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Geekworld: From paper to chip
The goal of achieving a paperless office often seems elusive, but the thought makes us envision an efficient way of conducting business because all information is supposed to be stored and transferred electronically.
A true paperless office means less time spent in locating documents and reduced paper and printing costs, besides manageable distribution of paper documentation via CD and other storage devices. It also reduces storage costs greatly and decreases costs associated with dispatching the documents. In case of a mishap, a backup of client data is also easily available. In addition, there’s a low margin of error relating to data input.
In this hi-tech world, the pros of working in a paperless office over-ride its cons.
The following steps can help companies initiate a paperless office:
— Place priority on forms based on importance and frequency of use.
— Acquire scanners and Adobe Acrobat software to start digitizing hard copy data for storage.
— Attempt to standardize data by converting MS Office or Lotus-based documents into PDF format in order to take advantage of the additional options this software offers.
— Look for ways to distribute forms electronically rather than through hard copy.
Hurdles
Given the advantages of a paperless office, why aren’t we there yet? Here are the main reasons:
— Nothing can substitute something as portable, durable, simple and accessible as paper. Printed word seems to add some credibility and permanence to the information recorded. Users of paper documents (books, reports or letters) get a great deal of paralinguistic information from them at first glance.
The layout can indicate quality or aesthetic features. The way the text is broken up can help show the complexity of a document and the mere thickness of a book or report gives insight into its contents. The hypertext features of books with tables of contents, notes and indices make them ideal for non-linear reading. And of course, books smell good.
— Computer savvy individuals are reluctant to give up the convenience and low cost of paper for more cumbersome and costly digital display devices.
— Computers and high capacity printers increase paper usage ten-fold.
— Electronic-based office forms lack industry standardization.
— Most people still prefer to physically sign a contract in order to make it complete and legally binding. To electronically replicate the trust that is inherent in paper contracts/records is yet to be demonstrated.
— Organizations do not automate everything. They break the chain of digital processes.
— Plus, there are privacy and security control issues related to working with sensitive business information.
Tools and technology
Electronic folders: This is based on the use of electronic folders to consolidate individual customers’ records. The eSTORM (Secure Technology for Object and Repository Management) system controls access to the folders by assigning privileges to individual employees, enabling some employees to read and modify records, while others can only read them. Overarching security is provided by public-key infrastructure technology, which combines digital certificates, encryption software and other technologies.
Electronic document storage tool is also provided by Microsoft Windows, which provides the ability to create an “electronic fileroom” of folders for organizing electronic information.
Workpaper applications: Finan-cial statements, tax returns and other engagements require grouping and adjustment of a client’s financial information. In addition, these types of engagements can be made more efficient by standardizing the work process and organizing the many workpapers that are involved.
An electronic file room or office application falls short in these areas. Therefore, workpaper container applications that have trial balance features for grouping and adjustment of client information, as well as workpaper indexing features, are essential tools for an efficient firm. CCH Engagement and Trail Balance, CaseWare, PPC Electronic Engagement Manager, the McGladrey Paperless Audit tool, and the Creative Solutions’ Audit and File Cabinet Solution applications are the tools to pick from for these types of engagements.
Document Management Tools: These applications provide capabilities to:
— Standardize document organization.
— Safeguard and restrict access to documents.
— Search for documents based on keywords, creation date, subject and other document characteristics.
Today, there are literally hundreds of document management applications. Tools that have been successfully implemented in accounting firms include Lotus’ Domino Doc and Worldox.
Reprographics: This document management system is an intelligent copier that makes multiple copies of documents and can transmit copies to different workstations. It can merge the stored business form with data supplied by workers at a display terminal or another computer system. In addition, it can perform all functions of an advanced photocopier.
Image Processing Systems: These electronically capture, store, process and retrieve documents.
Electronic Document Management Systems: These store multicoloured documents. They also attach digitized voice notes to specific documents and encompass multimedia capabilities that allow users to digitally capture, edit and combine photographs, video, audio and text, etc to develop multimedia presentations and databases.
Automated Business Service System: This is the paperless method of procuring goods and services. At the same time, it can offer secure storage capabilities limited only by the size and/or quantity of servers devoted to the system.
The “drafter” of the purchase request enters a password into the system and describes the type of good or service he or she is looking to procure. The drafter is still required to annotate possible sources as well as a cost estimate.
Upon completion, a notice is sent via e-mail to the “approver” for that account. The approver then logs into the system and approves or rejects the request.
At this point, the finance office logs into the system and initiates an interface with an independent computer system that determines whether sufficient funds exist in the appropriate account for purchase.
If so, an electronic notice is immediately sent to the contracting office to allow the contractor to log into the system and make the final purchasing action.
Source Data Automation: Today, by using pen-based technology, salespeople can fill order forms on their laptops and transmit them to the order-processing department via cellphones, hence reducing data input errors.
i-Vault!: Chase Manhattan Bank introduced i-Vault! in 1999 as an internet-based image document storage service for banking customers. About a hundred companies use this system today because it:
— Offers unlimited secure storage capabilities without the requirement of investing in and maintaining expensive onsite equipment.
— Allows an employee to sift through, search and cross-reference large numbers of documents at high speed.
Telecommuting System: This teleconferencing system enables the employee to work from home. The employee can then use e-mail or any other communication software to send the work to office.
People can even work on mutual projects through this mechanism. Telecommuting saves office space and saves employees from office politics. It is also a positive step towards a paperless office and holds great potential for programmers, digital artists, e-instructors, e-learners, authors and journalists.
Research shows that the organizations which have had success in moving towards paperless office have been those that have focused first on creating a paper efficient office rather that trying to make a move to a 100 per cent paperless environment.
May be a few years from now paperless offices would be a thing of reality when employees would be able to plug a viewer into their computer, access the daily paper of choice and download the information before they would go to work. For now, let’s get the best use of both paper and digital media.
The writer zanearts@excite.com is an IT consultant
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