Document Management Decision Guide
You may have never thought about it, but when it comes to managing paper, you only have 5 options. Let us quickly walk you through the options and a few pros/cons of each.
The 5 ways of dealing with paper:
Option 1 - The Trash Can
The trash can is the best filing system in the world. The best filing method ever invented is to toss the paper in the trash (or recycle as you are inclined). That's right, if you can toss all the paper in your life and find it later on the Internet, get it from someone else, etc., then you are staying streamlined and ready to do business. The trash can (recycle bin) is the best file cabinet ever invented! However, most people have paper that they either cannot or will not just toss...then they move to Option 2.
Most people cannot put all their paper in the trash can so they end up using...
Option 2 - Stack It!
The second best filing system in the world (and only for the paper that does not fit into option 1 above) is stacking the paper. If you have a small enough amount of paper that you can easily keep up with it in your head and you really like having it "in your sight" - then the stacking method is awesome.
There is no work on the front-end (just toss it in a pile near you) and if you can quickly shuffle through the piles accumulated and find your information, then what could be better? This method does not work very well in an office environment where information must be shared or when the amount of time you spend looking for lost information no longer makes sense.
At some point, especially in a business, the stacking method reaches the end of its useful life and you are ready for a "system" of some kind. Most people naturally move to Option 3 below but this Option has many problems. With the advent of the modern computer, this Option has become obsolete - there is really very few good reasons to keep an alphabetic filing system anymore. Let us show you why...
When you are tired of the piles of paper and cannot find things easily enough...
Option 3 - Alphabetize It!
When the stacks start getting to you (and you keep hearing your mother's voice saying - "clean up this mess") then you need to move to a "system" and the one that has been around for hundreds of years is the alphabetic method. The alphabetic method plagues many offices in the world today and keeps them from reaching their maximum efficiency.
Until the invention of the computer, the alphabetic method was about all we had for a system, but it has many problems. In today's computerized world (on every desktop) and with products like The Paper Tiger software, there are not many good reasons to use the alphabetic method.
The alphabetic method starts to breakdown and become inefficient the minute you put it in and it requires way too much maintenance. Many, if not most, companies that contact The Paper Tiger have an alphabetic system and are ready to get rid of it - it simply does not work well or "the person" that kept it up has retired, moved on or wants something better. If you have an alphabetic filing system and what to make a change into the 21st century - you only have two options - scanning or indexing. Each of these are described below. See the problems with alphabetical filing.
When you are ready to move away from your alphabetic filing system that has never worked properly, you have two good options...
Option 4 - Scan It!
This is an excellent way to eliminate your problems with paper as long as you can live with the compromises inherent with scanning. Scanning allows you to easily share information, get rid of the paper (as long as you are not afraid of the scanning system crashing - you could lose everything!), more easily find the information you are looking for, reduce purchases for file cabinets, etc. There are many advantages, not the least of which is the office looks and feels more streamlined.
However, scanning is not without problems and it is important that you understand the risks involved before committing to this option. There are some problems with scanning - many documents cannot be easily scanned (bound material, original contracts, non-standard shapes/textures, etc.). Scanning documents can be very time consuming and tedious - scanners are machines - they jam, they break, documents are stapled or bound, documents have handwritten "sticky notes" on them (sticky notes like to "stick" to scanners! to does not scan very well!), etc. Some people, even after scanning their documents, are afraid to destroy the original paper in case their is ever a problem and keep the paper in archives (thus still keeping the physical documents!).
Disadvantages:
- very time consuming - setup, conversion & on-going maintenance.
- cannot scan all documents - bound materials, original contracts, etc.
- destroys original documents - what to do with paper once scanned?
- can be expensive - much more equipment (scanners, drives, etc.).
- equipment breakdowns - equipment breaks.
- data corruption is possible - corruption, viruses, etc.
- security can be breached- image files are easily copied and stolen.
- high learning curve - imaging systems require a new way of thinking.
Or...
Option 5 - Index It!
The Paper Tiger software is an indexing method. It is a very simple, yet powerful concept. Keep your paper in its original form (you do not have to scan it) and use the power of the computer to quickly and easily find/share the information when you need it. This is the best of both worlds and it is why tens of thousands of companies around the world are using the product. You get all of the best things from the computer but do not have the problems of using a scanner.
As you might imagine, we think for most businesses, indexing is the lowest cost (wages, machines, overhead, etc) and best option available. The Paper Tiger software is the "best of breed" software - it is designed to do only one thing - help you manage physical files (hanging files) in a file cabinet. It is now in its 4th generation and has been in the market for over 10 years!
Most customers that install and convert their paper files to The Paper Tiger software would not use anything else - it is simple to learn, has great training resources (very important if you have staff turnover and need to train new employees) and it works. See the features that make The Paper Tiger great for managing paper.
Advantages:
- much less time consuming - setup, conversion & on-going maintenance.
- can input all documents - bound materials, original contracts, etc.
- does not destroy original documents - you keep the original paper.
- less expensive - use your existing equipment more efficiently.
- no machines to break - you are using existing equipment.
- database corruption is possible - however printed index is kept.
- secure - not easily stolen, as files are indexed and file cabinets are heavy!
- low learning curve - simple to learn in 30 minutes or less.
- make filing almost...fun! - make filing less of a chore!
