Go Paperless In Your Office & Store In The Cloud

With so many companies still working remotely, we’ve been hearing from office managers and administrators about better ways to manage documents and storage. How can small and medium businesses adapt to remote working? Going paperless is a great first step. Let’s learn how to get rid of paper and start storing files in the cloud.

Remote working is here to stay

Even before COVID-19, remote working was growing in popularity. In fact, a reported 4 million Americans worked remotely in some capacity in 2018, and a majority of workers indicated a desire to work remotely at least part of the time. Fast forward to 2020, and remote working is widespread. A recent Gallup poll reports that 33% of Americans are always working remotely and two-thirds of those working remotely would like to continue doing so. In the U.S., major companies like Adobe and Facebook have announced the option for employees to continue working remotely. A global survey shows that the number of employees working remotely on a permanent basis will likely double in 2021.

Go paperless

With these trends on the rise and here to stay, it’s vital that remote teams continue to receive convenient digital access to workplace documents, files, and information. In fact, the ability to read and share these documents is essential in order for employees to perform their job duties completely and efficiently. So … what’s the first step toward accomplishing this? Going paperless! Here are five focus areas that can turn your office paper-free:

• Step 1: Statements and bills. Online statements and bills are an easy way to cut down on paper and administrative time. Plus, you’ll save money by avoiding postage and envelopes while improving the ease of tracking finances. Most bills can be paid online and there are many easy options (such as Square, PayPal, and QuickBooks) for implementing online bills for your customers or clients if you’re not currently doing so.
• Step 2: Internal documents. Stop printing out files and share them instead. Options like Google Docs and Google Sheets are free and intuitive to use. You can track changes, leave messages, and tag colleagues while enjoying continually automatic saves. Basecamp is another great service to use if your office doesn’t use Google Workspace.
• Step 3: Storage and file sharing. If you need to store large files or just a large quantity of files, a tool like Dropbox helps your organization, share, and store your important information.

• Step 4: Meeting printouts. If you’re having staff meetings, client meetings, or presentations, use digital handouts instead of printing out stacks of paper. Simply create your slides or reports as you normally would, but upload them to your file sharing tool. Then, by sharing a link your team will have easy access. Pro tip: If you create presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint, you can share a link with your audience without requiring them to print anything.

• Step 5: Scanning, faxing, and forms. Scanning and faxing may seem antiquated, but many industries still rely on these methods. Luckily, there are tools that can provide a digital solution, like TurboScan, which lets you scan documents using your camera and email pdfs. eFax.com is a good way to receive incoming faxes digitally. Lastly, most businesses need a way to submit or receive forms, including signatures. Whether you use a service like Adobe or DocuSign, there are plenty of options to create, fill out, and sign forms.
• Step 6: Convert old paper documents to digital formats. Once your new paperless systems are in place, convert your old paper records to a digital format. If you have a small quantity of documents, you may want to do this yourself. More likely, though, you have boxes and boxes of old records. DataSafe provides two different affordable document scanning options. Learn more about our document scanning!

What about online backup?

While some free tools may help your business with online backup, look to DataSafe for an enterprise-class backup solution that you can afford. If you need to replace a tape backup system or want to securely backup your remote servers and laptops, our solution is both streamlined and comprehensive. Simply install software on the servers or workstations that require backup, create an automated schedule, and let it run.

Save your most critical information off-site with our secure backup. All of your data is compressed and encrypted. Plus, your IT costs will be reduced since maintenance is simplified and you don’t need to purchase any hardware.

DataSafe has a solution!

Whether you need paper documents shredded, converted to a digital format, or backed up, contact DataSafe. Our variety of affordable, secure solutions are made for small- and medium-sized businesses. With our decades spent serving the Portland, Oregon area, we’ve become a trusted partner for local leaders in a wide variety of industries.