Corporate Document Scanning: The New Approach To Archiving

By Loris F. Anders


Transactions and other business processes require a paper trail. This is part of the law, and is also necessary for bookkeeping or tax purposes. In the past, this would have entailed the use and disposal of vast amounts of paper. However, the modern trend is to optimize office performance through the use of corporate document scanning, electronic document archiving and document cloud solutions.

Paperless office methods make running the office more efficient. It is possible to lose or mistakenly throw away hard copies of documents. This does not happen to computer files or back-up disks. Working with and transmitting paperwork on the internet takes less time than relying on paper copies. Electronic documentation is also of a higher standard because copies on screen haven't been distorted by a faulty printer.

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.

The stationery costs of paper-based methods are lower or practically absent in a paperless office. Computers also give staff more options in handling and producing documents. This makes branding more prominent and gives the organization a better professional image.

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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