There are many reasons to want to strive for a paperless office. In fact, the dream of a paperless office has been with us as long as computers and the promise of a digital future have been around. Today, it can really be a reality.

A paper-free office can allow you to chuck the filing cabinet and have a lot more room to operate. No more clutter. It can help you be organized, find files easier, and even help the environment. There are so many reasons why a paper-free office is the way to go.

But how can you achieve it? Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know.

GET YOUR TEAM ON BOARD

The first thing you need to do to transition to a paperless workplace is to get your employees on the same page. Everyone has a different working procedure, and some people’s day-to-day routine might be very tied to hard copies and printing.

Instead of throwing everyone in the deep end, talk about the desire to go paperless together as a team. Point out the benefits. With everyone on board, you can talk through solutions and how best to adapt your current practices to a digital format.

This can mean things like using a shared Google sheet to do sign-ins, or a service like www.paystubs.net to help with your payroll.

Some employees may have concerns, and walking through them together can avoid bad feelings and get everyone on the same page. Most people just want to be heard.

START A PAPER ORGANIZATION SYSTEM

The first step you’ll need to transition to a digital-only system is to organize the current paper filing you have. This is your opportunity to change the way you’ve done things in the past and to make a new efficient system if need be.

It’s best to delegate this work among employees. Set expiration dates for old paperwork and shred what you’re certain you no longer need. There’s no point in putting time and resources into digitizing something you will never need to reference again.

Once everything is organized, you can start the digitizing process.

MOVING INTO THE DIGITIAL WORLD

Before you start scanning, replicate your new organization system on your work network. Create digital files to match the physical ones in your office currently. Replicate the set up online.

Once you’ve done that, time to scan! If you have a huge amount of paperwork to scan, you might want to invest in a proper scanner that can work through a big load efficiently. Make it a goal to have all your paperwork scanned in by a certain time.

The sooner the better: the quicker you can transition fully to a new system, the easier it will be to integrate new paperwork that comes in.

GET RID OF THE FILING CABINET: GOING PAPERLESS

If you’re sick of digging through a filing cabinet to find what you need, going paperless in your office can be the perfect modern solution. The above information can advise you on how to best get set up in your place of work.

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