Go Paperless in Your Business: 5 Essential Steps

by Tina Martin | Apr 28, 2022

There are a myriad of benefits to shifting away from using physical documents in your business and going paperless instead. Maybe you’re interested in making eco-friendly changes, or perhaps you simply want to streamline your company’s processes for the sake of efficiency. But transitioning to a paperless business is an extensive undertaking, so you’ll need to map out your next steps in advance. Here’s how to successfully turn your business into a paperless operation, courtesy of AAH Enterprise.

The Benefits of Paperless Documents

Why should companies consider going paperless? Not only is working with digital documents far more environmentally friendly than using paper documents, but it can also help you save money. In fact, Anvl states that for a company with 100 employees, going paperless would provide an average return on investment of $750,000. By eliminating time spent hunting down lost documents, you can also boost productivity. Finally, going paperless allows you to save office space.

Paperless Tasks

Going paperless isn’t just about file storage. You can complete lots of core business tasks without using a single sheet of paper. For instance, you can create and share standard operating procedure documents with your team, get signatures on contracts, and even transfer onboarding paperwork. You can also use a free invoice template to send professional invoices to your customers electronically.

Gain Employee Buy-In

You might be familiar with all of the perks of going paperless, but before you start the transition, you’ll need to get your employees on board, too. In order to gain employee buy-in, talk to your staff about how going paperless will streamline client communications and make their workloads easier to manage, allowing them to spend less time on basic administrative tasks and more time focusing on their most important projects.

Choose the Right Software

With so many options for document management software, it can be tough to decide which version your company should invest in. To find the best software for your business, consider factors like your company’s current size and projected growth and which vendors offer the best security features and customer support. You’ll also need to check if a particular program can be integrated with software you already use. Make sure the software you choose is user-friendly, as you’ll need to train your employees to use it independently. Choosing software that includes project management tools can make it easier for your employees to manage their workflows.

Digitize Your Documents

Scanning all of your company’s important physical documents can be time-consuming, but it’s the most important step of this process. In order to get all of your documents uploaded into your new document management system, you’ll want to use a scanner that can quickly scan multiple documents at once. Ideally, you’ll have access to a scanner that you can directly integrate with your cloud software. Remember, scanning lots of documents requires a high level of patience, but in the future, you’ll be managing your documents completely digitally, so you won’t need to do it again!

Going paperless can be a boon for your business. But without the right strategy, the process can quickly get complicated and frustrating. By getting your employees on the same page, carefully selecting the right document management system, and digitizing your documents in an organized fashion, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of going paperless!

AAH Enterprise offers a variety of services for business coaching. To learn more, call 407-308-5838.