- Paperless Document Software
- Personal Paperless Document Manager
- Paperless Document Management
- Paperless Document Storage Software
- A document management system is an important part of a paperless home office. Like paper, digital or electronic documents need to be stored so they can be retrieved and used as needed. To have an effective paperless office, you need a system to manage these necessary documents. However, no office can be completely paperless.
- Simply drag and drop them into Paperless. With Paperless, creating digital records and organizing them is easy and intuitive. Document Manager'.
Download and install the best free apps for Document Management Software on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android from CNET Download.com, your trusted source for the top software picks. Digital documents manager. There is a HUGE FLAW with cropping in Paperless! Again and it simply does not have the features which make a paperless.
A paperless office (or paper-free office) is a work environment in which the use of paper is eliminated or greatly reduced. This is done by converting documents and other papers into digital form, a process known as digitization. Proponents claim that 'going paperless' can save money, boost productivity, save space, make documentation and information sharing easier, keep personal information more secure, and help the environment. The concept can be extended to communications outside the office as well.
Definition[edit]
The paperless world was a publicist's slogan, intended to describe the office of the future. It was facilitated by the popularization of video display computer terminals like the 1964 IBM 2260. An early prediction of the paperless office was made in a 1975 Business Week article.[1] The idea was that office automation would make paper redundant for routine tasks such as record-keeping and bookkeeping, and it came to prominence with the introduction of the personal computer. While the prediction of a PC on every desk was remarkably prophetic, the 'paperless office' was not. Improvements in printers and photocopiers made it much easier to reproduce documents in bulk, causing the worldwide use of office paper to more than double from 1980 to 2000.[2] This was attributed to the increased ease of document production[2] and widespread use of electronic communication, which resulted in users receiving large numbers of documents that were often printed out. However, since about 2000, at least in the US, the use of office paper has leveled off and is now decreasing, which has been attributed to a generation shift;[2] younger people are believed to be less inclined to print out documents, and more inclined to read them on a full-color interactive display screen. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average office worker generates approximately two pounds of paper and paperboard products each day.[3]
The term 'The Paperless Office' was first used in commerce by Micronet, Inc., an automated office equipment company, in 1978.[4]
History[edit]
Keep google. Traditional offices have paper-based filing systems, which may include filing cabinets, folders, shelves, microfiche systems, and drawing cabinets, all of which require maintenance, equipment, considerable space, and are resource-intensive. In contrast, a paperless office could simply have a desk, chair, and computer (with a modest amount of local or network storage), and all of the information would be stored in digital form. Speech recognition and speech synthesis could also be used to facilitate the storage of information digitally.
Once computer data is printed on paper, it becomes out-of-sync with computer database updates. Paper is difficult to search and arrange in multiple sort arrangements, and similar paper data stored in multiple locations is often difficult and costly to track and update. A paperless office would have a single-source collection point for distributed database updates, and a publish-subscribe system. Modern computer screens make reading less exhausting for the eyes; a laptop computer can be used on a couch or in bed. With tablet computers and smartphones, with many other low-cost value-added features like video animation, video clips, and full-length movies, many argue that paper is now obsolete to all but those who are resistant to technological change. eBooks are often free or low cost compared to hard-copy books.
Others argue that paper will always have a place because it affords different uses than screens.[5]
Environmental impact of paper[edit]
Some believe that paper product manufacturing contributes significantly to deforestation and man-made climate change, and produces greenhouse gases. Others argue that paper product manufacturing, especially in North America, supports the ecological and economic balance of sustainable forestry. According to the 2018 American Forest & Paper Association Sustainability Report, paper manufacturing decreased greenhouse gas emission by 20% in an eleven-year period[6].[7] Measures such as recycling can help reduce the environmental impact of paper. Some paper production outside of North America may lead to air pollution with the release of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2),[8] and carbon dioxide (CO2). Waste water discharged from pulp and paper mills outside of North America may contain solids, nutrients, and dissolved organic matter that are classified as pollutants. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus can cause or exacerbate eutrophication of fresh water bodies.
