Paperless: understand what this concept is and how to apply it to your company

If a few years ago the lack of paper could be a problem for companies, today this is something positive. Paperless, the name given to the concept of acting without the need for paper, has become a great option for companies that want more agility, economy and sustainability.

By transforming documents and other papers into digital files, companies are able to considerably reduce the use of paper, contributing to the preservation of the environment, reducing operating costs related to physical documents and taking advantage of more agile and efficient processes provided by technology. In this article, you will understand the origin of the term paperless and how to bring this concept to your company. Check it out!

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Origin of “paperless” time

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First of all, it is important to understand how this concept so popular today came about. The term “paperless” originated from technological evolution and the increasing concern with sustainability and the planet's environmental future. The first discussions about this concept took place between the 1970s and the 1980s, a period in which personal computers appeared, along with the first information management systems. From then on, the idea of replacing physical documents with digital ones began to gain strength, mainly due to the possibility for companies to store large volumes of data more easily.

Years later, with the rise of the internet and other important technologies, communication and information sharing became even easier and more practical, reducing the need for the use of paper in the business context. Specific tools for managing electronic documents have also begun to emerge, allowing for greater organization of data and information.

Simultaneously, discussions about sustainability and green entrepreneurship around the world they only grew over time, since paper production consumes natural resources on a large scale. Nowadays, adopting sustainable practices is an obligation for companies, which choose to preserve the environment and maintain a good position regarding the importance of this topic.

Whether due to the reduction of costs, the agility provided, or the environmental sustainability, the truth is that organizations and companies have learned to recognize the benefits of a paperless environment.

How can a company be paperless?

The answer: finding digital solutions that facilitate this transformation. There are several ways to make your company paperless, and all of them are possible options to be implemented today, starting on your path towards the transformation of your organization. Below are some of the ways to apply the paperless concept:

Digitization of documents

Turning physical documents into digital documents is one of the first steps in implementing paperless in your company. With old documents, which have already been printed, this can be done by scanning those documents, allowing them to be converted into digital formats and stored electronically. From then on, it is possible to adopt only the digital format for documents, eliminating the dependence on physical files and relying on digital solutions to store and manage such documents in a practical and secure way.

Task automation

When using digital documents in your business routine, you will notice that there is another world of possibilities that technology offers. The automation of tasks, such as generating and sending documents, facilitates and improves workflows that generally require time and effort from your team. By using automation, you facilitate the management of your company's documents and strengthen the use of digital files and paperless culture.

Paperless culture

Building and implementing a paperless culture in your company is essential to ensure good results in the future. This process can be lengthy, and involves training and the practical application of paperless fundamentals, that is, the non-use of paper in the business routine. It is necessary to train your team so that everyone is aware of what this concept and its applications are.

Electronic signature

That's just one of the many examples of technology features that you can implement in your business today. Signing documents is part of the routine of any organization, and making this process digital is a big step towards implementing paperless in your company. This feature makes it easy to eliminate paper from your routine, in addition to accelerating the management of your documents and reducing costs (such as the use of paper itself, for example).

Apply paperless to your company

As you have seen, for a company to become paperless, a commitment to digitalization and everything that technology offers as a resource is necessary. You can start implementing this concept by any of the means mentioned above, including learning more about Clicksign and the electronic signature, task automation and many other solutions offered on the platform. Click here to learn more!