Comments on: Where to start creating your green office? The PDF file http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:35:00 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mar - PHR http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file/comment-page-1#comment-712 Mar - PHR Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:02:55 +0000 http://greenerworking.com/?p=2116#comment-712 When I arrived at my current employer the entire HR dept was being run on legal pads! I have slowly, over the past 5 years, transitioned much of it to electronic formats. One example I give to others is a particular report that I would print every pay period (2 weeks). It varied between 25 and 100 pages, depending on the time of year (this is a HR dept). I would then photocopy the report and distribute it to 11 people and file the original. We're talking 300 to 1200 pages every 2 weeks! I finally got so fed up with the amount of time it was taking (I wasn't even thinking PAPER at the time) so I went to each of the people and asked them if they really needed the report. Turns out that 6 of them had no idea what the report was even for, and it would go in the trash or in a filing cabinet!!! Of the remaining 5, only one needed a paper copy! I now scan the one copy that I print and send it to the other 5 people. I make my notes on my copy, and keep it for 3 months in case a question arises. After 3 months I use the blank side to print the next batch of reports. I have reduced the 300 to 1200 pages down to the equivalent of 38 to 150 - I estimate an average savings of 17,056 sheet of paper per year. And that's only ONE report! I have not calculated the savings from all the other reports I run. Yes - it does pay to go electronic! When I arrived at my current employer the entire HR dept was being run on legal pads! I have slowly, over the past 5 years, transitioned much of it to electronic formats. One example I give to others is a particular report that I would print every pay period (2 weeks). It varied between 25 and 100 pages, depending on the time of year (this is a HR dept). I would then photocopy the report and distribute it to 11 people and file the original. We’re talking 300 to 1200 pages every 2 weeks! I finally got so fed up with the amount of time it was taking (I wasn’t even thinking PAPER at the time) so I went to each of the people and asked them if they really needed the report. Turns out that 6 of them had no idea what the report was even for, and it would go in the trash or in a filing cabinet!!! Of the remaining 5, only one needed a paper copy! I now scan the one copy that I print and send it to the other 5 people. I make my notes on my copy, and keep it for 3 months in case a question arises. After 3 months I use the blank side to print the next batch of reports. I have reduced the 300 to 1200 pages down to the equivalent of 38 to 150 – I estimate an average savings of 17,056 sheet of paper per year. And that’s only ONE report! I have not calculated the savings from all the other reports I run.

Yes – it does pay to go electronic!

]]> By: Donna http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file/comment-page-1#comment-673 Donna Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:44:53 +0000 http://greenerworking.com/?p=2116#comment-673 In re-reading your email, Katelyn, I also do HR and payroll, and have to say that the only paper work I have for that is the vacation requests, and expense reports. Those could easily be changed to being paperless, for the employees who have access to a computer. May be a little difficult for those who work out side of the office, that don't have email, computer, etc. But that would be less than 25%. We have 100% co-operation on direct deposits, which is great. And it's a plus that all the quarterlies, 401k contributions, etc are all done on-line, too. Thanks for the suggestion on going paperless on PR/HR - I may look into doing that. In re-reading your email, Katelyn, I also do HR and payroll, and have to say that the only paper work I have for that is the vacation requests, and expense reports. Those could easily be changed to being paperless, for the employees who have access to a computer. May be a little difficult for those who work out side of the office, that don’t have email, computer, etc. But that would be less than 25%. We have 100% co-operation on direct deposits, which is great. And it’s a plus that all the quarterlies, 401k contributions, etc are all done on-line, too. Thanks for the suggestion on going paperless on PR/HR – I may look into doing that.

]]> By: Donna http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file/comment-page-1#comment-672 Donna Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:30:57 +0000 http://greenerworking.com/?p=2116#comment-672 I still think it's more work. I don't have to "make up" files with labels, since we use most of our vendors on a regular basis. And when I get a new vendor, it's really nothing to make a new file - probably the same amount of time to make a new folder on the computer. It takes less than minute to do either. Plus, I've never had anything turn up as misfiled. It's possible that it may have happened, but at my current job of 10+ years, I have yet to have had anything turn up lost. (Things could get lost, or mistakenly deleted on the computer, too.) There is nothing in my office that I couldn't find or pull up in a matter of minutes. We do save and store alot of things on the computer, and it is very handy. But for Accounts Payable, I would say 90% of our invoices come in paper form. And we make as many payments as possible via ACH (since we are a bank, and it's much easier for us), but that still only comes to around 25%. If you are someone who uses online banking, you'll know that a large percent of those payments are sent out by your bank in check form, drawn by the bank, and not electronically, even though you have done the work "on-line", you'll see that it clears your bank as a check. So, there was still paperwork involved. I still think it’s more work. I don’t have to “make up” files with labels, since we use most of our vendors on a regular basis. And when I get a new vendor, it’s really nothing to make a new file – probably the same amount of time to make a new folder on the computer. It takes less than minute to do either. Plus, I’ve never had anything turn up as misfiled. It’s possible that it may have happened, but at my current job of 10+ years, I have yet to have had anything turn up lost. (Things could get lost, or mistakenly deleted on the computer, too.) There is nothing in my office that I couldn’t find or pull up in a matter of minutes. We do save and store alot of things on the computer, and it is very handy. But for Accounts Payable, I would say 90% of our invoices come in paper form. And we make as many payments as possible via ACH (since we are a bank, and it’s much easier for us), but that still only comes to around 25%. If you are someone who uses online banking, you’ll know that a large percent of those payments are sent out by your bank in check form, drawn by the bank, and not electronically, even though you have done the work “on-line”, you’ll see that it clears your bank as a check. So, there was still paperwork involved.

