"It’s not Rocket Science" is a phrase often used to describe something that really boils down to common sense. It is a phrase that works for the technology involved in a paperless office too. If you ask a few questions to a typical business owner, the answers seem pretty obvious:

Would you prefer to look for your documents in paper folders, filed (hopefully) in a room full of file cabinets, or would you prefer to use a filing system that provides immediate, secure access to all of your business documents in seconds.

Pretty obvious? Here are a few more:

Would you prefer to make a dozen paper copies of a document (that requires review) and then distribute those documents through company mail, or would you prefer to notify the participants electronically, and have them review and comment on the shared-access electronic image of the document, without printing or mailing anything?

Would you prefer to manually capture data from your forms (applications, surveys, sales orders, product orders) through key data entry personnel, or would you prefer to automatically ‘read’ the form data, at over 50 pates per minute, using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and have it automatically load a database?

Would you prefer to manually route your paperwork (e.g. applications, approval documents, design drawings) through processing steps and staff members, or would you prefer to have an automated system automatically route the electronic folder to the next available staff member, and put it in their queue of work, based on your own business rules?

When you put it like that, the answers are pretty obvious. But in today’s business world, people everywhere are working the old way, and not taking advantage of the technology that exists now to streamline basic business operations. The technology isn’t rocket science, either. On the other hand, most businesses are more interested in cutting costs and improving efficiency than in getting something into orbit.

In today’s business environment, there are a number of reasons to consider going paperless, some of which did not exist just a few years ago:

First, competition is tough. That isn’t new at all. But, the critical ability to work fast, and beat the competition to the market, is more important than ever. Being quick in getting things done requires organization and streamlined processes. Waiting for information, in whatever form it may be, just doesn’t cut it any more.

Second, the technology is ready. High speed scanners, powerful computers, reliable storage systems, and automated fax servers, all exist today and have been tested in a variety of applications. Document management system software is powerful, reliable, and open. There are systems marketed for the 2 person home office, all the way up to the global enterprise. Most packages now have programmer’s interfaces, allowing the features to be integrated seamlessly into your existing applications.

Finally, the cost is lower than ever. Competition in the marketplace for paperless office technology has brought pricing down on all fronts. Computers, scanners, and storage systems are faster, more reliable, and cheaper than ever before. Software applications take advantage of these strides in technology as well. Integrated applications that allow….

So, if you are a business or information technology manager, and you are looking at your business with an eye for better organization, and streamlined operations, then you should definitely consider going "paperless". It’s the way of the future.

Like any project, the implementation of paperless office technology will require some planning. Here are the steps that successful implementations usually take:

First, get familiar with the capabilities that are available. Go to a trade show, such as the AIIM show, or a local records management show, or just go to the web and search for "paperless office" and similar keywords. You could also contact a reseller or one of the vendors, and ask for an onsite, or online (via the internet) demonstration. From a little bit of research you can see what is available, and begin to determine what is critical, and what would just be nice to have. Also, in the initial stages, you should start to determine what your budget for a system could be.

The next step is to actually capture your requirements. Determine how many scanners would be needed, and how fast, to capture your incoming (or already filed) documents. What kinds of documents do you have? How many users require access? Do you require revision controls? Do you have form data to capture? Do your require web browser access or just networked computer access?

Next, get a bid for a system. Ensure that the system meets your specified requirements. Remember that your requirements may change over time. The system should not only meet todays requirements, but it should be expandable, to include the features that you may want to integrate into the future. The best approach is to start with your basic requirements, such as scanning, archive, search and retrieval, and then move into character recognition, web access, and production workflow.

Installation, Configuration, Conversion, and Cutover make up the next steps in the process. For a basic system, installation and configuration should take only a few days. If you have existing files that need conversion, or you have a database that should be used in the indexing of your online document repository, that should be done initially as well. These kinds of services are normally done by a reseller, not by the product vendor.

Training is key to the success of a document management system implementation. There is a discipline that is required to make the system useful. When the discipline is applied, you will ensure that all documents go into the repository. As time goes on, the repository will get more and more useful. Eventually, you will wonder how you did without the system at all. The more comfortable the staff is, the more the system will be used.

Finally, continuing support is highly recommended. Maintain the software support, so you receive upgrades throughout the year. Your system will get more and more valuable to you as you take advantage of all it’s capabilities. The vision of a truly paperless office is closer than you may think!

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