Paper vs Electronic: Is it Time to Make the Switch?

Look around the office. Are you drowning in paper? If so, you’re not alone. Many organizations are inundated with paper, often to the point that it slows down their productivity. Still, it’s not unusual for these same organizations to drag their feet when it comes to transferring their paper documents to electronic files—even though document imaging technology has been in place for nearly a quarter century.

Typically, only a couple items stall the decision process. First, many organizations fear the change that comes with converting from paper to electronic, especially because it involves new technology. At the same time, some businesses are also concerned about the perceived costs associated with document imaging—at least until the need for efficiency becomes paramount. But in the end, every organization looks for ways to produce its goods or service more efficiently than the competition. By removing paper from the equation, companies can greatly improve efficiency, which in turn improves performance and makes them more competitive in the marketplace. And, improved technology has greatly reduced the cost of entry, thanks to non-proprietary systems, scanning service bureaus and secure, Web-accessible repositories.

If you’re having trouble deciding if it’s time to make the switch from paper to electronic files, consider the following:

• Do you access your documents frequently?
• Does it take extra time to retrieve them?
• Is it becoming increasingly difficult to work with the file cabinets and boxes that you currently have?
• Do you need to regularly access records that are being stored for long periods of time?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, it could be time to explore your document imaging options. With Fireproof’s help and expertise, the switch from paper to electronic may be easier and more cost efficient than you thought possible.

Over the next couple weeks, we’ll share more about document imaging in a series of blog posts about the topic. We invite your questions and comments.

Tags: Document Imaging, files, Records Management