Paper use in any business is every day for documentation purposes. But it has made a significant impact on the environment, so many are looking for ways to operate businesses with little to no paper use. Going paperless also means that companies can save resources, become eco-friendly, and prioritize organization. This article will give you tips on what you need to skip using paper in your daily operations.
Digitize Documentation Process
Go and inspect your filing cabinet. Check which documents need hard copies and those that can be retained as digital copies. Scan the important ones that need cloud-filing and organize them accordingly. You can also use data capture software to scan and digitize documents. Once done scanning, you can set them up in folders that you can name to make them accessible anytime you need to pull them out again. Make sure to digitize essential documents to help you avoid using paper.
Next is to see if there are other business processes that you can automate instead, such as setting up auto-debit payments. Auto-debits are transactions between your business and customers or clients who allow automatic electronic payments to be transferred from the payor’s account to the payee’s. Companies can set it up on their website, offering the choice to customers. There’s no longer a need to go to the bank and deposit money into the business account and retain paper receipts. You can download digital copies of bank statements instead.
Get Your Team Involved
You can create a solid paperless process in the office, but your employees must be on board as well. Explain the benefits of not using paper, such as how many resources you’ll save in terms of money, time, and energy.
You can introduce an app that the team can access through the internet where they can read, edit, and share documents. Doing so won’t take up space in their phones because everything will happen in the app.
In most companies, the finance department generates the most use of paper. Thus, presenting a paperless process becomes a challenge. The best way to address this issue is to tackle compliance concerns together and to show it also benefits the customer.
Utilize The Use Of Electronic Signatures
One of the reasons for hard copies of documents is when they need to be signed as proof of both parties in mutual agreement. But you can now skip printing documents because there are now digital tools you can use to sign electronic signatures.
Electronic signatures or e-signatures can be done using apps or websites where you can upload scanned copies of documents and sign them by drawing or uploading a photo of your signature.
It won’t take you long to send agreements electronically through these apps. Such programs are also integration-friendly with the same plan for managing documents. You don’t have to go through the trouble of scanning and printing documents. You can accomplish documents that won’t take a day to process with only a few clicks.
Use Cloud Storage
If your workspace is cluttered with folders and files containing documents, chances are getting anything done is also a challenge. But you can save digital copies without printing them on cloud storage options that keep you from using your printer.
It’s a popular way for team members to make collaboration possible. They can stay on the same page because they have access to real-time information. Files are saved wherein they can be accessed anywhere in the globe through an internet connection.
Cloud storage is significant when you have remote workers. There’s a risk of information breach when documents are being printed. But when files are stored digitally, the risk is mitigated but still allows access to key personnel.
Sign Up For Digital Payments
Paper bills and statements also contribute to most paper files that offices generate. It’s good that proof of transactions can be digitized, and you can choose to receive them by email instead. It’s also essential to choose online payments when possible.
Management businesses and rental property owners will benefit from online payments. You can explain the benefits of online payments to landlords, such as reliable and faster monthly rent dues.
Banks transfers are also a good alternative because they come with little to no fees through convenient mobile banking apps. Such apps also allow you to pay bills electronically without checks and envelopes.
In Conclusion
Your business needs various measures to become paperless and environmentally friendly. It can take improvement of processes, using programs, and getting your employees involved to make your office clutter-free and stop wastefulness. While these measures may take effort and a bit of money, the result is worth it because more trees will be saved, and less energy will be consumed to process them into paper.
