Solving the Paper Problem

Document management and data entry are monotonous tasks that take up too much time and prevent construction business owners from executing higher-priority tasks like managing employees, on-site work and new customer acquisitions. Recently, companies have begun employing automation tools, such as smart organization systems, to save time and get down to what matters.

Smart organization systems leverage cloud-based technology to securely store business documents. A smart organization system keeps documents and files structured and allow users to instantly share information with others. The information in a smart organization system can come from scanned paper documents and digital documents, such as email or electronic receipts, clipped Web pages or even images, captured by a user’s mobile device.

Start Smart Organization

Contractors process a number of different paper documents on a daily basis, many of which contain key data, critical to the day-to-day operations of their business. Between vendor invoices, expense receipts, customer contracts and other documents, it is fair to say an excessive paper problem is universal in the construction contractor industry. A recent survey asked 150 construction business owners about paper management problems, and found that 80 percent of respondents think they do a decent job of managing business-related paper, but know there must be a better way to deal with the copious amounts of paper and data that comes into their office. Continuously handling, organizing and searching to find documents and information the moment it is needed is an inefficient workflow that consumes too much time.

Contractors need to reduce the amount of time and money spent managing paper and digital documents and streamline how they find, store and use the vital data within those documents. Contractors can decide the level and depth when integrating a smart organization system—from simple storage back-up to a fully automated document and data management workflow.

Clear Paper Clutter

The first challenge business owners face when attempting to streamline document management is to clear the paper clutter around the office by learning to file documents differently. Filing cabinets, where 56 percent of survey respondents are still filing the majority of their business-related paper, take up too much space. Additionally, 64 percent of survey respondents spend 4 to 10 hours each month organizing and storing their business related paper.

Smart organization eliminates the steps that go into filing a paper document—no more visually processing the data within the documents, manually entering the necessary information into the appropriate software or flipping through countless folders in search of the proper landing place within a filing cabinet.

Instead, smart organization systems allow users to digitize documents the moment they are handed to them. Smart organization systems eliminate the need to file hard copies of documents into bulky, outdated filing cabinets, while reducing paper clutter around the office.

Using a Cloud-Based System

The most obvious use of cloud-based storage solutions is to back up important files and documents, so they can be stored separately and recovered quickly in case of a disaster.

In addition to securely backing up important files, the cloud allows multiple users to access and share the documents from wherever they are, whenever they need it.

Despite the obvious value cloud-based storage systems offer the contracting industry, survey results found that only 17 percent of respondents were scanning their business paper and storing those files in some type of cloud-based solution. Considering the added benefits a cloud-based storage system offers, the survey suggests the construction industry is just beginning to take advantage of the benefits that cloud services can bring to their business. Contractors not using a cloud-based system are missing out on added value that could make their workday and businesses more efficient.

Go Beyond Storage

Digitizing documents and leveraging cloud-based storage are important steps toward streamlining document and data management, but an all-encompassing smart organization system goes beyond reducing paper clutter and cloud-enabled backup.

All-encompassing systems start by accepting documents from multiple sources and capturing the data within those sources. Once captured, key information, like names, dates and receipt totals are unlocked and organized automatically in the preset structure of your choosing. All of the information is made key-word searchable, and data-points can be integrated with popular accounting software, unleashing hours of time normally spent endlessly entering and re-entering data. Smart organization systems also allow users to share files and folders with colleagues and customers and can be accessed on a desktop, laptop or mobile device, allowing construction business owners to work smarter and faster.

The need to eliminate data entry and minimize time spent managing business documents will continue to be a pressing issue within the construction business industry. Smart organization systems streamline monotonous, time-consuming tasks construction business owner’s face every day, in turn, allowing users to get to what matters.