With Earth Day approaching, now is a great time to help your nonprofit organization go paperless. Whether your team is working remotely or in-person (or a combination of both) it’s important for your key stakeholders to have access to any necessary documents at all times.
In addition to the environmental benefits, going paperless makes it easier to locate, review, and share files with others. Here are a few simple changes your organization can make to reduce your paper usage and streamline your digital filing system:
Switch your vendors to electronic billing. Most vendors will be happy to issue invoices via email. Just check your spam box on a regular basis to ensure nothing gets overlooked.
View your bank statements online and get familiar with your electronic banking interface. Some banks charge a fee to mail paper statements, so this might even save you a few bucks!
Digitize any lease agreements, contracts, or other agreements your organization has entered into. This makes it easier to quickly review the terms of each agreement, in case a question or dispute arises.
Use a cloud-based document storage system. There are many options for secure, encrypted file storage which can be used by your staff and shared with third-party service providers as needed.
If you have trouble keeping track of bills and payments, consider investing in an electronic bill management system such as Bill.com.
Develop a standardized naming system for your digital files. This will help you stay organized and locate files with a quick keyword search.
For remote and hybrid team members, it’s critical to have on-demand access to important documents. But even when you’re physically present at the office, going paperless can save a lot of time and headaches – and trees, too!