Saturday 16 August 2014

Corporate Document Scanning: Revolutionizing The Paper Trail

By Loris F. Anders


Companies and other institutions are officially required to have a paper trail for all their transactions. This is often a legislated requirement, and also essential in dealing with accountants and tax advisers. Until the introduction of modern computers, the paper trail entailed thousands of pages of paperwork, much of which was eventually thrown away. Office operations can now be made easier by making use of corporate document scanning, computer-based record systems and online document cloud facilities.

A paperless office makes administration much easier, and also saves time. Paper records might be misplaced or accidentally discarded. This is not possible on a computer hard-drive if the files have been backed up. Processing and sending paperwork electronically is faster than using hard copies. The quality of the documents is also higher, because nothing is lost in printing them.

The document cloud concept is based on websites that make storage space available to their subscribers. The latter's files are then stored on the site, and not on their physical premises. This is a safer method of backing up records than physical paper or disks, since the cloud archives cannot ordinarily be stolen, harmed or lost. A basic technique of backing up files in this way is to e-mail them to a specially created e-mail address.

Attention to detail is imperative in corporate documentation. Paperwork of a legal nature needs to be entirely accurate, and remain so even if it is sent to other people. Printing and faxing sometimes make this difficult. The quality of a company's documents has an impact on its reputation, so electronic systems guarantee a favorable impression.

Archiving is also important to customer satisfaction. No-one likes to be told that their file is missing or that important papers have been lost or damaged. This is a common occurrence in older, paper-based systems. Electronic archiving can contain thousands of records or several years of paperwork, in a form that is easy to access and search and that fits on the desktop. The professional image of the organization is maintained by the swift and accurate resolution of administrative queries.

Stationery as a budget item is reduced or almost removed through the use of paperless office methods. Computer software presents employees with many more possibilities in putting together documents, so that the company's brand and service to its customers are easier to emphasise and promote.

Any business should look at changing to a paperless office environment. In addition to the reduced expense, customers experience faster turn-around times and staff devote less time to paperwork and correspondence. Paperless operations are a part of the modern economy, and it is advisable to convert to this model, or management may find that communication with other role-players in the industry, who may already have done so, becomes more difficult.




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