Nowadays, the need for paper is becoming increasingly rare, yet a lot of companies still rely on it. But paper documents can be unsafe for reasons you might not even realize. So, what are the biggest advantages of digital processes when compared to paper-based ones?
Access only for the authorized
Although digital data breaches can be just as bad as physical ones, we are better protected against them. Digital data is subject to regulations and data protection laws, but only a few organizations have measures in place against physical breaches other than locking documents away.
Paper records are very easily compromised. People can easily gain access to documents when they are left on tables, counters, filing cabinets, or unlocked storage areas. Issues can also arise during printing. When printing documents on a work printer, they are left in the paper tray for several minutes while you collect them. In this short time, anyone can take a look at these documents. Or even worse, other employees who are also printing can snatch them up along with their own documents. Paper documents are also easily misplaced, can be misfiled, often there is no backup and to replicate them can be problematic.
Harder to tamper with
Anyone with access can remove pages or add entries. With paper it is almost impossible to find out when was the last time someone accessed or modified a document. Electronic documents, on the other hand, have a time stamp and changes are very easy to track. You can check the document´s history and see if anyone made unauthorized changes. And what´s better – digital documents can be protected by passwords, and you can set up rights for each user. Anyone without a password or access will be unable to open it, and only those with rights will be able to edit them. This way you can make sure sensitive information won´t end up in wrong hands.
Standardized processes
With paper documents, it can be hard to keep track of progress across complex tasks. Papers can go missing, workers can forget to fill out reports, misfile, or improperly label documents. They can also easily end up in the wrong hands. Digital processes are easily standardized – you can set up each step right at the beginning and avoid errors. Thanks to this, you can make sure everyone gets the right information in the right time and no unauthorized people have access.
Seamless collaboration
With paper-based processes, collaboration can sometimes involve more parties than just those actually involved. Very often there is a third party that handles and has access to the paper documents used.
With collaboration and troubleshooting through digital tools, you don´t need to worry about that. Cloud-based solutions allow workers to collaborate seamlessly, all they need is their desktop or mobile device. Technicians can collaborate with experts that can guide them through their tasks directly on their mobile or wearable device, thanks to remote assistance tools.
Security isn´t the only benefit of going digital
Paper-based processes are expensive. First of all, there is the cost of paper (not to mention that it hurts the environment). Then printers, ink, stationery, filing systems, storage space and the costs connected to archiving… Simply put, managing paper documents is unnecessarily expensive compared to using a digital cloud-based system.
Also, by using digital cloud-based solutions, you will get access to real time data. You can access the data repeatedly and change it if needed and also see the edits other people made. There‘s no need wait for a large amount of data to be delivered so that you can analyze them and draw conclusions.
Ready to go paperless? Resco Field Service+ is the way to go!
Resco Field Service+ is a mobile solution that allows companies to eliminate paperwork and deal with the most complex field service scenarios. And its digital documents and processes will help you cut costs and keep your data safe.
Find out more about Resco Field Service+ and discover its features or book a demo today.