Going Paperless

Have you ever wondered why people still use paper in the workplace? When you come into work, do you pull out a typewriter and get a bundle of paper out, preparing for your long day of typing up TPS reports? How often do you check your little mail cubby hole, weekly, monthly?

The answer to these questions seem fairly obvious. The reality is that people no longer rely on paper in day to day life. They might get paper in their mailbox. They might take notes on paper and then transcribe them onto Microsoft Word. But they do not rely on paper. Paper is now the exception. Email is now the normal mode of communication. Computers create and store files.

But then why do people still jam stacks of paper into file cabinets? Is a filing cabinet safer than a server backed up with redundant storage? No. And why is there a stack of paper on your desk? The simple answer: the signature.

People print documents so that they can sign them.

But that is all going to change. The eSign Act of 2000 made electronic signatures the equivalent of a written signature. And, in time, there will not be a need to print another piece of paper. This will of course take time. But, how many times a day do you write a letter and post it in the US mail? The adoption of email was not overnight, but it was widespread. It will be the same with paperless offices. In the future, a printed document will be as rare as a hand written letter. As people become more aware of solutions that make it possible to get rid of their printers, and scanners, and fax machines, there will be a transformation that will finally complete the paperless office. The last days of paper are closer than you think.