Did you know that each year, the average office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of paper? If you are the manager of a business, you’ll be well aware of how stressful mountains and mountains of paperwork can be. Aside from being incredibly unsustainable, stacks of paperwork can cause confusion, errors and a general sense of dread. In today’s article, we share with you some top tips when it comes to cutting down on manual paperwork as a business manager. If you’re ready to cut down on costs, reduce paper wastage and save yourself a lot of stress, we urge you to read on and find out more!
- Start With Invoicing
Did you know that because of the time, effort and materials used to create paper invoices, a single invoice can cost a business up to $15 to produce? Think about how many invoices you send out and how much these costs add up over time. The best solution to get rid of your invoicing woes is to switch over to automated invoicing systems. Invoicing software can create invoice templates digitally and send them out to your clients or customers via email. Not only does this greatly reduce the amount of paperwork involved, but it also creates a more organised system of billing for your business. Invoicing software can track invoices, send out reminders and keep accurate records of all the invoices sent and received.
- Store Data In The Cloud
How much of your paperwork contains important data and information? Aside from the possibility of this data being lost or even stolen, piles and piles of paper-based data also require a lot of storage space. This is why we highly recommend transferring your existing data to the cloud and continuing to do so in a bid to eradicate the need for paperwork. Going digital has become increasingly popular with a wide variety of businesses as it not only saves paper and storage space but also allows data to be accessed remotely at any time and from anywhere.
- Manage Your Payroll Electronically
Similar to invoicing, thousands of businesses around the globe are now shifting to electronic payroll. Payroll and remuneration can result in stacks and stacks of paperwork, creating not just a mess but also confusion if anything is lost. This is why payroll software is so popular in 2020. Payroll software is key when it comes to accurate payroll and ensuring that you are compliant with taxation requirements. Managing payroll digitally allows for your staff to have accurate records of their payment details that they can access remotely, limiting the chances of any mistakes and thus keeping your employees happy.
- Encourage Digital Communication
If members of your office or team are still relying on handing out written messages, notes or communication, it just may be the time to encourage staff to digitise their communication. We recommend that managers encourage email communication or online chat communication between staff. Many services such as Office Chat now exist for the sole purpose of employees communicating with one another. You’ll be amazed at how much more efficient digital communication is and how many resources it will save you in the long run.
- Project Management Software
Last but not least, we highly recommend that managers start utilising project management software. Instead of having piles of paperwork for employees to go through when managing accounts or projects, project management software allows for all this information to be available on an online platform. Not only does this keep projects more organised, but it also ensures that your staff meet their deadlines. Project management software often sends out reminders to team members when deadlines are just around the corner, ensuring that staff are given the chance to manage their time and workflow with ease.
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Cutting down on manual paperwork is easier than it seems. We hope that this article has given you some insight into how you can get rid of stacks and stacks of paper as a business manager. Best of luck!