Printing inks and toners are very expensive and use environment-damaging volatile organic compounds, heavy metals and non-renewable oils, although standards for the amount of heavy metals in ink have been set by some regulatory bodies.[9][which?]Deinking recycled paper pulp results in a waste slurry, sometimes weighing 22% of the weight of the recycled wastepaper, which may go to landfills.[10]
Eliminating paper via automation and electronic forms automation[edit]
The need for paper is eliminated by using online systems, such as replacing index cards and rolodexes with databases, typed letters and faxes with email, and reference books with the internet.[11] Another way to eliminate paper is to automate paper-based processes that rely on forms, applications and surveys to capture and share data. This method is referred to as 'electronic forms' or e-forms and is typically accomplished by using existing print-perfect documents in electronic format to allow for prefilling of existing data, capturing data manually entered online by end-users, providing secure methods to submit form data to processing systems, and digitally signing the electronic documents without printing.
The technologies that may be used with electronic forms automation include –
- Portable Document Format (PDF) – to create, display and interact with electronic documents and forms
- E-form (electronic form) management software – to create, integrate and route forms and form data with processing systems
- Databases – to capture data for prefilling and processing documents
- Workflow platforms – to route information, documents and direct process flow
- E-mail (electronics email) communication which allows sending and receiving information of all kinds and enable attachments
- Digital signature solutions – to digitally sign documents (used by end-users)
- Web servers – to host the process, receive submitted data, store documents and manage document rights
One of the main issues that has kept companies from adopting paperwork automation is difficulty capturing digital signatures in a cost-effective and compliant manner. The E-Sign Act of 2000 in the United States provided that a document cannot be rejected on the basis of an electronic signature and required all companies to accept digital signatures on documents. Today there are sufficient cost-effective options available, including solutions that do not require end-users to purchase hardware or software.
One of the great benefits of this type of software is that OCR (Optical character recognition) can be used, which enables the user to search the full text of any file. Additionally, user-defined tags can be added to each file to make it easier to locate certain files throughout the entire system.
Some paperless software offers a scanner, hardware and software and works seamlessly in separating and organizing important documents. Paperless software might also allow people to enable online signatures for important documents that can be used in any small business or office. Document management and archiving systems do offer some methods of automating forms. Typically, the point in which document management systems start working with a document is when the document is scanned and/or sent into the system. Many document management systems include the ability to read documents via optical character recognition and use that data within the document management system's framework. While this technology is essential to achieving a paperless office[11] it does not address the processes that generate paper in the first place.
Digitizing paper-based documents[edit]
Paperless Document Software
Another key aspect of the paperless office philosophy is the conversion of paper documents, photos, engineering plans, microfiche and all the other paper based systems to digital documents. Technologies that may be used for this include scanners, digital mail solutions, book copiers, wide format scanners (for engineering drawings), microfiche scanners, fax to PDF conversion, online post offices, multifunction printers and document management systems. Each of these technologies uses software that converts the raster formats (bitmaps) into other forms depending on need. Generally, they involve some form of image compression technology that produces smaller raster images or use optical character recognition (OCR) to convert a document into text. A combination of OCR and raster is used to enable search ability while maintaining the original form of the document. An important step is the labeling related to paper-to-digital conversion and the cataloging of scanned documents. Some technologies have been developed to do this, but they generally involve either human cataloging or automated indexing on the OCR document. However, scanners and software continue to improve with the development of small, portable scanners that are able to scan doubled-sided A4 documents at around 30-35ppm to a raster format (typically TIFF fax 4 or PDF).
An issue faced by those wishing to take the paperless philosophy to the limit has been copyright laws. These laws may restrict the transfer of documents protected by copyright from one medium to another, such as converting books to electronic format.
Securing and tracing documents[edit]
As awareness of identity theft and data breaches became more widespread, new laws and regulations were enacted, requiring companies that manage or store personally identifiable information to take proper care of those documents. Paperless office systems are easier to secure than traditional filing cabinets,[12][citation needed] and can track individual accesses to each document.
Difficulties in adopting the paperless office[edit]
A major difficulty in 'going paperless' is that much of a business's communication is with other businesses and individuals, as opposed to just being internal. Electronic communication requires both the sender and the recipient to have easy access to appropriate software and hardware. Costs and temporary productivity losses when converting to a paperless office are also a factor, as are government regulations, industry standards, legal requirements, and business policies which may also slow down the change. Businesses may encounter technological difficulties such as file format compatibility, longevity of digital documents, system stability, and employees and clients not having appropriate technological skills.
