MOVING PAPERLESS SENSIBILITIES TO THE HOME When an office adopts a paperless document management system to organize all incoming and outgoing data, the newfound electronic workflow and saved money can entice workers to take the lifestyle home with them. While electronic workflow is important in the workplace to increase productivity and security of information, similar ideas can be applied on the home front to save money and keep a more structured, fiscally responsible household.
To bring digital imaging workflow from the office to the home, check out this simple steps: Lesson 1: Plan before implementing When going paperless, businesses will often hire project managers who carry out a rollout from start to finish, simply because the task is so demanding. When making the adjustment in one's own home, a person must take it upon themselves to make the positive change and begin planning. Because most homes have accumulated paper files, postcards, letters and more over the years, it's important to sort through what is more pressing to keep and what isn't before shredding the paper that remains, much like documentation in the office. According to lifestyle blog Be More With Less contributor Courtney Carver, this process of organization is especially important when it comes to sorting through family photos or other financial information similar to that which could be found in an office. "Toss the duplicates, bad images and pictures of things you don't want, need or remember," she recommended to readers. "Scan or display the rest. They aren't doing any good stuffed in a box under the bed." Once this process is complete, the paperless aficionado can put their scanning and document imaging workflow into motion by using their organizational structure to maximize the efficiency offered by making the move to paperless.
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Lesson 2: Digitize and organize The next step to full independence from the filing cabinets, printers and copy machines that punish the everyday worker at home and in the office environment is to completely digitize all relevant files into a well-organized infrastructure. Fortunately, there are a number of highly durable scanners on the market that can digitize any paper data for later reference. According to technology site CNET, converting files into PDFs can make the encrypted information fully searchable, a useful trait when looking for something quick whether in the office or at home. "More and more companies are offering PDF manuals and user guides for everything from digital cameras, TVs, to furniture," the source explained. "If you save your manuals, find the PDF versions online, then recycle the paper ones. PDF manuals are much easier to find on your computer than trying to remember where you kept the paper manuals." This reduces clutter in public spaces and saves time when looking for a specific file instead of sifting through filing cabinets or piles of junk, paperless users can rest assured that their electronic workflow will remain uninterrupted by the distraction of having to search. Lesson 3: Remain consistent Another major struggle for project managers deploying larger paperless systems is ensuring that employees remain consistent in making positive use of the technology once it's been fully rolled out. Getting rid of old machines can be an excellent first step in adjusting to digital, but those moving the system to the home must be just as careful as people in the workplace. Scanning important receipts, notes and other paper files on a weekly basis and shred once a week can help a user avoid collecting familiar old clutter once again. Though document management software and general approaches for paperless may differ, one thing rings true - whether you're in your cubicle or the kitchen, developing an efficient digital system for storing data is a better long-term solution than paper storage. _________________________________ Ready to kick your paper habit? Register for an upcoming webcast! Learn More about PaperSave: Case Studies | Demo | News and Events | WhitePapers | Webinars | Videos | Contact Us Tags: electronic workflow, Industry News, paperless office, document management software
www.papersave.com
marketing@papersave.com
877-727-3799