It creeps up slowly. First it’s a desk full of printouts, then a storage closet packed to the ceiling with old files. Most companies don't intend to drown in paperwork, but once it happens, the idea of going digital can seem overwhelming. The truth is, starting a paperless journey isn't about chasing perfection. It's about building small wins into something sustainable.
Invest in Better Digital Signing Processes
One of the biggest sticking points for businesses trying to ditch paper is the need for official signatures. Customers and partners still expect forms and contracts, and they expect them to be easy. Reliable e-signature services like DocuSign, PandaDoc, or Adobe Sign take the friction out of the process and make it simple to secure approvals without printing anything. If you upgrade this system early, you'll clear one of the biggest hurdles and boost your team's efficiency almost immediately.
Organize and Consolidate Old Files for a Cleaner Start
When you start moving away from paper, dealing with the backlog can feel like a full-time job. One smart move is to use a PDF merging tool to group related documents into a single file, cutting down the time you’ll waste hunting through scattered folders. After you combine PDF files, you can move PDF pages into the right order, making old paperwork easier to search and easier to share. It’s a good idea to take a look at your oldest documents first so you can prioritize what needs organizing before everything else falls into place.
Create Digital Workflows, Not Just Digital Files
A lot of businesses stop at scanning documents, thinking that's enough. It's not even close. Scanned paperwork dumped into a random folder still leaves you digging through digital piles instead of physical ones. The real magic happens when you build smart digital workflows, where forms auto-route to the right person, approvals happen automatically, and nothing gets lost because everything has a home.
Rethink Customer Touchpoints for a Paperless Experience
Sometimes businesses focus so much on internal changes that they forget the customer side matters just as much. Every form a customer fills out, every receipt they’re handed, every printed pamphlet you offer is a chance to either reinforce old habits or build new ones. Switching to online forms, digital receipts, self-service portals, and web-based onboarding processes shows your customers you value speed and simplicity. It's not just good business practice anymore—it’s an expectation for modern companies.
Prioritize Mobile-Friendly Solutions
A lot of the best paperless practices live on your employees’ phones. Think about it: scanning receipts, approving documents, checking schedules, sharing feedback—all of it can happen on mobile if you pick the right tools. Building mobile-first workflows ensures that the switch to paperless doesn’t feel clunky, confusing, or inconvenient. If employees can handle basic business tasks in real time wherever they are, you shrink the need for paper before it even has a chance to creep back in.
Use the Transition to Clean Out Digital Clutter Too
Going paperless isn’t just a physical project. If you’re scanning and uploading documents, now’s the perfect time to rethink your digital filing system too. Instead of dumping everything into a shared drive like an afterthought, create simple folder structures, naming conventions, and backup protocols that keep your information clean. A tidy digital workspace doesn’t just save time—it restores a sense of calm and clarity that's hard to put a price on.
Designate a Paperless Champion Inside Your Company
Every big change needs a cheerleader. If you want your paperless efforts to stick, appoint someone inside your company to act as the internal point person. They don’t have to be a tech wizard—they just have to be organized, enthusiastic, and willing to answer questions when people start slipping back into old habits. Having a dedicated paperless champion keeps momentum alive long after the novelty of the transition wears off.
Accept Imperfection and Keep Moving Forward
No matter how carefully you plan it, your paperless transition won’t be flawless. Someone will print something "just in case," a department will cling to an old form, or a client will insist on a mailed copy. It’s tempting to see these moments as failures, but they’re really just growing pains. As long as you stay committed to the bigger goal, the volume of paper will shrink month by month until you realize you barely miss it.
In the end, the success of going paperless isn’t measured by how many reams of paper you save. It’s measured by how much smoother, faster, and more enjoyable your daily work becomes. The right software matters, but it’s the mindset shift—the idea that business should be clean, flexible, and digital—that creates lasting change. Once you lean into that philosophy, the paper disappears almost as a side effect of doing things better.
