Online document management and the paperless office: dream or reality?

There’s no doubt that a paperless office could offer a whole host of advantages and converting to digital file storage is an unbeatable way to reduce inefficiencies in workflows, increase productivity and save on the costs of buying paper and ink. However, although the idea of a paperless office seems like a no-brainer, the majority of businesses still rely on paper.

Not only do most businesses still rely heavily on paper documentation, the annual growth rate for the amount of paper used by an average company is, in fact, growing. Unfortunately there’s no denying that businesses print more than they’ve ever done before so with this in mind, is a paperless office a realistic goal?

The advantages of online document management

A reliance on paper or switching to digital both have pros and cons. Connectivity is one of the many benefits of digitizing paper documents and the ability to access data from anywhere at any time can be particularly liberating. Digitizing documents allows colleagues to connect whether they’re working from home or on a business trip abroad and this, in turn, allows for the seamless integration of contractors or freelancers into the workflow as and when required.

It goes without saying that cutting down on printing will reduce your overheads but it’s also worth considering the often overlooked costs of document storage and disposal. Storing thousands of paper documents can prove to be very expensive indeed, especially if it involves investing in extra space to keep them in. This is one of the main reasons why increasing numbers of companies are choosing to store their files in off-site servers as not only does this take up a fraction of the space, it reduces the cost of destroying sensitive information.

‘Searchability’ is yet another major benefit of going digital. Just imagine being able to search through hundreds of documents for one particular piece of information – all at the touch of a button. This alone is can prove to be the one thing that persuades a company to convert. But if all these benefits are so great, why do so companies still choose to rely on paper?

Secure online document management solutions from Pro-Doc

The risk of losing valuable information is a big concern for many companies and with this in mind it’s understandable that many still find the stability of paperwork reassuring. However there are solutions to this and here at Pro-Doc we provide safe and secure document storage solutions, designed to provide complete peace of mind.

In conclusion it’s safe to say that the majority of office tasks are much easier and quicker when they’re done digitally. The most realistic approach to the paperless office could be a web-based organisation which works hard to keep its paper use as ‘light’ as possible. This approach gives space for digital systems to correct inefficiencies in paper-centric workflows and systems, whilst avoiding pushing paper out of the picture altogether. At the end of the day, if it’s better and more efficient to do something digitally then go for it, but if not, feel free to stick to pen and paper.