]]> By: Katelyn http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file/comment-page-1#comment-671 Katelyn Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:20:43 +0000 http://greenerworking.com/?p=2116#comment-671 Donna-Are you sure it's more work to save and organize pdfs than organize papers, according to vendor, with all the back up, then make files with labels and file them in a filing cabinet, hoping all the while that nothing was misfiled, and then be able to find it at a moment's notice? I handle both HR and payroll files and reports, so I understand getting paper in the first place plus papers that have to be signed; however, once we started going paperless (we are still in the process) I have found it so much easier to find the information I am looking for on my computer, plus if someone needs something, I can e-mail it to them - password protected for security as well. Even your e-mails can be turned into .pdf files in no more time than it takes to hit the print function and save the document to a file, it is definitely a time saver. It can be daunting on the front end of moving toward paperless, but is well worth it once the initial set up is done. Donna-Are you sure it’s more work to save and organize pdfs than organize papers, according to vendor, with all the back up, then make files with labels and file them in a filing cabinet, hoping all the while that nothing was misfiled, and then be able to find it at a moment’s notice? I handle both HR and payroll files and reports, so I understand getting paper in the first place plus papers that have to be signed; however, once we started going paperless (we are still in the process) I have found it so much easier to find the information I am looking for on my computer, plus if someone needs something, I can e-mail it to them – password protected for security as well. Even your e-mails can be turned into .pdf files in no more time than it takes to hit the print function and save the document to a file, it is definitely a time saver. It can be daunting on the front end of moving toward paperless, but is well worth it once the initial set up is done.

]]> By: Donna http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file/comment-page-1#comment-669 Donna Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:54:38 +0000 http://greenerworking.com/?p=2116#comment-669 You couldn't go completely paperless. I'm in accounts payable, and most of my bills come in the mail, so I start out with paper. I already have a paper copy of the invoice, so scanning and saving it doesn't prevent the damage. Might as well keep the invoice, which is actually easier since I have the proper approvals written on it, the details of how I paid it, etc. I have many people who email me their invoices, and I can get approvals via email, but still end up printing it out, so it still equals one piece of paper. Same with payments - I pay via ACH, then email them the details, but still print it out. It's too much work to save and organize pdf files, according to vendor, with all the back up, then to be able to pull it all up at a moment's notice. You couldn’t go completely paperless. I’m in accounts payable, and most of my bills come in the mail, so I start out with paper. I already have a paper copy of the invoice, so scanning and saving it doesn’t prevent the damage. Might as well keep the invoice, which is actually easier since I have the proper approvals written on it, the details of how I paid it, etc. I have many people who email me their invoices, and I can get approvals via email, but still end up printing it out, so it still equals one piece of paper. Same with payments – I pay via ACH, then email them the details, but still print it out. It’s too much work to save and organize pdf files, according to vendor, with all the back up, then to be able to pull it all up at a moment’s notice.

]]> By: Dana http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file/comment-page-1#comment-563 Dana Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:12:21 +0000 http://greenerworking.com/?p=2116#comment-563 Gin - Perhaps you should consult our CPA's who do completely paperless audits and tax returns - Marcia Fritz & Co. of Sacramento, CA. This reduced our bill to them dramatically and we are much happier working with a "green" auditor. By the way, I too am a CPA, so I do understand your fears. Gin – Perhaps you should consult our CPA’s who do completely paperless audits and tax returns – Marcia Fritz & Co. of Sacramento, CA. This reduced our bill to them dramatically and we are much happier working with a “green” auditor. By the way, I too am a CPA, so I do understand your fears.

]]> By: Gin http://greenerworking.com/where-to-start-creating-your-green-office-the-pdf-file/comment-page-1#comment-539 Gin Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:53:13 +0000 http://greenerworking.com/?p=2116#comment-539 How does one go paperless with machines? I don't trust computers. They are ALWAYS losing data. I do tax preparation and can't imagine a totally paperless office. Too scary. My Server has two (2) backups and I use two (2) thumb drives AND I keep paper. I have lost too much stuff in the past to trust this. There are certain regulations that require original signature documents, etc. I use eight (8) reams of paper in a week during the height of the tax season. How does one go paperless with machines? I don’t trust computers. They are ALWAYS losing data. I do tax preparation and can’t imagine a totally paperless office. Too scary. My Server has two (2) backups and I use two (2) thumb drives AND I keep paper. I have lost too much stuff in the past to trust this. There are certain regulations that require original signature documents, etc. I use eight (8) reams of paper in a week during the height of the tax season.

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