{"id":4630,"date":"2013-12-02T21:44:57","date_gmt":"2013-12-02T21:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.investintech.com\/resources\/blog\/?p=4630"},"modified":"2021-11-10T12:26:46","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T12:26:46","slug":"paperless-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.investintech.com\/resources\/blog\/archives\/4630-paperless-office.html","title":{"rendered":"Putting The Paperless Office Into Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Creating<\/p>\n

Image Source: \u00a0Ajaxunion.com<\/a><\/h6>\n

You\u2019re all familiar with the concept of the \u201cpaperless office.\u201d \u00a0Who isn\u2019t? It\u2019s the ideal workplace where everything is done digitally. No recycling boxes, no shredders. Although we\u2019re a lot closer to that efficient digital office than we were 10 years ago, it\u2019s no surprise that getting to \u201cpaper zero\u201d is tough.<\/p>\n

True, our technologically oriented world makes it easy to go paperless wherever we can. Free online tools, integrated cloud services and accessible networks make digitizing workflows simple. Even basic things like drafting documents and communicating with colleagues are already being done digitally with MS Word and email.<\/p>\n

And we know that the widely used PDF format makes the transition to a paperless office simple. Lawyers, accountants, and business professionals use the format on a daily basis for legal briefs, bank statements, and official contracts, respectively. The format is secured, credible, robust and accessible.\u00a0 Anyone can easily reuse and edit PDF content by converting it, if needed.<\/p>\n

Moreover, paperless offices are appealing because it cuts down on costs.\u00a0 Fees and budgets associated with printing cartridges, file storage, and shredding services can be eliminated. Our mobile driven world is essentially about being paperless, too. Everything can be done on the go without pen or paper with free or low cost apps.<\/p>\n

\u2026But We Still Need Paper!<\/b><\/h2>\n

Yet, there are still some things that will always require paper. As one marketing ad<\/a> reminds us, there are no substitutes for toilet paper!<\/p>\n

In fact, a manufacturer of uncoated free sheet paper in North America, launched an advertizing campaign against the growing trend of digital offices known as PaperBecause<\/a>. And just as the phrase implies, they provide reasons for using paper.<\/p>\n

They point out one obvious fact: we still need paper. It\u2019s true. We\u2019re still attached to it. We still write up phone messages on a sticky note, we still read printed pages, we still use photocopiers.<\/p>\n

Finding Common Ground: The Paper-e<\/em>fficient<\/i> Office<\/b><\/h2>\n

Yet, the humorous videos also make another thing clear. The digital switch is still a work in progress and, fortunately, isn\u2019t about keeping paper around permanently or about abolishing paper altogether. Rather, it\u2019s all about developing a paper-efficient<\/i> office first.<\/p>\n

So before you start getting withdrawal symptoms from going cold turkey on trying to cut your paper usage completely, take your lead from a few of the following tips to make an effective transition:<\/p>\n