Going paperless really means cutting down on your paper consumption and converting most or all of your documents into electronic formats – even your paper archives. You can retain paper based versions if you legally or operationally need to. But the digital way of storing files and working with them is a far easier, quicker and cost-effective way than by using paper. More and more organizations across the world are adopting it. In fact, a recent survey* conducted by the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) found that the consumption of paper and the number of photocopies is decreasing in 35% of organizations. So how can you convert your small office into a paperless office?

Steps to achieving a paperless office

• Scan your paper archives as well as current, paper based documents
• Scan all incoming paper based documents
• Create new documents only in digital formats
• Store, index, organize, retrieve and edit documents using small business document management software
• Avoid printing documents unless there is no better way to share them
• Send fax messages to email addresses, rather than the standard, paper based way
• Back-up your document database using an online backup service. The document management software you choose (as suggested above) should allow such a back-up. Sohodox is one such software.

By following the above steps, you can make your small office more efficient.
Sohodox is a simple yet comprehensive software solution that can help you achieve a paperless office. Learn more about Sohodox

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* Source: “The Paper Free Office – dream or reality?” © 2012 AIIM – The Global Community of Information Professionals

We start off the white paper by looking at why you need to put a document management strategy in place before you choose your scanner. Then we discuss the various points you should consider while making your choice – daily scanning volume, technical specifications to look for, special features and warranty.

Read the white paper before you start shopping for a scanner. It will help you make an informed choice.

How to Choose a Scanner
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• Space
• Frequency of access
• Equipment
• Budget
• Supervision

We look into each of these points in some detail to help you make the correct decision. Read the white paper to make your archive scanning project a success!

Choosing between Onsite and Offsite Scanning of Paper Archives
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What is Earth Day?

Earth Day is a day observed around the world to create awareness for the Earth’s environment and to encourage conservation efforts. It was instituted in the United States in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson for this purpose. Earth Day is ‘celebrated’ on 22nd April every year. It was taken international in 1990 and today, more than 500 million people in 175 countries observe Earth Day. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day). Earth Day Network estimates that more than a billion people will participate in this year’s Earth Day. Join them!

Your small acts can make a big difference…here’s how:

• Get more information: Learn more about the our planet’s environment and why we need to protect it. Read articles, view videos and check out what real people like you have done to make our world cleaner, greener or safer to live in. Some good resources are Greening Your Business, 101 ways to conserve resources, 100 Ways You Can Save the Earth. Share your learnings with your family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues and others in your sphere of influence. Doing this will increase awareness levels among these people.
• Study environment-friendly best practices in your field: Research on ways that other small firms in your industry have adopted to go green and reduce their carbon footprint. You too could follow in their footsteps (or footprints!). Nowadays, businesses that adopt eco-friendly processes are considered progressive. You could also communicate your green initiatives to your prospects and existing customers. Customers often prefer doing business with such companies.
• Adopt the 3 R’s of conservation: Reduce your organization’s consumption of nonrenewable resources. Reuse material when you can, rather than throw it away after its intended use. Collect all material that can be recycled and send it to agencies that undertake recycling activities in your area. Learn more about the 3 R’s. Adopting these 3 R’s will help you lower your carbon footprint.
• Give paper a break! Convert your paper archives to digital formats. Scan all your current documents too. Resist the temptation to print or copy documents unless unavoidable.
• Get document management software: Small business software like Sohodox lets you scan and manage paper documents in simple ways. Not only is it eco-friendly, it is highly economical too. Read the white paper Measuring ROI on a Document Management System to learn how much.

This Earth Day you can make a determined effort to change for better the way you work. By using the tips discussed here, your firm can stand out as a progressive one, sending out positive signals to your existing as well as potential customers. Sohodox is an important tool that lets you do so.

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• Archives v/s current documents: scanning dilemma explained
• Factors influencing your decision
• One creative approach

Read the white paper to make sure you begin your paperless journey on a sure footing!

