In January, we published the first instalment in our two-part series on “going digital,” highlighting the benefits of reducing paper dependency and identifying key business processes ideal for automation.
With Silicon UK reporting that 86% of companies have already standardised and automated manual processes or are in the process of doing so, the advantages are undeniable: enhanced productivity, cost savings, and improved accuracy.
Surprisingly, the UK is ahead of many other developed nations in reducing reliance on paper-based systems, reflecting a growing shift toward digital transformation.
What’s Holding Businesses Back?
Despite these benefits, many organisations remain hesitant to embrace full digital transformation. Common barriers such as cost concerns, time constraints, and a lack of expertise often prevent progress.
In this “how” to article, we explore these challenges and share the steps we at HG Technology take to guide clients through their journey to a paperless future.
You might be surprised to learn that 80% of the process isn’t technical at all! Technology plays its role later, when we leverage Microsoft’s Power Platform – a suite of five versatile tools each with its own focus – to tailor and implement the ideal solution.
𝟭𝟬 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
If you’re considering taking the leap or increasing your digital workflows, here are a few things to think about that might help you get started:
𝟭. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 – record-keeping and invoicing for example, then pinpoint inefficiencies by analysing the costs, time, and risks associated with data loss.
𝟮. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 – what are your reasons for going paperless – cost, environmental benefits, and compliance, and how will you measure success?
𝟯. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 – use SharePoint for example or DocuSign to organise, store, and retrieve documents digitally. But do you have the internal resources needed to migrate all documents to a secure, cloud-based system?
𝟰. 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 – use high-speed scanners to convert paper files into searchable digital formats such as PDFs and organise and name them systematically to streamline access.
𝟱. 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 – switch to email for all letters and enable e-signatures. Interestingly, a recent YouGov report highlighted that 80% of UK businesses still print documents for physical signatures, a figure that’s even higher in the financial services sector.
𝟲. 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 – automate billing and enable online payments for seamless payment processing.
𝟳. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 – adopt collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings and replace printed materials such as agendas and reports by using shared drives or meeting software.
𝟴. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 – coaching sessions to teach employees how to use new tools and platforms effectively which will also help to foster a paperless, more sustainable mindset.
𝟵. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 – to manage tasks, approvals, and processes digitally and streamline data collection.
𝟭𝟬. 𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 – adopt data protection measures such as implementing encryption, secure backups, and access controls to protect digital data and be sure paperless systems comply with regulations.
By following these steps, and with our help, businesses can smoothly transition to a fully digitised, paperless workflow while improving productivity and sustainability.
No more hesitation! Drive your business towards a more efficient future by getting in touch with our Power Platform experts. With 13+ years of expertise, we are here to make it happen.
