Are you overwhelmed by papers?

Papers and documents seem to be in endless abundance these days. Whether in an office or home, the volume of paper we encounter on a daily basis can be overwhelming. For the information and paper that needs to be retained, we tend to rely on folders and filing cabinets. What about going electronic?

There are a variety of scanners out there designed to scan documents and business cards into a database on your computer. Files can be set up just as if you were sliding the paper into a manila folder. Many programs allow you to search by keyword or title, not just file name.

An option for those who do not wish to invest the time or energy of scanning documents can choose to use a professional company to scan the paperwork. Most company’s will then host the documents on their website, searchable by both files and keywords, just like a home computer.

Even though electronic document storage is a fantastic option for both personal and business papers, keep in mind there are a few documents out there that must be retained in hard-copy, despite being stored electronically. Check with your attorney or CPA for a run down of documents that must be retained in hard-copy.