The Beginner’s Guide to Going Paperless at Work

You’ve just hired your first employee or signed your first client contract — and suddenly, the filing cabinets, printers, and piles of forms feel like anchors. More companies are making the leap toward paperless operations, not only to save costs but also to improve speed, compliance, and accessibility.

Going paperless doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a staged process that blends new tools, updated processes, and small cultural shifts inside the business. Below is a practical roadmap that organizations can follow to start.

1. Identify Where Paper Still Rules

Before launching into new tools, businesses need an audit of where paper is being used. Common hotspots include:

• Client contracts and agreements
   

• Employee onboarding packets
   

• Invoices and purchase orders
   

• Expense approvals and receipts
   

• HR records and compliance documents

A quick checklist can help teams uncover these “persistent information gaps” — places where paper slows workflow or introduces risk.

2. Convert Routine Paper into Digital Workflows

Once you know where paper shows up most, the next step is digitization. Start small:

• Replace printed invoices with online invoicing platforms like FreshBooks.
   

• Store HR and compliance documents in secure cloud systems such as Box.
   

• Standardize team collaboration with tools, which make it easy to share and update files in real time.

Small swaps like these are low-cost and give employees immediate wins — fewer stacks of paper, faster search, and better collaboration.

3. Streamline Contracts with Digital Signatures

One of the biggest bottlenecks in going paperless is the signature step. Traditional signing requires printing, mailing, scanning, and filing. Digital signature tools replace that process with secure, certificate-based verification.

With these tools, documents can be shared, signed, and archived digitally, ensuring they haven’t been altered. Businesses that adopt them not only cut costs on paper and ink but also shorten turnaround times for deals, compliance filings, and internal approvals. If you’re ready to try this out, here's a solution that demonstrates how straightforward and secure the shift can be.

4. Build a Digital Filing System
 

This shift works best when the filing structure mirrors what teams already know. Rename folders and categories consistently so employees don’t get lost in the transition.

5. Reduce Printing with Internal Policy Changes

Technology alone doesn’t make a company paperless. Employees need cultural signals that reinforce the shift. Some practical tactics:

• Set printers to double-sided and black-and-white by default
   

• Encourage digital meeting agendas instead of printed packets
   

• Use QR codes on signage instead of handouts
   

• Train staff on secure digital sharing practices

Over time, the small reductions compound — fewer toner orders, less waste, and faster workflows.

6. Ensure Security and Compliance

Digitizing workflows introduces new responsibilities. Businesses must ensure files remain secure, accessible, and compliant with industry regulations.

• Encrypt sensitive records during storage and transfer
   

• Use role-based access controls to manage permissions
   

• Back up critical files regularly with services like Backblaze
   

• Stay aligned with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA

Security should be designed into the system, not added later.

7. Execution Checklist for Going Paperless

• Audit where paper is still used
   

• Prioritize one or two processes to digitize first
   

• Select digital signature and storage solutions
   

• Create a folder structure that mimics current workflows
   

• Train employees on new tools
   

• Monitor progress and refine

This step-by-step rollout avoids overwhelming staff and keeps costs predictable.

FAQs About Going Paperless

Is going paperless expensive?
Not necessarily. Many tools, like Google Drive, offer free or low-cost options that small businesses can adopt right away.

Are digital signatures legally valid?
Yes. In most regions, certificate-based e-signatures are recognized as legally binding for contracts, HR documents, and compliance filings.

How long does it take to fully transition?
It depends on company size and industry. Some businesses go 80% paperless within a few months; others need a year or more to migrate fully.

What if my clients still prefer paper?
Offer both. Start with digital as your default, but keep paper as a backup.

What about long-term storage?
Digital records are easier to back up and preserve than paper. Services like Dropbox offer redundancy and access controls.

A Process, Not a Flip of a Switch

Going paperless isn’t just about ditching printers — it’s about making your operations faster, cheaper, and more resilient. By starting with small wins (like invoices or digital signatures), businesses can scale up over time until paper becomes the rare exception.