Obstacles to Achieve a Paperless Office

A learned affinity for using paper. This preference is just a learned behavior, and the solution is
better technology. As interactive screens make it easier to read on a tablet or PC, more
organizations are adopting digital document management. While established organizations may
still have paper-based routines, Generation Y has fully embraced digital documents, and that trend
is sure to continue.
Legislative obstacles. These legislative obstacles are often the most difficult to overcome. The
solution here is to do some research and see if your compliance needs have changed. In many
cases, electronic signatures are now as valid as a wet signature, but you wont know until you
investigate.
Ease of printing. Since its easy to keep printing documents, theres less incentive to move to
a paperless office at least in the short term. While printers are cheap and plentiful now, market
forces are likely to push organizations toward a paperless office. If a competitor is using digital
document management to drive faster, more efficient processes for creating work products,
theyre going to have a competitive advantage.
Perceived cost of digital document management. Theres an initial cost for any change, including
switching to enterprise content management (ECM). When people are concerned about the
increased expense, its usually because they havent analyzed the return on investment (ROI).
Take the time to measure the impact ECM would have on your employees, processes and other
technologies.
Existing technology limitations. If you havent kept up with technology innovations, its difficult
to make the jump to 100 percent digital. The solution is to improve your IT infrastructure to the
point that your employees are able to collaborate efficiently in a digital environment. Once thats
in place, youre on your way to a paperless office.
A larger ecosystem thats paper-based. The solution is to guard the perimeter of your
organization. Anytime paper arrives, you need a strategy for scanning and converting it into digital
documents right away, before paper documents have a chance to enter your companys
workflows and processes.
Company culture. If your company culture is a source of inertia, its difficult to switch to digital
document management, because it requires change. People often resist new technology rather
than learning about it because they dont have confidence that theyll be successful.
Overcoming the Obstacles, Planning for Paper Reduction
Create a Paperless Team. Create a cross-department team focused specifically on reducing paper
use throughout the organization. Get upper management support. Enlist volunteers in each area
to help implement the new practices, encourage employee participation and report feedback.
Identify Benefits. Identify specific benefits to your company of reducing paper use (i.e., reduced
paper, waste and shipping costs; reduced storage needs; greener image; increased employee and
customer satisfaction; increased productivity; etc.). Learn about success stories at other
businesses.
Gather Baseline Information. Document how much paper is used annually for all purposes (i.e.,
copiers and printers, kitchens, bathrooms, shipping documents and containers, publications, pre-
printed forms, advertising, annual report, etc.). Document all costs associated with paper use and
document the environmentally-friendly qualities of current paper purchased.
Set Goals. Set clear, measurable, incremental goals over a specific timeline for each major type of
paper use - include cost reduction goals. Setting a long-term visionary goal of zeroing paper use
while maximizing benefits could result in some significant shifts in practices (i.e., always start with
the question of your team and employees "how do we eliminate this paper use in a way that
maximizes benefit (i.e., saves money, improves productivity, increases customer satisfaction,
etc.)?"). The solutions now exist for a paperless office - it's just our mindsets that need to change.
Promote Goals. Educate all employees about goals and display them in a high traffic location using
easy-to-understand, fun charts and graphs. Design logos and develop slogans for use in the
campaign. Hold a kick-off event and encourage employees to share their ideas. Ask employees to
"e-sign" a paper reduction pledge and, in general, encourage a "think before you print or copy"
mentality. Create competitions between departments and/or other companies (i.e., local
companies, vendors, etc.) and offer rewards.
Audit Paper Use. Follow and document the paper trail for each type of use (i.e., reports, invoices,
etc.) to understand the flow of paper and the business need behind each type of document
printed. The better each process is understood, the more likely improved, paper-free solutions
can be found.
Education. Educate all employees about new practices. Create an easy-to-access, online paperless
practices reference document explaining all practices. Educate new employees.
Maintain Momentum. Schedule regular meetings and report your progress to upper
management on a quarterly basis. Update the publicly displayed charts as goals are met and
recognize and reward departments and individuals frequently for their accomplishments. Send
out regular, entertaining announcements and reminders. Update the online paper reduction
reference document as practices change. Respond to employee feedback and alter programs as
needed. Tout your accomplishments to your customers.
Paperless Solutions

Reduce Paper Flow with Vendors, Customers and Banks.

