Accounting software has finally made it possible to run your enterprise more accurately, efficiently and cost-effectively from anywhere in the world. It even enables employees to process payments, create invoices and draft financial forecasts on the move.
As an increasing number of jobs can now be done outside the workplace, slimming down on costs within the office has become easier too. In fact, these days, smart business owners are taking full advantage of the popular paperless approach.
What It Entails
In its simplest form, it involves companies converting their physical documents into digital files. While this may sound like a major undertaking, we can show you how to do it in five steps:
- Do an audit of your current use of paper
The aim is to figure out when you’ve had to make hard copies, how many you need every month and how it affects your staff. If they’re spending lots of time printing advertising posters, annual reports and shipping documents, finding a better way to use these minutes could improve productivity and increase your sales.
- Determine an plan of action
Decide whether you’re going to begin reducing the amount of paper used in the entire company or merely one department at a time. We highly recommend that you get the input of your staff to figure out where would be best to start.
- Implement your desired changes
Take the first steps to going paperless by sorting through your existing files. Start by purchasing any necessary equipment or computer programs; then scan or retype what you plan to keep. If you start small, there should still be room for error and process tweaking.
- Train your team
While transferring documents onto a hard drive may be simple, there are more professional and sophisticated ways of going digital. For instance, a growing number of businesses are turning to accounting software and payroll software to manage their finances. Before you can give employees access to the program, basic training and an explanation of your goals is need.
- Keep at it
It might not be easy at first, but eventually the advantages of running your office this way begin to show. In the meanwhile, stick to your intentions and give the process time. You may need to make a few adjustments along the way, update your plan and perhaps even keep using paper for certain tasks. The aim is to find an efficient work process that benefits you and your company’s needs.
The Benefits of Going Paperless
Rest assured that the pros make up for the effort and initial expense. Furthermore, when you finally take the leap and implement this way of working, you can:
- Save money – Reducing your expenses, making money available to spend elsewhere.
- Boost staff productivity – Decreasing the time it takes to complete certain tasks, find document and update records.
- Reduce your used office space – Removing the need for bulky bookcases, shelves and filing cabinets.
- Keep confidential data secure – Ensuring your documents are password protected and even encrypted.
- Do your bit for the environment – The less paper everyone uses, the fewer trees are chopped down.
The Office of the Future
By incorporating just a few of these simple solutions at your organisation, everyone can enjoy the benefits of a neater, cheaper and more organised work space. All anyone would need is a desk, chair and computer. In fact, with sophisticated mobile devices and an internet connection, you could even run your business from the comfort of a couch using accounting software.