For these reasons, while there may be a reduction of paper, some uses of paper will likely remain indefinitely.[13] However, a 2015 questionnaire[14] suggested that nearly half of small/medium-sized businesses believed they were or could go paperless by the end of that year. Blogtouch for blogger 1 8 0.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'The Office of the Future', Business Week (2387): 48–70, 30 June 1975
- ^ abc'Technological comebacks: Not dead, just resting', The Economist, 9 October 2008
- ^'Wastes – Resource Conservation – Common Wastes & Materials – Paper Recycling'. US Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
- ^The Paperless Office Trademark Registration, United States Patent and Trademark Office, retrieved 13 December 2015
- ^Sellen, A. J., & Harper, R. H. R. (2003). The myth of the paperless office. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press
- ^'American Forest & Paper Association 2018 Sustainability Report'(PDF). American Forest & Paper Association.
- ^'American Forest & Paper Association Sustainability Report'. American Forest & Paper Association. 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^'Air Pollutants of Concern'. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
- ^'Archived copy'(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 8 May 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)[full citation needed]
- ^'Recycling Paper and Glass'. US Department of Energy. September 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2007.
- ^ abWalker, Richard (7 August 2009), 'Achieving The Paperless Office'(PDF), Efficient Technology Inc, archived from the original(PDF) on 23 December 2018, retrieved 4 September 2009
- ^'E-Office: An Eco-friendly Advent of Cloud Computing Technology'. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- ^Sellen, A. J., & Harper, R. H. R. (2003). The myth of the paperless office. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press.
- ^'Nearly Half of Businesses are or could go Paperless in 2015'. margolis.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
Further reading[edit]
- Sellen, Abigail J.; Harper, Richard H. R. (2001), The Myth of the Paperless Office, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States: The MIT Press, ISBN0-262-19464-3 - discusses limitations of the paperless office, and the valuable role paper can play for knowledge workers.
- Gladwell, Malcolm (25 March 2002), 'The Social Life of Paper', The New Yorker
External links[edit]
- The Paper Free Office – dream or reality?AIIM Market Intelligence
Personal Paperless Document Manager
Do you want to go paperless?
Your answer might be 'Yes!', or it could be a solid 'Maybe. It depends.'
If your answer is 'Absolutely Not!', you might be on the wrong website. I'm happy to have you though. You're always welcome.
Paperless Document Management
I'm Brooks Duncan, creator of DocumentSnap. Whether you're new to the idea of going paperless or you just want to pick up a few tips to up your game, this page is for you.
What Going Paperless Is Not
Paperless Document Storage Software
'Paperless' is a bit of a loaded word. To be honest, I am not a big fan of it, but it's the word that everyone uses so here we are.
This is one of those cases where it is helpful to define what something isn't before we can define what it is:
1. Going paperless is NOT getting rid of every piece of paper in your life.
Even if you want to do this, it is probably not going to happen. Don't feel bad because you still use paper for some things, and don't be frustrated because your spouse or partner still likes to print out paper calendars and tape them to your fridge (that last one was a reminder to myself).
2. Going paperless does NOT mean you have to give up your notebooks or paper books.
I get it. You are more creative when you write in a notebook. You love the feel of a nice pen across artisanal paper. You prefer to jot notes in the margin and underline and highlight. There's nothing you like better than unplugging and curling up with a paper book.
Going paperless (at least the way I think of it) does not mean you can't do these things. Best free casino. I've been known to shock people by pulling out a notebook myself:
(Yes, a friend took this picture because she was so shocked that Mr. Paperless was using paper. I guess I have a reputation.)
3. Going paperless does NOT mean that your bills will go unpaid.
There are things you can do to make sure you still pay your bills even without them stacking up on your desk.
4. Going paperless does NOT mean you will lose all your documents in a hard drive crash.
I mean, you could. You could also have a fire or flood (I hope you don't!) and lose all your physical paper too. As a smart DocumentSnap reader, you will put things in place so a hard drive crash becomes as uneventful as possible.
Here are some things I learned from a computer failure.
What Is Going Paperless?
So with that out of the way, what IS going paperless?
To me, going paperless is about being more mindful of the paper that you use, and being more mindful of the paper that you keep.
I like to think about it like I am giving every piece of paper a job: if I am going to use it or if I am going to keep it, it has to be doing something for me.
Why Go Paperless?
Everyone has their own reasons. Usually, when you hear about going paperless, you hear about going green or having a clean desk or reducing storage space. Understand 5 1 977 00.
If those are important to you, awesome!
