to employees and easy access to information. The planet also benefits, as there is less demand for paper, and thus less environmental damage. The remaining hardcopy material can be recycled into blank paper once again for future use.
Use scanning and document management technology for digitising paperwork in your office, and cut costs while helping to protect the planet.
