Organizing Paperwork

If there is one thing every type of business and every size company have in common, it’s paperwork. Despite the push toward a paperless society, we seem to be generating more paper documents than ever. This isn’t just bad for the environment; it can become an organizational nightmare. Fortunately, there are some things you and your employees can do.Digitize often used forms. If your company has certain forms it uses a lot, scan them in and turn them into dynamic PDFs. They can then be stored, filled out, and faxed, emailed, or printed right from your computer. This saves time and cuts down on waste-no more having to throw a form away and start again because of a mistake, and because they can be faxed or emailed right from the computer, you save on paper and ink costs. As an added bonus you’ll have clean, easy-to-read forms. No more having to decipher someone’s sloppy handwriting!Keep receipts under control. You and your employees probably have receipts for everything from a major equipment purchase to yesterday’s lunch. These papers, some of them small and entirely too easy to lose, end up everywhere-everywhere, that is, except when they are needed for that expense report or tax return. To keep receipts organized, accessible, and under control, invest in a small sheet-fed scanner and get in the habit of scanning all of you receipts soon after you receive them. They can be saved as images or PDFs and organized by date or type. Now you’ll have all your receipts at your fingertips when it’s time for taxes or if an expense report is questioned. Dump the sloppy originals in the recycle bin or if you feel the need to keep them, file them away in a properly labeled envelope.Deal with your mail. It’s easy to let it just pile up but eventually you’ll regret it. Get in the habit of sorting it right away. Makes sure junk mail gets tossed right away and take care of anything important promptly. File the rest in a sturdy mail sorter or use a flatbed scanner to scan and store brochures, postcards, and anything else you don’t want to lose.Digitize business cards. Instead of relying on a dusty Rolodex or trying to carry around a case full of business cards, digitize them. Use a business card scanner to scan in every card you receive. The software will add the data to your contact list for you, making the task of having an up to date contact list nearly effortless. You can also digitize your own business cards and add them to emails and posts on websites to make networking a breeze.With a little effort, and the right document scanners and document management software, organizing your business paperwork can be simple and rewarding. Being organized will pay off the next time you have to do taxes, fill out or defend an expense report, or need to contact a vendor or colleague you haven’t talked to in awhile!