Even the most information-heavy companies, such as law firms, newspapers and universities are doing it - and they have reason to complain about the workload - but paperless offices seem to be cropping up in every imaginable industry. Once the heavy lifting of document scanning is finished and important documents are properly archived, paperless offices begin reaping the benefits of a life without filing cabinets.
“It’s amazing how much time we used to spend shuffling paper on our desks,” says an associate at a major Los Angeles law firm that recently took the paperless plunge. “Now we are able to securely store important briefs, contracts and court documents so they can be accessed at any computer.” Secure online storage and advances in cloud computing have made the shift away from paper more palatable to traditional law firms, who now find it much easier to move a case through the proper channels. What started out as a way to digitize paper documents and move away from bulging file folders has become a safe way to keep prying eyes away from sensitive documents. According to many satisfied attorneys at large firms, a paperless office gives them the ultimate “excuse” to work from home.
When a small medical practice or retail establishment starts the process of digitizing documents, they may not realize how all-encompassing the task can be. While it isn’t necessary to scan every piece of paper in the office, advancements in document scanning management software have made it easier to imagine. The best example of this can be found in the medical community, where small to mid-size practices are now using electronic medical records to record EKG tests, x-rays and blood test results in digital charts. Instead of writing in a manila folder and filing a patient’s chart behind the front desk, physicians are now walking around with laptops and iPads that hold everything from the patient’s test results to their prescriptions.
The benefits of a paperless office are boundless, and technology has made it possible to manage an office from any computer, but it all starts with professional document scanning.