Client files
Would your business survive if your client/case files were destroyed?
Apart from your own skills, your client/case files are probably the most valuable asset to your business. So why not insure them? Once scanned, your files become electronic documents that can be backed-up and copies kept off-site. Our online-backup service allows you to backup easily and even more importantly, restore the files easily should you need to. Scan and backup and your disaster recovery plan is in place.
But what about compliance?
Don't I need to keep the original paper file anyway for compliance purposes? The key question to ask yourself is: do I really have the original? The Law Society, the FSA and other regulatory bodies are happy to use electronic files so most of your filing cabinets could be "shrunk". The only paper you need to keep are those bearing the client's original signature. Which means you could probably fit over 1000 client files in 1 filing cabinet. Think of the space you could save!
Would you be able to offer a better customer service if you could carry your files with you?
1 gig of disk space on your laptop will allow you to carry around 2 filing cabinets. Where you are (at home, in your car or in the office) becomes irrelevant to your clients. No more "I'll get back to you..." and then ringing in for someone to pull out the file you need or waiting until you're next in the office.
P/L and S/L invoices
Too many supplier and sub-contractor invoices? Same with sales ledger invoices and statements?
Are boxes of invoices nobody ever looks at taking up valuable space in your office or warehouse? Both Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise are happy to use electronic copies. See our factsheet on the subject. There is no need to keep the originals - you can scan and destroy them. You'll have more space and retrieving the one you want will be so much easier.
Proof of delivery
Filing cabinets full of signed delivery notes?
Are boxes of delivery notes taking up valuable space in your offices? Both Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise are happy to use electronic copies. See our factsheet on the subject. No need to keep the originals at hand, scan them. You'll have more space and retrieving the one you want will be so much easier.
And what about admissibility of evidence in court?
Don't we need to produce the original document if delivery is contested and we need to go to court to get paid? The British Standards Institute produced a best practice guide on the subject which is very clear and useful: BIP-0008. Papershrink works to that standard and can recommend systems that will ensure admissibility is maximized.
Payroll and Personnel records
Payroll and personnel files taking over?
Current files, leavers' files, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly payroll documents... why keep them? They take up valuable office space and could easily be scanned and destroyed or stored off-site if you prefer. Just think how much easier it would be to retrieve the employee file you need if you could just click away on your PC.
Technical Manuals & Reports
Difficulty getting hold of the technical manual you need?
Are your customer service staff wasting time looking for technical manuals because the one they need is on someone else's desk or because the area where they are kept is not easily accessible? How long do your customers have to wait before their problems are solved? Scanning technical manuals makes them accessible to everyone in a few clicks of the mouse. They can even be distributed across several locations or placed on your intranet so that your customers can access them directly (security can be added if necessary). Your customers can have their problems solved there and then. Don't make them wait!
Plans and Drawings
Drawings taking up all the space?
You would have thought that CAD would have gotten rid of the need to keep drawings. But whether it's pre-CAD drawings or drawings that have manual amendments or approval signatures on them, there still seems to be an awful lot of drawings in filing cabinets. Get them scanned and use the space for an additional person or whatever else takes your fancy. 100 meg of disk space can hold as many as 400 drawings. How's that for space saving! Put them on your laptop and you'll even be able to take them with you on-site.