Electronic Signatures: Consider using electronic signature software such as DocuSign or the
app iPEGS to minimize the need for printing, signing, and mailing documents.

Paperless Collaboration: Implement ways to minimize paper shared on projects and between
departments.

Paperless Advertising and Communication: Minimize paper advertising wherever possible - store
catalogs online; send electronic newsletters, brochures, annual reports, etc. through tools such
as Constant Contact; communicate with customers through social media; advertise online, etc.

Stop Business Junkmail: Learn about ways to reduce incoming mail at Stop Business
Junkmail and Reduce Unwanted Mail.

Paperless Internal Forms: Switch to paperless internal forms.

Paperless Internal Communication.

Paperless Task Management and Note Taking.

Discourage Printing of Emails: Add a message to the bottom of all emails asking people to only
print if necessary. Educate employees on how to archive emails in folders for later retrieval and
how to assign email reminders.

Add Walking Distance: Move copiers/printers farther away from employees to discourage their
use. Eliminate personal desktop printers wherever possible.

Minimize Unnecessary Printing.

Adjust Printer/Copier Settings: Analyze all printer and copier settings to minimize paper use. For
example, default to double-sided printing for all documents where available.

Reuse Once-Used Paper.

What are digital signatures?
Digital signatures are like electronic fingerprints. In the form of a coded message, the digital signature
securely associates a signer with a document in a recorded transaction. Digital signatures use a standard,
accepted format, called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), to provide the highest levels of security and
universal acceptance. They are a specific signature technology implementation of electronic signature
(eSignature).

Whats the difference between a digital signature and an electronic signature?

The broad category of electronic signatures (eSignatures) encompasses many types of electronic
signatures. The category includes digital signatures, which are a specific technology implementation of
electronic signatures. Both digital signatures and other eSignature solutions allow you to sign documents
and authenticate the signer. However, there are differences in purpose, technical implementation,
geographical use, and legal and cultural acceptance of digital signatures versus other types of eSignatures.

In particular, the use of digital signature technology for eSignatures varies significantly between countries
that follow open, technology-neutral eSignature laws, including the United States, United Kingdom,
Canada, and Australia, and those that follow tiered eSignature models that prefer locally defined
standards that are based on digital signature technology, including many countries in the European Union,
South America, and Asia. In addition, some industries also support specific standards that are based on
digital signature technology.

How do digital signatures work?

Digital signatures, like handwritten signatures, are unique to each signer. Digital signature solution
providers, such as DocuSign, follow a specific protocol, called PKI. PKI requires the provider to use a
mathematical algorithm to generate two long numbers, called keys. One key is public, and one key is
private.

When a signer electronically signs a document, the signature is created using the signers private key,
which is always securely kept by the signer. The mathematical algorithm acts like a cipher, creating data
matching the signed document, called a hash, and encrypting that data. The resulting encrypted data is
the digital signature. The signature is also marked with the time that the document was signed. If the
document changes after signing, the digital signature is invalidated.

As an example, Jane signs an agreement to sell a timeshare using her private key. The buyer receives the
document. The buyer who receives the document also receives a copy of Janes public key. If the public
key cant decrypt the signature (via the cipher from which the keys were created), it means the signature
isnt Janes, or has been changed since it was signed. The signature is then considered invalid.

To protect the integrity of the signature, PKI requires that the keys be created, conducted, and saved in a
secure manner, and often requires the services of a reliable Certificate Authority (CA). Digital signature
providers, like DocuSign, meet PKI requirements for safe digital signing.