Replacing Established Paper Functions with Digital Documentation

Predictions about the paperless office have been around since the 1970s, and technology has progressed enough to make those forecasts possible. There are various corporate processes that were originally deemed necessary, but it is now possible to replace them with document management software.

There are many characteristics that can come with a digital filing system depending on what a company desires out of it. The technology has become customizable for businesses within certain industries, which means the options are endless—cloud technology, tagging, and tailored searches are all qualities that can come with a paperless management system.

The technology of the modern office

CMS Wire mentioned how a company researching document management software also has to look at what can change for the program in the long run. The source called documents “logical containers of information,” which means a modern document can be almost anything: a social media status, a word document, a video or an image.

Filing cabinets do not have the capability to hold tweets and videos, so offices are moving to ways of digitally replicating cabinets. Document management software can easily organize any kind of data within the system, and tools such as electronic document imaging can be automated to index scanned paperwork.

Technology like the cloud has impacted document management software and developed better tools within these systems. Remote access, collaboration, and easy access are all provided benefits.

Cloud technology can bring on new customers within seconds, and they can work with the software without any coding experience necessary. Cloud implementation has made software more agile and user friendly for both staff and consumers.

The long-gone paper processes

Manual invoice processing used to be an essential function of an office, but now, invoices don’t even need to be fussed over. Invoice automation has made processing flawless, and according to Business 2 Community, has eliminated the need for paper invoices. Printed invoices force employees to lose time in the day, as they have to hunt down payments and reproduce lost paperwork.

Proof of delivery is also changing. Paper in this process, according to Business 2 Community, increases the chance of it being misplaced. Misplacement leads to disagreements and time lost. Instead, document management can enable a nearly flawless receipt system that avoids these kinds of obstacles.

Many of the issues that employees face with invoices can be eliminated with invoice automation. Records of receipt can’t be lost with document management software, which means that if a client receives it, the sender will know.

This makes for less disputes and better processing, and the source also highlighted how it is less expensive to have invoice processing in place rather than continuing to print paper invoices.

Digital documentation can provide various solutions for companies that are looking to improve processes and develop better relationships between employees and clients. Challenges like lost paperwork and time are easy to avoid when it’s all organized digitally—and offices have more room when they’re lacking those bulky filing cabinets.