Paper document vs electronic document – This comparison has been made over and over again by many business owners.
The debate about whether documents are best stored electronically or in hard copy has been going on for years now, and there’s no clear answer to it. Both have their pros and cons on some occasions.
For example, paper documents are viewed as the ‘original copy,’ of a document, whereas electronic documents are viewed as a duplicate. So, if you were to present an electronic document, it wouldn’t pass as the original document.
In this article, we’ll be comparing paper document vs electronic document, some advantages of both types of documents, and which one would be better for your business.
Why Paper Documents Are Better Than Electronic Documents
Paper documents have been around for a long time. It means any document that uses paper as a medium. With the rise of technology, paper documents are slowly going out of existence.
However, that does not mean that paper documents are sometimes better than electronic documents on some occasions.
Here are some advantages of the paper document over the electronic document:
1. Paper document is referred to as the ‘Legal’ original document:
Electronic documents can be tampered with easily. This is why legal institutions like banks are very particular about submitting original, hard-copy documents that have their integrity maintained.
While paper documents preserve the originality of documents, electronic documents aren’t so guaranteed.
2. Paper document does not face the risk of a virus attack:
The downside of using electronic documents is that they can be wiped off by viruses within seconds. While this has a very low chance of occurring, it can’t be overlooked as a possible threat to electronic documents.
3. Paper documents requires no software maintenance:
Unlike electronic documents, which require that the software be maintained regularly, paper documents do not need much maintenance. Unless there are changes in a document, there’s no need to update a paper document for any reason.
The Advantage of Choosing Electronic Document Over Paper Document
We are living in an increasingly digital world where everything we do is online.
Technology is becoming so common that we can fit lots of information into our pocket, courtesy of our smartphones. This is why electronic documents are needed.
An electronic document is a media content stored and used in an electronic format. Electronic Document provides advantages that surpasses those of traditional paper documentation systems on many levels.
Here’s why you should choose electronic documents over paper documents.
1. Electronic documents are more effective:
With the pressure for businesses to keep up with other big businesses, you need to build an effective team. This is something you can’t achieve if you use paper documents.
With electronic documents, your team can work faster without being restricted because of inaccessibility to documents.
A more effective team would be more productive, which helps the business grow faster in the long run.
2. Electronic documents Saves Cost:
Paper-based documentation is more expensive compared to electronic documents. You need to spend money on printers, ink, cartridges, paper, and stationery.
On the other hand, electronic documents do not require any money other than buying some equipment (which pays for itself in the long run) and subscription fees for cloud-based storage.
With cost, electronic documents are the most sustainable way to choose.
3. Electronic documents is Easy to Secure:
It is common for companies to have sensitive documents that must be shielded from the eyes of others. It is difficult to protect such documents when they are stored on paper. However, when stored as an electronic document, it can be secured with a password.
Viewing highly-sensitive information can be controlled by setting access controls and giving permission to certain people.
4. Electronic documents is time saving:
Going through endless piles of paper is a daunting task. It is time-consuming, unproductive, and delays the workflow for your team.
One key benefit of using electronic documents is the simplicity of searching for documents within seconds.
While it takes hours to find information on paper, it only takes seconds to search for any electronic document.
5. Electronic document Reduce Clutter:
Scanning your documents is a great way to keep your paper documents where you want them: in the digital world.
This means you can substitute keeping stacks of paper in file cabinets for storage in the cloud or on your computer. That way, you can access them from anywhere.
There’s also unlimited storage space in the cloud—meaning you don’t worry about having to dispose of paper later on. You can store thousands of documents on your computer or laptop without taking up any physical space at all.
- Electronic documents are easy to update:
If there are any updates or changes made to your document, all you have to do is reupload it to the cloud.
That is not the case for paper documents. With paper documents, you have to go through the process of re-printing, re-storing, and increasing the cost of running the business.
Paper document vs electronic document : which is better?
Now that we have seen the advantages of both the paper document and the electronic document, it’s safe to conclude that the electronic document has more advantages.
Also, if you would like to keep up with the fast pace at which the internet is moving, then you have to choose the electronic document.
That said, how do you get started with using electronic documents? And if you are already using paper documents, how do you convert your paper documents into electronic documents?
How do I convert a paper document to an electronic document?
Now that you’re convinced that it’s a good idea to keep digital copies of your important documents, the next question is how to get started. Converting your paper document into an electronic document sounds like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be.
To convert a paper document to an electronic version, you can use a document scanning software like PaperCut print management software that makes your life a lot easier.
When you scan your paper document, a digital copy of your paper document will be stored in the cloud. That way, you can easily access your files from anywhere without worrying about how to access them.
Best software to convert a paper document to an electronic document
To better organize and store different kinds of electronic documents, you need an electronic document management system. Think of it as file storage, but this time, stored in the cloud.
While electronic document management (EDM) software is sometimes mistaken for content management systems (CMS), they’re not.
The difference is that a content management system is used to manage web content only, while electronic document management (EDM) software is used for archiving documents.
With that said, here are some of the best electronic document management (EDM) software great for small and big businesses alike:
1. OpenBee
OpenBee is not just an electronic document management solution for businesses. It is equipped with everything you’ll need to move away from cluttering your office space with stacks of old paper and towards having a paperless office.
There are so many features available for all business types and sizes on the platform. There are features like the collaboration tool that allows people on your team to collaborate and work seamlessly without having communication issues.
OpenBee also has a document business process management system that simplifies the day-to-day tasks for employees and business owners.
One of these processes includes automating invoices and payment systems without spending hours working on it. These invoices are stored in the cloud, where they can be accessed when needed.
The tool is also great for content security. There are features like two-factor authentication and data encryption that keep sensitive data safe from the prying eyes of the public.
OpenBee gives you a lot of flexibility–it gives you total control of how you can customize your work process and filing system. The best feature of OpenBee is how affordable it is.
2. PandaDoc
Next, on the list is PandaDoc, which is also a great tool for electronic document management.
PandaDoc was built to make it easy for teams to create, review, and collaborate faster. Features like integrated chat, document organizing, and collaboration make it easy to work together.
PandaDoc is a great tool to simplify the business process for small businesses and large enterprises alike.
3. Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a very popular sales dashboard to store electronic documents and collaborate. You can customize the sales dashboards according to the needs of your business.
There are other basic features like the task and document management, the full sales cycle, and 5GB of free online storage.
4. Samepage
Samepage is a collaboration software where teams can meet online.
One of the benefits of this collaboration tool is that it covers a wide range of workflows. On the platform, you can manage projects, tasks, collaborate, and even create a virtual office where your teams can meet and collaborate from anywhere in the world.
5. Wrike
Wrike is a project management tool good for creating custom workflows to improve communication within your team. When working on projects, you can set timelines, store electronic documents, and collaborate without obstruction or issues in communication.
Conclusion
Paper document vs electronic document – Which is better? It all comes down to what your business needs. However, if you are on board with the digital revolution, it’s time to start considering switching to electronic documents and what they can mean for your company.
The advantages of using electronic documents are much greater than those of paper documents. It helps you and your employees become more effective and productive.
Gone are the days of stacking up piles of paper and taking up space. Now, you can do everything online without encountering any challenges.
