Efficiently, Securely And Successfully Operate A Paperless Law Practice
Most of the work we do today is done on the computer, but that doesn’t mean paper has gone away. Many organizations still rely on paper for internal processes, external contracts and billing procedures.
Shifting to a paperless office is not only good for the environment, but also for business. Cloud-based, digital solutions can improve productivity, control costs, and reduce office redundancies.
Here are six ways to transition your law office away from paper:
1. Convert Existing Paper Documents Into Digital
It’s hard to go digital if most of your existing documents are in paper form. Therefore, one of the first steps toward a truly paperless office is to digitize those existing assets. Depending on the amount of documents currently housed at your offices, you may decide to take on this task yourself, or outsource it to a vendor. Similarly, you can encourage your staff to digitize their personal documents via an app. There are a number of apps that can use a smartphone’s built-in camera to capture crisp, clear images of documents.
2. Invest In Collaboration Solutions
One of the primary benefits of a paperless office is the boost in productive collaboration that you can expect to see. Cloud-based collaboration solutions make it easy for personnel to access and edit documents from any device, at any time. In fact, some solutions make it possible to “check out” documents so that multiple stakeholders can work on the project without worrying about overwriting each others’ work. When considering collaboration suites, choose a solution with ample security protection.
The cloud makes your documents available from any authorized device.3. Store Everything In A Secure Cloud
When your law office handles confidential information, it’s your responsibility to make sure it stays that way. Cloud solutions can provide multiple levels of security, ensuring that the only people who see your documents are those with the authority to do so.
Security is especially important during the transport of documents. A cloud solution eliminates many of the threats inherent in transporting paper documents because the data never actually moves from the cloud. A secure cloud will ensure that your confidential information remains closed off from prying eyes.
4. Incentivize Paperless Productivity
Creating a paperless law office requires the buy-in of all stakeholders. To incentivize the shift toward digital documentation, you’ll need to ensure that your digital solutions are capable of not only replacing paper, but also developing increased technology. To be sure, the environmental impact of paper is an important reason for making the switch, but your firm should see other benefits as well.
As you transition away from paper to cloud solutions, make sure everyone understands why the office is making the switch. Transparent lines of communication will help everyone get on the same (digital) page.
5. Consider E-Billing And E-Signatures
Contracts and bills are two areas where paper still remains a part of the modern law office. And yet, many intuitive cloud solutions exist for these important aspects of the business. Plus, many professionals prefer the benefits offered by paperless solutions. In fact, a survey from Bill.com found that 78 percent of millennial business owners prefer paperless bills over the traditional method.
When all of these processes have shifted to a digital medium, you’re office will be in a better position to track all kinds of new metrics, allowing for further improvements down the line. Though it’s hard to track signature requests in paper form, doing so for e-signatures takes a matter of seconds.
Cloud solutions can eliminate the need for excessive paper documentation at any law office. To lean more about how to leverage the cloud at at your firm, visit Afinety.com today.