For decades, filing cabinets and paper documents have been the way to organize information at home or in an office. However, times have changed. More and more businesses are nowadays realizing that paper is an inefficient and expensive way to manage their information. So, they are turning to services like electronic signatures and cloud storage that have the tools they need to be more efficient. However, going paperless doesn’t happen overnight. It requires time and effort. Fortunately, the transition is easy as long as you are committed.
You can go paperless in 2020. Here are some ways to do it:
Embrace the Cloud
Nearly 50% of all printed documents are thrown away the same day. The mass amount of paper use is wasteful, such as hard copies of forms to be signed, printing duplicate copies for team meetings, printing emails, etc. Because of this, more and more businesses are embracing the cloud as it allows them to store documents digitally and share them across desktops, mobile phones, and tablets without a hard copy in sight. Many companies, as well as clients, are now familiar with the likes of Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, etc. These cloud services allow you to retrieve documents on-the-go. There are some services that allow you to access and retrieve documents from a number of cloud storage services, including Citrix ShareFile, Egnyte, Microsoft SkyDrive, Evernote, etc.
Educate Staff to Enable a Paperless Culture
Having a digital/cloud-based tool alone is not enough. Your employees need to be motivated to use them. Understanding the implications of paper use and the impact of the paper industry on the environment can go a long way. Paper production is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions among local manufacturers.
Going paperless can have a great impact on your employees. Filling out forms manually increases risks for errors as well as slows the pace of business. This risk can be eliminated for a more secure, faster process if you embrace eSignatures. So, encourage your staff to enable a paperless culture and learn just what they could save by embracing electronic signatures. eSignatures streamline document workflow, increasing up to 60% of staff productivity.
Choose an Electronic Signature Provider That Complies With GDPR
If you plan on using eSignatures to go paperless, then make sure you play by the rules. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) serves to protect the personal data of people as well as its free movement. You must have explicit, valid consent for data collection and you should be able to prove that clients consented to opt-in. When searching for digital solutions to deal with consent challenges, it is recommended that you analyze and review whether approaches to contractual commitments and global regulations, for instance, deliver on the integrity and confidentiality that regulations require.
Final Word
Going paperless isn’t something that happens overnight. However, there are some steps you can take to make the transition easier. eSignatures are a great way to promote this. Not only do they help you go paperless, but they also increase document workflow efficiency and the company’s productivity. As long as you know the basics, you can use eSignatures with confidence, knowing that your signature is still a binding agreement.