Accountants: It’s Time to go Paperless

Accountants who have not embraced technology are suffering the consequences yet they might not be fully aware of what they are missing out on.  There is no reason to be swamped with paper files, paper documents and other tangible items.  Those old filing cabinets and paper documents are taking up an egregious amount of space that could be put to better use. Shift your data from paper to digital format and your practice will benefit in several ways.

A Paperless Offices is a Joy to Work In

Use your mind’s eye to envision how peaceful and comfortable your office will be once you scrap all of those paper documents in favor of digital files.  This conversion eliminates the vast majority of your filing cabinets, paper files and other obtrusive paperwork.  The office will have an abundance of newfound space.  Walking paths will be that much wider, improving Feng Shui and making it easier to traverse the office without encumbrance.

Go Paperless to Improve Efficiency

It is a waste of time, effort and resources to pull tangible data files every single time information is required.  Convert your information to digital form and your team will be able to pull up important figures, charts, client information and other data with a few keystrokes and clicks.  The digital storage and retrieval of information makes your team that much more efficient.  Improved efficiency ultimately boosts the bottom line.

As an example, consider a situation in which a client questions whether an invoice is accurate.  Instead of summoning a team member and directing him or her to pull the paper invoice, he or she can simply access the digital file and retrieve the invoice in seconds.  In comparison, it would take at least a few minutes to locate the tangible file, find the invoice and relay the information.

Going digital also decreases approval times, consequently limiting the chances of penalties as well as late fees. Aside from improving approval process efficiency, segueing to a paperless office will also help vendors and clients fulfill requests and access data with minimal impediment.  The end result is a considerable savings of time for you and your clients.

Do Your Part to Save the Environment

One of the best reasons to go paperless is to cut down on waste.  Most people are shocked to learn 1.5 cups of water are necessary to produce a single sheet of paper.  Going paperless also reduces the amount of toxic gas that poisons our increasingly-fragile planet.

A Paperless Office Improves Employee Satisfaction

Employees might not show their frustration when searching for paper files and documents yet they certainly do not enjoy this laborious work.  Segue to a paperless office and office morale will skyrocket.  Satisfied employees armed with computers, cloud access and other technological niceties are that much more likely to stay with the firm.