First it’s worth establishing what it actually means to go paperless in your business. The process involves the digitisation of traditionally paper-based processes (like forms, inspections etc), then proceeding to capture and store the same information digitally.
It’s widely encouraged in practice due to the reduction in environmental damage that comes with paper production and consumption, alongside the potential efficiency gains of having one place where everything is stored and completed. But, easier said than done, right?
‘Going paperless sounds it could be a lot of effort'
Unfortunately there’s a lot more to it than just creating an Excel spreadsheet and calling it a day. Going truly paperless involves establishing robust and secure systems that work the way your team works, all while making sure they still fulfil the full needs of the original paper-based process.
Introducing a transformational change in general, even in a small business, can be incredibly daunting. But, if you can achieve your transformational goal, that’s where your processes will truly come to life.
Why you should care about going paperless?
It’s more than just saving trees. Whilst that’s an admirable goal nonetheless, there are numerous benefits to establishing digital processes.
To name a few:
- Paperwork being damaged or lost.
- Paper-based processes just being inefficient.
- No way to interpret and manage information captured at scale.
- Paper costing a fortune.
There’s certainly value in going paperless if your business can achieve it.
‘Sounds great.. where do I start?’
Sometimes starting with small incremental changes moves the needle more than you think. If you want to do things in-house, start by understanding what your business needs to digitise (what’s costly, error-prone, high-risk), then pick one process out of these to digitise as a trial run.
You’ll get a good understanding from this of where there’s challenges or where things fall through, and then you’ll have learnings to roll other processes out more aggressively and successfully. You’ll also quickly understand where there might be friction in the business (because not everyone likes adopting new processes). But once people see the value it adds to their day-to-day, you’ll be on to a winner.
What to do if you don’t have time for this
If you’re limited on time or technical knowledge, try looking at a form builder or data capture software instead of doing things yourself. They’ll come with a subscription fee, but they’re likely to solve all your problems fast with their pre-built platform. You can go paperless faster, with significantly fewer headaches.
What does a Form Builder or Data Capture Software do?
These are typically no-code, pre-built tools that let you log in to a full system on a subscription basis (typically charged by seat). They make it significantly easier to start digitising processes, as they’ll offer a way to create your forms digitally and then send them out to staff via email or an app. Upon completion they go back on the system.
Data capture tools tend to be more suited to data-orientated teams, as they’re designed not just to create digital forms, but for reporting and integration purposes too. Pricing varies — some are free, or purpose-built for certain sectors but limited in functionality — so you just have to be careful the software covers off all your requirements.
Choosing the right tool for the job
What matters most — and how you successfully go paperless — is finding a tool that works for your business, not the other way around. It’s no good if the software doesn’t let you digitise what you need. A few things to keep in mind:
- Does it fit your whole business? This trips people up when a form builder is purpose-built — it might work for a certain department or industry, but it likely won’t fit your whole business. Same goes for free tools: some elements might work well, but you’ll likely be limited in the features that make completely paperless working achievable.
- Will you and your team actually use it? There’s your experience and your employees’ experience to think about — if either hate using the tool, this leads to friction and a lack of real adoption.
- Does it properly replace paper? This is one of the big ones. It’s no good if you need mobile signal and your teams work out in the field — they might as well use paper!
Making Paperless Working A Success
So now you have an inkling of what going paperless is, why you should explore it, and how to start taking steps to achieve paperless working. The key to making this a success is making sure you drive the change forward, and have SLT buy-in. Just remember that whilst it might sound daunting, once you build this into your process you’re sure to see gains in all areas of your business.
You can check out the articles below that explore each facet in more detail, ensuring you’re in the best position possible to start your digital transformation.