Paperless Movement
May 18, 2010
Despite predictions that the dawn of the 21st century would bring developed countries like the United States to a paperless society, paper is still very much with us. However, its usage has been reduced on a variety of fronts which has the potential of significant benefits to both small and large businesses.
The case for going paperless in a business setting includes the following advantages:
ü Accuracy – All parties can receive the same information at the same time and older, incorrect versions of documents can be eliminated.
ü Consistency – Reliable information is ensured for third party users such as banks and auditors.
ü Time and Waste Savings – In many cases double entry is eliminated.
ü Storage – Need for space and staff drops when needs for paper storage are reduced.
ü Image – Creates an eco-friendly image that can be a draw for certain customers.
These points may be compelling, but initial system costs can be high and if suppliers and certain critical procedures are not paperless, their advantages may dissipate. Thus it is important to take a hard look at the entire business operation and determine where the greatest net benefits lie as the ROI is generally available on some level.
Although the world is not paperless and it may be a myth to assume this will ever occur completely, there are numerous cases where paper usage can be reduced at great savings to a company. A great example is e-ticketing in the airlines industry which estimates the cost savings per ticket at $9 to $16. Also, electronic documents are much harder to steal than paper counterparts.
A number of companies now provide solutions in document imaging, scanning and retention. Solutions can range from the simple like starting an electronic filing cabinet for vendor invoices or distributing internal memos online only to the more complex such as a share point solution for internal and external documents.
Advances in these technologies are now more prevalent and merit a close look to gain a competitive edge.
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