5/99 - HOW DOCUMENT IMAGING CAN REDUCE YOUR OFFICE COSTS

HOW DOCUMENT IMAGING CAN REDUCE YOUR OFFICE COSTS

BY JAMES R. PYRICH, SOFTWARE FIRST, INC.

A common corporate objective is the reduction of printing costs and document handling time. Until quite recently there were only extremely expensive and custom made solutions to these dilemmas. Due to the drastic drops in computer equipment costs and an increase in the number of document imaging software applications, the ability to create a more paperless office has become an obtainable goal for most small to medium sized real estate companies.

The reasons for moving to a more paperless office are much more then just keeping up with the e-Jones’s. A few of the reasons to consider this technology should be pointed out, as they aren’t common knowledge:

The average business document is copied up to 19 times.

Professionals spend 5-15% of their time reading information but up to 30% of their time waiting for it.
A typical 4-drawer file cabinet costs $200 and occupies 9 square feet.
Four weeks of executive time is spent finding information.
Three percent of all documents are misplaced files or lost documents.
It typically takes 7 minutes to find, retrieve and re-file a document.
If you pay $7.50/hr it costs .875 cents per document to locate.
To find the 3% of lost documents it costs $120 per document to locate.

Managing electronic documents needs to address three issues: gathering, storing and retrieving. Gathering is accomplished through network capable scanners with imaging capabilities. Many of the current imaging software applications incorporate scanning capabilities into their storage and retrieval features. Storing the e-documents is now quite easy with the availability of CD writers and re-writers. The average storage capacity of a CD is that of a 4 drawer filing cabinet that greatly reduces the office space needed to store this information. The last concern is retrieval of the stored information. CD jukeboxes hold multiple CDs that allow for access from many people simultaneously. The search capability for the software can be used to seek out documents if the exact typically isn’t known.

Once real estate documents, management reports and government forms are entered into image storage, the possibility for loss is kept at a minimum. Copies of the documents are easily made and archived in a way that is an industry standard rather then a less available method such as microfiche.

If desired, the stored information can be made available to remote users by keeping it on web servers and accessing it through Internet accounts. Security should be a major concern if this is implemented.

By providing cost-intelligent solutions and methods to age-old corporate problems, electronic document storage fills a much needed niche in today’s workplace.

James R. Pyrich is president/CEO of Software First, Inc. Since 1979 Software First, Inc. has provided property management and HUD software solutions to the New York area. Solution/2000 software integrates accounting, property management, HUD tracking, work orders and inventory. For additional information contact Fred Seltzer: 800-227-7038 or Email: seltzer@sfisolutions.com — Home Page:www.sfisolutions.com