My initial goal for going paperless was to reduce storage space, but over time I have found that the biggest benefit is having access to the document that I need, right when I need it. It's very empowering.
The Three Steps To Go Paperless
Going paperless is simple, but it may or may not be easy. At its core, here is what is involved:
- Capture: Take your paper and make it electronic. This is usually done with a document scanner, but you can use your mobile device in a pinch.
- Organize: Make it so that you can actually find these documents when you need it.
- Protect: Make sure your electronic documents are backed up and secure.
I've created a Paperless Cheat Sheet for you that lists out the tools, hardware, and software I recommend to get all this done. Get it here.
How Will DocumentSnap Help?
1 – The Blog
The DocumentSnap Blog has been around since 2008 and has a lot (and I mean a lot) if information on going paperless. I post about two articles a week. Here are some of the most popular posts of all time:
2 – The Newsletter
Every two weeks I produce Paper Cuts, the DocumentSnap newsletter. In every issue there is an actionable tip to help you on your paperless journey.
People seem to really like it, and every year a large percentage asks me to send it more frequently. How many email newsletters do you hear that about?
If you're interested, you can sign up here:
3 – The Guides
Occasionally I produce guides for people who would like some extra help. Here are a few of them (as you can see, I'm not the most clever at naming things):
- Paperless Security Guide: A great place to start. The most important part of going paperless is making sure your documents are protected. Here's how to do it.
- Unofficial ScanSnap Setup Guide: The Fujitsu ScanSnap is the scanner I use, and I put together this easy to read Guide to help you make the most of it.
- Paperless Document Organization Guide: A guide to naming, organizing, and finding your paperless documents.
You Can Start (Or Re-Start) Now
Like any other change, there is never a perfect time to start. There will always be one more thing to wait for.
Chances are, you don't have the perfect setup yet. This was what my desk looked like when I started going paperless and started DocumentSnap:
My desk didn't even have legs! It was held up by boxes!
I wrote about my workspace change here, but my point is – since there will never be a perfect time or circumstance to get started, you might as well just get started now.
And if you've tried to go paperless in the past and it didn't stick? Not a problem. It's a great time to give it another go.
Just start with whatever scanning device you have (you can upgrade later), create a simple filing structure (you can improve later) and make sure everything is backed up (that one can't wait until later). Then improve as you go.
Thank you so much for visiting DocumentSnap. I look forward to hearing about your paperless success.
1 – The Blog
The DocumentSnap Blog has been around since 2008 and has a lot (and I mean a lot) if information on going paperless. I post about two articles a week. Here are some of the most popular posts of all time:
2 – The Newsletter
Every two weeks I produce Paper Cuts, the DocumentSnap newsletter. In every issue there is an actionable tip to help you on your paperless journey.
People seem to really like it, and every year a large percentage asks me to send it more frequently. How many email newsletters do you hear that about?
If you're interested, you can sign up here:
3 – The Guides
Occasionally I produce guides for people who would like some extra help. Here are a few of them (as you can see, I'm not the most clever at naming things):
- Paperless Security Guide: A great place to start. The most important part of going paperless is making sure your documents are protected. Here's how to do it.
- Unofficial ScanSnap Setup Guide: The Fujitsu ScanSnap is the scanner I use, and I put together this easy to read Guide to help you make the most of it.
- Paperless Document Organization Guide: A guide to naming, organizing, and finding your paperless documents.
You Can Start (Or Re-Start) Now
Like any other change, there is never a perfect time to start. There will always be one more thing to wait for.
Chances are, you don't have the perfect setup yet. This was what my desk looked like when I started going paperless and started DocumentSnap:
My desk didn't even have legs! It was held up by boxes!
I wrote about my workspace change here, but my point is – since there will never be a perfect time or circumstance to get started, you might as well just get started now.
And if you've tried to go paperless in the past and it didn't stick? Not a problem. It's a great time to give it another go.
Just start with whatever scanning device you have (you can upgrade later), create a simple filing structure (you can improve later) and make sure everything is backed up (that one can't wait until later). Then improve as you go.
Thank you so much for visiting DocumentSnap. I look forward to hearing about your paperless success.
PS: I've created a Paperless Cheat Sheet Excentro 1 9 26 commentary. for you that lists out the tools, hardware, and software I recommend to get all this done. Get it here.
Brooks Duncan
Vancouver, Canada
