Definition of Paperless Office Or Business and difficulties in adopting the paperless office or Business

Paperless Office:

A paperless office or Business is a work environment in which the use of paper is discontinued or greatly reduced. This is done by documents conversion and other papers into digital form. Proponents claim that "going paperless":

1. Can save money, 
2. Boost productivity, 
3. Save space, 
4. Make documentation and information sharing easier, 
5. Keep personal information or Business Information more secure, 
6. And help the environment. 

The paperless concept can be expanded to communications outside the office or business as well.

Difficulties in adopting the paperless office 

A major difficulty in "going paperless" is that much of a business's communication is with other businesses and individuals, as opposed to just being internal. Electronic communication requires both the access to appropriate hardware and software.

There may be costs and temporary productivity losses when converting to a paperless office. Government regulations and business policy may also slow down the change. Businesses may encounter technological difficulties such as file format compatibility, longevity of digital documents, system stability, and employees and clients not having appropriate technological skills.

And, there may be a reduction of paper, but some uses of paper will remain.

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5 tips to small-business owners who are interested in going paperless

5 tips to small-business owners who are interested in going paperless

Peterson offers these five tips to small-business owners who are interested in going paperless:

1. Focus on document management. Aim for more than just storage. Implement a method of organizing and searching files that makes your operations run smoothly. Choose a solution that allows you to index — and then search — your documents with keywords.
2. Ensure multiple backups. Savvy companies back up records in more than one place. Always back your files up on a separate hard drive that is stored elsewhere and then find a reputable company that offers cloud backup for a monthly fee. Peterson recommends seeking a storage provider that’s been around for a while. There are a range of providers to choose from.
   
3. Rally your team. Digitizing is a disruptive process; people may get nervous when they can’t push paper around anymore. It’s important to get everyone on board, so you don’t end up maintaining redundant paper-based and electronic systems.
4. Scan and file everything that comes in the door. To begin the monumental task of digitizing, store and index all incoming communications in a digital format. Also start indexing any new digital files you create, including email. Shred paper documents after you scan them.
5. Be mindful of regulation. Make sure you find a document management solution that meets the regulations for your industry, whether you’re in financial services, medical, education, or another field. If you store sensitive client data, security should be your top priority.

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