A paperless filing system can be a great addition to an office that has a lot of documentation. It can be expensive to initially purchase the software, but with these simple tips you can make the most of your paperless filing system and get a higher ROI.
1.
Define what you want it to accomplish
. Having a set purpose will help you better establish and organize your paperless filing system for your specific needs. Every company has different objectives for their paperless filing system. What works for some does not necessarily work for others. Make sure you know what you want so you can choose the right system, set it up, and implement it to fit your needs, with the security, organization, and extra features unique to your business.
2.
Create a standardized structure for your electronic files
. Setting naming conventions, saving conventions, and organization conventions early will help make your paperless filing system more effective. Create template documents and some form of standardization to make efficiently using your paperless filing system possible and probable.
3.
Audit files regularly
. Use your paperless filing system to refine your marketing strategy, communicate more effectively, and determine what you are doing right and wrong. Having a paperless filing system will allow you to have a better-organized system for evaluating your office needs.
4.
Get the right equipment
. Scanners, shredders, and a networking tools will help you make the most of paperless filing systems. The software is important, but it requires hardware, too. If you want to make the most of your paperless filing system, you have to have the tools to back it up.
5.
Integrate with email, faxes, web pages, etc
. One of the best ways to make the most of paperless filing systems is to get it integrated with all of the programs you use, including Word, WordPerfect, and other specialized software. In addition to the various programs your business uses, integrate it with email, fax, and saved web pages.
6.
Train your staff and communicate with clients
or anyone else that will be using this system. The very best thing you can do to make the most of your paperless filing system is take the time to not just set standardized conventions for your office staff and various departments, but also to train everyone on how to use it and what you expect. Overcoming any opposition to a paperless system early on, and training everyone how to use it, even clients or third parties (such as those you bill or communicate with), will mean that all the bells, whistles, and extra features do not go to waste.
