For at least 30 years, the so-called paperless office has been "just over the horizon." But as many of you can attest, the opposite has happened in many businesses, with paperwork proliferating. A number of factors play into the increase in paperwork, including compliance with regulations, and work processes that require documented approval steps. But there are powerful ways to dramatically reduce paperwork without foregoing the compliance, security, or approval steps you need.
The average American office worker uses around 10,000 sheets of paper annually, so even a small business can invest a significant sum of money in paper and printing supplies. And speaking of printing, the average cost of printing a page is just over three cents, which can seriously add up over a year. You also have to store all those documents, and filing cabinets can be expensive and take up valuable office space that could be used better for other things. Workflow management software is a proven, practical solution to excessive paperwork. Workflow Management Software and Paper Reduction With the right workflow management solution, you can make your paper forms electronic. Moreover, when several forms are involved in a process, you can use your workflow management software to create workflows that ensure all forms and steps are accomplished and all approvals are logged. In addition to cutting down on paper usage, making forms and workflows electronics reduces your need for paper storage, since virtual documents are stored on servers, either on your premises or in the cloud. And when forms are made electronic, worries about lost, coffee-stained, or illegible forms disappear. The Positive Effects of Reduction in Paperwork What happens when you use workflow software to reduce paperwork? One survey found that switching to digital forms allows business owners to focus more on revenues since they and their workforce spend less time handling physical documents. Filling out electronic forms is faster, you won't run out of copies of electronic forms, and filing electronic forms digitally is significantly faster than doing so physically. Additionally, finding completed electronic forms for review is significantly faster. On average, making forms digital saves employees 11 hours per week and saves business owners six hours per week. It may not be the best idea to take all of your forms and workflows electronic at once. Most companies have a better experience when they identify one form or workflow to make electronic, implement it, and then monitor and measure results before developing more electronic workflows.
