Become Paperless Entrepreneur by Developing Paperless Process

paperless process

Before several months, I have started a project that will implement a paperless process. This was build inside my working environment and my daily working habits. A thousand sheets of paper created or received several years ago was trashed.

I realized that the paper simply encumbered me, reduces the space in which I work and increases the chaos in my office.

So, here I would like to share my experience and steps in the development of my own paperless process inside my everyday work.

Paperless Benefits

Here are some of the benefits that I’ve felt because of the application of the paperless process paperless in my daily operations:

  1. Instead of spending 15–20 boxes of paper with 500 sheets now I use only 5.
  2. Rather than changing my printer cartridge 2–3 times a year now I change it only once.
  3. Instead of 15 registrars, that I have used as a collection of different papers, they dropped to five.
  4. My productivity increases because the implementation of the process increases the space for the essential things.
  5. The productivity increases because everything necessary that I need is always with me.
  6. My productivity increases because no matter where I am, all necessary information is with me.

What can you do to develop your own paperless process?

Step #1: Analyze your current process of paper processing in your business.

Start with the proper analysis of your current habits when you receive and create paper in your small business. What you do when you receive paper? What types of papers usually you receive? How you process that collected papers? Why you create paper? What kind of paper document are you creating? How you use created paper? This questions and their answers will be a great starting point for the next steps of this weekend project.

Step #2: Design the new paperless process.

Now, you can start with the design of the new process that will be your paperless process. Draw process maps and diagrams that will cover two types of subprocess: (1) incoming papers and (2) created papers in your small business. The process will need to present your new workflow that will lead to the paperless organization. I will share one process diagram that I have implemented before several months in some of the next blog posts.

Step #3: Create standards and procedures that will be according to your newly created paperless process.

When you create the paperless process diagram, you can easily define standards and procedures that you will need to implement in your small business organization.

paperless process and standards and procedures

Step #4: Start using your newly created paperless process.

Now, you are prepared to start with the implementation of the process. To ensure that everything will go as you want, create a short implementation plan that will need to start with the implementation on Monday.

Going paperless will have many benefits for you and your small business. The most significant benefits are saving on the costs and becoming a more productive and more focused entrepreneur. This process is much more than decrease using your printer. A paperless entrepreneur means that you will maintain the lowest possible paper when it comes to incoming and outgoing or created document in your organization.

For example, this process means that you will need to sign up for online billing for different services instead of receiving a paper invoice, cancel your sign up for different paper-based sources that came to your organization, using electronic paper storage instead of physical, etc.

In the next blog post here I will share my process and the tools that I use in the implementation of the paperless process in my organization.

Question: Do you have experience with your own going paperless project and processes? Can you share it with us?