| On April 22nd, the fortieth anniversary of Earth | | | | Electronic forms save paper from being used in |
| Day, eco-friendly Americans demonstrated their | | | | the first place. Legally binding eforms are stored |
| support for a more sustainable environment. You | | | | digitally with no printing or physical storage |
| may be wondering how your business can also | | | | necessary. Incorporating e-forms into automated |
| support that goal. Here are several important | | | | workflows is an important step toward a green |
| ways electronic document management, | | | | and more efficient office. |
| document scanning and electronic forms, promote | | | | The additional efficiency and security of electronic |
| a truly "green" office. | | | | forms makes this change an easy sell to most |
| Scanned documents save paper, storage space | | | | business owners. When paper forms are copied, |
| and trees. | | | | reviewed, rerouted and stored, critical business |
| The average business document gets copied | | | | data can be lost. Not with e-forms. |
| nineteen times!* Based on that calculation, every | | | | Add together the ability to create, distribute and |
| 4-drawer file cabinet in your office requires one | | | | store data electronically, the capability to easily |
| 70' tree to be cut down.** What that means is | | | | integrate the electronic data with your key |
| that every time you scan the documents in a | | | | business applications and the substantial reduction |
| 4-draw file cabinet, you've saved a tree! Imagine | | | | in paper use at your business and you'll |
| the savings you'll immediately recognize, as well as | | | | understand why eforms should be your next |
| the environmental impact you'll generate, when | | | | green business strategy. |
| your paper purchasing and copier supplies are | | | | Your company's carbon footprint is reduced with |
| drastically reduced. In addition, just by | | | | electronic document management. |
| incorporating document scanning at your firm, | | | | Reduced storage and office space equals reduced |
| you'll single-handedly reduce the number of file | | | | utility usage. Eliminating transportation of |
| cabinets and file folders necessary and the | | | | documents to and from off-site storage also |
| environmental impact created as they're | | | | reduces emissions. Those are just a few of the |
| manufactured. | | | | ways streamlined document management directly |
| Implement document scanning to directly impact | | | | impacts your carbon footprint. |
| the use of natural resources as well as realizing | | | | To get a better picture of the positive impact |
| substantial savings. Wouldn't that make you feel | | | | you could have simply by incorporating electronic |
| better about the way you run your business? | | | | document management, think of the number of |
| According to Daily Green, "If the United States | | | | times per day you hear a paper document being |
| cut office paper use by just 10% it would | | | | copied in your building. Walk through the office and |
| prevent the emission of 1.6 million tons of | | | | count the number of file cabinets taking up square |
| greenhouse gases -- the equivalent of taking | | | | footage (which translates to utility usage.) Keep |
| 280,000 cars off the road." Creating a paperless | | | | track of the number of vehicles used to transport |
| office through electronic document management | | | | documents regularly. Then imagine those numbers |
| reduces the energy required to cut down, | | | | drastically reduced. That's the impact you'll have |
| manufacture, transport, copy and store paper. | | | | on your firm's carbon footprint simply by |
| Your decision to adopt a paperless office is a | | | | implementing electronic document management. |
| commitment to reducing greenhouse gases. | | | | Implementing an electronic document |
| Sit down with your department heads and identify | | | | management strategy that includes document |
| the paper-intensive processes in your business. | | | | scanning, electronic forms and document |
| Where are the most paper copies being | | | | management systems rather than paper supports |
| generated, distributed and stored? Commit to | | | | global goals for a sustainable environment. |
| working with your document management | | | | Celebrate Earth Day every day by working with |
| services provider to find ways to reduce that | | | | your document management solutions provider to |
| paper overload. | | | | introduce the paperless office at your firm. |