| Is your office overrun with filing cabinets and piles of | | | | departments asking for information or copies of |
| paper? By going 'paperless' through the use of | | | | documents? Perhaps they just help themselves to |
| electronic filing, you can save time and reduce risk | | | | your files. If you allow other department personnel to |
| for your company. Today's computer software | | | | remove files, do you know which files and whether |
| makes this task easier than ever. | | | | they were returned? Searching, copying, sending and |
| Do file cabinets line your walls? | | | | re-filing paper documents takes time and resources. |
| Paper systems need space to live - and office space | | | | Once the copy has been sent, how do you notify |
| is expensive, whether in file cabinets or piles on | | | | the department of any updates? Personnel within |
| desks and floors. Paper is easily damaged by tearing, | | | | your organization may be using outdated information |
| spilled coffee or sticky lunch time fingers. | | | | to conduct critical business, which might create |
| Electronic files take little or no office space, are not | | | | undesirable results. |
| easily damaged and documents remain in the same | | | | With documents saved electronically, you can provide |
| condition as you originally received them. By storing | | | | specific individuals or departments direct access to |
| your files electronically, you can save money on the | | | | those documents. Most software programs provide |
| use of increasingly expensive office space for storing | | | | user passwords that are 'view only' allowing others to |
| paper files. | | | | see, but not change data. Personnel in other |
| Do you spend a lot of time looking for files? | | | | departments can search documents themselves and |
| Whether you have a strict or haphazard filing | | | | have access to the latest version whenever |
| system, paper has a way of disappearing. Perhaps | | | | necessary. |
| the document is just misfiled, but there is also the | | | | What would you do if a fire or flood destroyed your |
| possibility of accidental discarding or intentional | | | | documents? |
| 'borrowing' by someone who never returned the | | | | Crying is no longer the only option. Paper is easily |
| document to its original place. Looking for documents | | | | destroyed and unrecoverable. Lost contracts, |
| can consume precious time that could have been | | | | correspondence and other critical files can devastate |
| spent on productive activities. In the unfortunate | | | | a business. In addition to the enormous time it will |
| case where the document is not found, what | | | | take to reconstruct your files, there could be legal |
| happens next? You will either have incomplete | | | | ramifications if you need the document to prove |
| information to complete your task or spend time | | | | your case or enforce a policy or contract term. |
| contacting others in the hope that they have a | | | | Maintaining your files electronically provides a simple |
| copy? | | | | backup solution. Even if your computers are damaged |
| By storing your documents electronically, you can | | | | or destroyed, your I.T. department most likely has |
| access the needed document in seconds with a few | | | | implemented a regular backup and recovery program |
| computer key strokes. You also save time by not | | | | using offsite storage locations in case of disasters. |
| having to put the document back in the files. | | | | The files are quickly restored once new computers |
| Can you find your documents by more than one | | | | are installed - and your critical data stays intact. |
| search criteria? | | | | Where are your archived documents? |
| Paper files are generally managed and organized using | | | | Most paper files are archived after some period has |
| one system. What if you need to find information | | | | passed. The usual method is to store the files in |
| using some identifier other than the one you selected | | | | boxes at another location. Some companies even go |
| for your filing system? You could make a copy of | | | | through the time and cost of putting them on |
| the document and create a second filing system | | | | microfiche for easier archival access. Imagine what |
| resulting in the storage of more paper. Chances are | | | | happens when you need to find something in the |
| you spend additional time searching and perhaps | | | | archives for a critical audit or court case. Will you be |
| never locate the required information. | | | | spending the next several days going through boxes |
| Many computer systems provide electronic filing of | | | | of paper or microfiche? |
| attachments with multiple search options for locating | | | | Most document storage software programs provide |
| records. As an example, you could locate your | | | | the ability to store documents by date so that you |
| document by company name, contract number, | | | | have easy access to not only the most current |
| project number or contact name. | | | | version, but prior versions as well - all in the same |
| Can you control who has access to documents? | | | | place. Consideration is needed on how to archive |
| Are your file cabinets locked? If not, how do you | | | | computer data for future retrieval. You may want to |
| control access from other departments, late night | | | | consider tagging customers and documents as |
| visitors or even outside persons such as your | | | | inactive instead of deleting them if you believe there |
| cleaning company? What about documents left out in | | | | is the possibility you will need to access the data |
| the open on desks or floors? Unapproved viewing is | | | | later. |
| bad enough, but there is the real possibility that | | | | Creating a paperless office is no longer the wave of |
| documents could be removed without your | | | | the future, it is the current standard. Filing |
| knowledge - lost forever or used for unapproved | | | | electronically is important and within easy reach using |
| illegal activities. | | | | today's computer software. Depending on specific |
| Electronic files can be protected through passwords | | | | needs, there are software products which allow you |
| and user access rights. Many computer systems for | | | | to attach documents for historical reference, |
| sensitive data have audit trails indicating access | | | | whether through direct scanning or importing. An |
| activity, allowing tracking if it is necessary to monitor | | | | effective electronic filing system can save resources |
| access to critical information. | | | | and protect your company from a variety of |
| Do you need to share documents with other | | | | hazards, in addition to dramatically improving |
| departments? | | | | efficiency, reducing costs and streamlining operations. |
| Is your phone ringing with personnel from other | | | | |