Admin is one of the cornerstones of any successful business, it might be tedious, but it is necessary. However, in recent years there has been a push for businesses to go paperless – or as paperless as possible. This has been a big adjustment for a lot of people, especially those with limited knowledge of digital processes or a lack of confidence in their computer skills. However, a few simple tips and tricks can prove invaluable for those making the effort to go paperless.
Storing the Files
In order to develop a solid online filing system, you need to think about where you are filing or storing the paperwork itself. Is it all going to be saved to the work computer? This is not necessarily recommended because computers can crash, files can corrupt, and they can be lost. Instead, it is better to save your files extraneously either to an external hard drive or upload them onto a digital platform like Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive. Using a cloud-based file storage system is one of the better choices because they often automatically back up the files saved, which reduces the possibility of losing files. This also means that the files can be accessed regardless of what computer is being used.
Labelling the Folders
The next thing to think about is where all of the documents are going to go. They need to be tucked away into different folders; the likelihood is that they will need to be referred back to at some point which means you need to be able to find them somewhat easily. This is why labelling the folders well matters. It helps to avoid confusion. Create folders for each of your different subsets of files; you can make the folders broader depending on the topics needed, then use different subfolders within the folder to further differentiate.
Uploading the Documents
Creating the infrastructure is arguably the biggest task. After having decided where the documents are going to be stored and where exactly you are going to file them, it is time to begin uploading the documents. Some of the documents might already exist in the digital space, and it will simply be a case of assigning them the right folder and file name. If you have multiple versions of the same document, then you can merge together PDFs to create a singular file that is often smaller and more compact.
If the files do not currently exist in a digital format, you can either create them using your paper files, although this can be incredibly time-consuming, although it might be easier should they need updating or amending in any way. If you simply need to keep copies to refer back to, it might be easier to scan the documents to upload them into your digital filing system. You can scan them or even just take pictures of them if you only need to be able to read them. Digitalising documents can take a lot of time which is why there needs to be a system in place. Prioritise the most important pieces and work your way backwards.
Other documents will already exist in the digital space because they are created by third parties. This means things like invoices or financial statements. It is worth downloading them and saving them into their own folders within the filing system so that there is an easily accessible copy. It also makes sense to have a personal copy should something happen to the other digital copy, although admittedly, this is unlikely. These statements are often released on a monthly basis which can go hand-in-hand with your maintenance efforts.
Maintaining the System
The work doesn’t stop once the system is in place; it needs regular maintenance. as mentioned above, statements should be downloaded upon release around once a month. You should also set up a station for paperwork that needs to be scanned and uploaded and clear that once a month. Finally, it is also worth setting up temporary files of documents that can be deleted when they are no longer of use to avoid clogging up your system and taking up room.
What to do With the Physical Copies
It might be worth keeping a few physical copies of the most important pieces. For example, any official documents that speak directly to the legality and legitimacy of the business. The rest of the documents can be disposed of after use. The best way to dispose of the documents is to shred, burn or otherwise destroy them. Otherwise, they are vulnerable and could be used for fraudulent activities.
The Takeaway
Filing paperwork digitally is a quicker and easier alternative to keeping paper copies. However, it does require forethought to ensure that the digital system makes sense and is easy to navigate for all the necessary parties. Therefore, take on board the above advice to ensure that transition to a paperless workplace is as seamless as possible.
