Inexpensive Technology for a Paperless Office

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Bring on the technology! Are you ready? Of course going paperless means that your home office will need technology. The investment, however, doesn't need to break the bank. There are plenty of free open source and low cost software programs available. In fact, some office users even prefer these low cost alternatives to their expensive counterparts.

Document management is a critical factor for any business. Everyone has bank statements, receipts, invoices, bills, and a whole host of other documents that need organized in an efficient and effective manner. As more and more businesses move to a paperless system these documents are becoming available to you in a digital format. So why not learn to manage them digitally instead of printing them out?

There are two inexpensive technologies for a paperless document office that provide great solutions, and you can use them to organize your documents. One is right on your own computer using your file system. For PC Windows users that's windows explorer. Set up your digital file system just like you would set up a paper file system using a filing cabinet. The best part is that this method doesn't cost you a single dime.

You can also use a third party document management system such as Orglow, offering packages that start for free on up to $49.95 per month. The part I like about Orglow the best is that it offers a great document and workflow management system that is small business friendly. So if you're just starting out, Orglow's basic free package is all you will most likely need. As your business grows you can step up your package to the next level. And a major advantage of storing your information on a third party secured server is that you don't have to worry about losing your documents if your personal computer crashes.

For more on document solutions, read Johnsinit's article Top 5 Project Management Document Solutions.

Customer management is the term for software that allows you to keep track of customer contact information, communications over the phone or email, orders and so much more. It's an important aspect of a paperless office. Every business has customers or clients. The question is, what level of intensity do you need in a customer management system?

Sometimes, keeping track of your customers in an email program such as Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Outlook Business Contact Manager is all you really need. Sometimes, you need more than that. For small businesses that have a lot of client/customer interaction it's best to organize your relationships digitally because this allows you to have access to customer information at your fingertips. Every wonder how the companies you do business with always seem to have your information handy as you speak with them on the phone? They're accomplished at digital contact management.

Sage Act is perhaps one of the best known customer relationship management software programs known and they even offer special packages for accountants, a rare find considering their relatively low prices. The premium version of Act is available for under $500. However, if Act is still out of your budget price range than Free CRM may be just right for you. Free CRM is an online customer management solution that is, you guessed it, free. Just like Orglow, as your business grows you can step up your package with Free CRM to a paid solution.

Please click on Page 2 for more ideas on inexpensive technology for a paperless office.