Paper Archives or Current Documents: Which to Scan First?
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While governments evacuate people from the sites of a natural disaster, what cannot escape with you to safety are your personal and business records that are in paper form. There have been several instances where people have returned when the situation improved – only to find all their records destroyed. You too might have stored your document archive in paper form – maybe in a disaster prone area. Are you sure your document database will be safe in the event of a natural disaster? Have you securely backed up your small business documents?

Here is a suggested 3-Step back-up plan for your documents:

1. Digitize your paper archive and current documents using a scanner and small business document management software like Sohodox.
2. Use the Backup and Restore feature in Sohodox to create a local backup of your document database.
3. Back up your document repository online using a good online backup service whose servers are not housed at a disaster prone location. Some online services store your data on multiple servers housed at different geographic locations. So even if disaster hits one of the servers, your documents would still be safe as they would also be stored on the other servers. The advantage of online backups is that when you’re back in business, you can quickly retrieve your documents and resume operations.

This backup plan will ensure that your documents (which may include legal records, customer information etc.) stay totally secure.

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• Set aside time to spring clean: Why not dedicate maybe one or two hours the last business day of every week to de-clutter your office? If you haven’t set time aside for this activity, you could easily forget it amidst your busy schedule.
• Re-visit your personal workspace: During this time, dig out your drawers, keyboard trays and the nooks and crannies – you might find old receipts or scraps of paper you no longer need. Shred them.
• Avoid adding to the paper pile: Resist the urge to print unless absolutely necessary. Want to jot down bits of information before writing that email? Use a program like Notepad instead of paper. Or reuse the other side of a printout or photocopy you no longer need to retain.
• Opt for e-bills and e-statements: The best thing about electronic documents is that after you have referred to them, you don’t need to “file them back!” Simply close the document and it’s out of your sight, but still in your database. Besides, every tree provides oxygen enough for 3 people to breathe (Source: North Carolina Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling). So by signing up for e-bills, you help save trees and improve the quality of the air we breathe.
• Create new documents in digital formats: No matter how much paper you scan, your paper pile won’t stop growing unless you start creating new documents in digital formats. The approach to take is this: scan your existing paper based documents (including letters and other documents that come from outside the office) and create all new documents in electronic formats. Then shred the paper documents when as soon as their retention period is over. If you have a large paper archive, you can take up its scanning as a separate project.

After having taken those 5 steps, make sure you organize your files in search friendly ways. One good way of managing your files is to use small business document management software. Sohodox is one solution that will help you digitize your paper based documents, import your existing digital documents (even email) and organize all of them systematically. You can then edit these documents and share them with other Sohodox users on your network.

Why not view a video of Sohodox in action and try Sohodox for free!

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• What is a maintenance subscription?
• How many maintenance subscriptions do you need to purchase?
• When and how will my Maintenance Subscription get activated?

If you are a Sohodox customer already and your maintenance subscription period has come to an end, renew it immediately! In the recent past, we have released several updates for Sohodox. If you would like to upgrade to the latest version but your maintenance subscription is no longer active, you will not be able to do so until you renew it. Refer to the FAQ section to learn more about Globodox maintenance subscriptions.

Learn more about Sohodox Maintenance Subscriptions

The Leap Year Offer

Get a 10% discount on every license of Sohodox you buy. Buying Sohodox gets more economical as you order more licenses. So if you buy license packs for more users, you stand to get greater discounts! To get the offer, write to us at sales@itaz.com.

Important!
The Leap Year Offer is available from Feb. 28 – March 1, 2012 only!

Manage your Small Office the Smarter Way
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• Identify department or process
• Identifying relevant features needed by each department (small businesses may not need advanced features)
• Evaluating the software solutions

You can get this white paper free. Read it to make a more informed decision about getting a document management solution that matches your needs.

Preparing for a Document Management System
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