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The corporate surge to reduce paper in the office
Date: 05/06/2008
Predictions were made by businesses that by 1995 computer users could summon on-screen documents by pressing a button, taking away the need for printed paper piling up in offices.
The vision was half correct. Offices contain network-linked computers, filled with software that lets users create, read, duplicate, and distribute digital documents. But the idea of an office where paper documents are not required is still far away.
However some machinery is assisting in helping reduce paper flow vastly. Hardware that scans and converts documents to a digital format can also act as printers and copiers. They've now become so small, cheap, and easy to use that they're on or near every desktop. The idea of printing usually lies with the owner of the document so it is individuals that make the difference.
Consider Before Printing
According to IDC’s research U.S. companies last year printed 1.5 trillion pages. That's a 95,000-mile-high stack of paper, or the equivalent of 15 million to 20 million trees. Billions will be spent on paper this year and that doesn’t count toner, ink, maintenance and running costs of machines.
So it is obvious why the paperless approach is sought after in the corporate world. Messages on emails and printers such as ‘Think before pressing the print button’ can go a long way to changing the overall amount of printed documents.
Scanning of documents has always been regarded as a good way to reduce document flow along with introducing efficiencies in managing files better at computers. Electronic archiving plays a big part in this which reduces or removes existing files in the office altogether.
Changes incorporated
British banks are doing their part by offering electronic statements with HSBC even offering cash to people who stop their paper statement deliveries. More and more people prefer things electronically in today’s age which will also contribute largely.
15% of PNC's 3 million retail customers began getting their statements delivered by e-mail as documents in PDF, or Portable Document Format, a system developed by Adobe Systems. The company also began printing all other documents on both sides of the page by default, which raised paper usage efficiency by 50%. Also purchasing hardware which had scanning, copying, faxing and printing all in one raises efficiency.
With these changes and many more incorporated we realise it is not realistic to have a completely paperless office but if businesses can reduce paper flow by 50% around the world then it will count as a 10 year jump into the future of document management.
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