In our blog, The 3 Mind Blowing Myths of the Paperless Office, we revealed how most all claims of a paperless office are false. If only one aspect of a business is paperless like customer eBills, the entire business is NOT paperless. Larger companies create a mirage of paperlessness by marketing around one of these aspects. Just take a spin around the corporate office of your choice and you'll find stacks of paper everywhere. 

Here are the 3 paperless office myths revisited:

Myth #1) paperless offices are everywhere

Myth #2) technology eliminates paper

Myth #3) thinking your business is paperless

What's the definition of going paperless?

It requires a complex answer to explain the vast landscape of false claims and misconceptions. Here's 13 paradigm busting definitions:

1) The business is a self-contained paperless ecosystem

2) The business has a technological paperless force field 

3) Documents are originated, exchanged and stored electronically

4) An entrepreneur, business owner or CEO declares paperlessness

5) The business has a paperless policy

6) Technology is specifically adopted to avoid paper

7) Employees can't use paper

8) The business does NOT send or receive paper

9) A paperless office is a virtual office

10) A business can move locations in one day without notice

11) Using yellow pads & sticky notes is not paperless

12) Must be NO visible paper

13) A business must be ruthful in it's paperless quest

Bonus: A business can NEVER be paperless without a virtual mailbox. Learn more here.

Exceptions & Caveats

a) Paper is a tool (It can be used in a paperless office. All other definitions must be met for this to hold true)

b) A business can temporarily use paper

c) A business can have a printer

d) Receiving paper randomly and unexpectedly 

e) Receiving electronic documents sent to you as paper

f) Sending electronic documents received from you as paper

NOTE: Exception e & f are actually sub-defintions of definition #1, #2 & #7. Exception b & c are sub-definitions of definition #5, #6 & #7

Examples of Exceptions & Caveats

As we've said before banks, insurance companies and government agencies are notorious paper violators forcing you into using paper as the only option. Fortunately, a virtual mailbox turns those paper insurance policies and IRS letters into an online pdf. (exception e) Conversely, a paper application may be required yet some technology turns a pdf into a mailed document without you printing or mailing it. (exception f) The Sheriff still serves papers, deliveries are coupled with shipping paperwork and this list goes on. In these cases, the business needs to scan and shred the documents. (exception d) We just can't escape the paper attack. 

Afforndances

It pains me to say it, but I have to acknowledge paper is a tool because it has benefits electronic documents, computer screens and tablets don't have--yet. (exception a) These attributes are called affordances of paper a term coined by Abigail J. Sellen and Richard H.R. Harper in The Myth of the Paperless Office.

Here are some of the "Affordances of Paper":

1) flip through it easily

2) lay it out and reference it

3) mark it up quickly

4) see multiple pages at the same time

Affordances in Action

When a document reaches more than 30 pages it becomes cumbersome to navigate depending what you're doing with the document. (exception b) Attorneys are burdened with very large documents which explains why they carry around huge cases of client files. They lean on the affordances of paper all the time. This is why a paperless office can have a printer and still be paperless. (exception c) Think about the difference between reading an eBook and a paperback. An eBook only allows you to look at two pages at a time. A paperback allows you to easily flip back in forth among chapters and look at two pages that are 100 pages apart. 

Paper is ONLY good for 2 things:

1) Paperback books (there's just nothing like holding a book in your hand)

2) Artistic expression (paper as a medium used for art)

Now What?

Paperlessness requires a deep understanding so you know where your going and when you've gotten there. Teaming up with invizibiz is the fastest way to get there. After all, invizibiz.biz is home of The Ultimate Paperless Back Office™. You always have 3 choices, do it yourself, do it together or we do it for you. Start eliminating paper and Invisible Expenses™ today.