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Many years ago, computers promised the
possibility of creating a paperless office; but instead of realizing
that promise, we are using more paper than ever before. Well, the
rest of the world is using more paper than ever before -- I am
working hard to organize myself and create a truly paperless office.
Since becoming paperless
several years ago, I am more organized and can accomplish
more in an hour than I ever did before. I don't have stacks of paper
all over the house, and I can find an elusive document in a
few minutes.
The key for me to a paperless
office is my scanner. Next to my computer, the scanner is the one piece of
equipment I consider essential. HP has an interesting article on
creating a paperless office.  I currently use an HP Scanjet
7400c with one-button scanning to the following:
- Send the document via e-mail.
- FAX the document using my FAX/modem.
- Copy the document. (It comes out on
my color printer.)
- File the document. (It creates a PDF
file and saves it on my computer's hard drive. The PDF software is built into
the scanner software so there is no additional software to purchase or install.)
- Convert document to text. (I can change printed
text into a Word document -- this uses a technology called OCR.)
- Create a TIFF, GIF, JPEG, etc. image from
the document/picture.
After returning research papers and weekly
feedback to one of my classes at the University of
Phoenix within a day, my students asked me how I could do the work so quickly.
I sent the following e-mail
message to them. In addition to not printing documents I
create, I scan all other papers I get in meetings, in the mail, or
anywhere else. I scan all bills I receive then shred the original
bill. All this "paper" is filed on my hard drive -- not in
my office. Using the Windows FIND feature, I can find any document
in just minutes. Try it, you'll like it!
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