As a business owner, you likely spend a lot of time looking for ways to streamline your business activities, which could save you time in the future. One of the ways you can improve efficiency is by transferring all of your paperwork to digital documents. Many businesses are going paperless, and new services to help you accomplish it pop up all the time.
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But is it right for your business?
Pros of Digital Forms
Cost Savings
You may not have thought about the costs associated with paper forms. Printing them uses paper which you will have to replace often. If your paperwork contains sensitive information, you’ll need to find a way to shred it as well. Even storing the paper is expensive in the form of filing cabinets, office space or storage space. Going paperless eliminates all of these costs.
Time Savings
Having everything on your computer or in the cloud will save you the time of searching for paper forms. You can have instant access to any document or form, and you can then send it to anyone via email or simply by granting them access to the file.
Digital Forms Save Space
Digital forms are easy to store, manage, and distribute. Paper forms, however, require space. Whether you can get by with a filing cabinet or need an extra room in your office or even a storage unit, you’re going to need somewhere to store all that paper. By going paperless, you eliminate these space needs and you could even downsize your office space.
Cons of Digital Forms
Customers May Want Something on Paper
Some customers like to hold their order or receipt in their hands. They may feel slightly insecure if they walk out of your store or office empty-handed. It may be worth having some things on paper to grant your customers some peace of mind.
Digital Security
With anything kept on a computer or online, there’s always the risk of a cyber attack. Hackers can gain access to your documents, bring down your website or obtain your client’s personal information. It’s important to make sure your computer, website and files in the cloud all have excellent security measures attached to them.
Financial and Legal Businesses May Face Compliance Issues
Not all industries are suited for switching completely to digital forms. Financial and legal documents usually need a wet signature (a signature in ink). A copy or scan of the document will not always suffice, so these types of documents still need to be printed and stored.
Conclusion
The choice of whether to transition to a paperless office is an important one. For most businesses, the pros outweigh the cons. Modisoft can help you decide whether it’s right for your business and let you know how to get started.
