Whatever the future of document management may be in this increasingly hi-tech era, it is essential that the health of our planet be given as much consideration as the management process itself. The electronic storage of documents has seen a significant cut in paper consumption, which lightens the burden on our overtaxed natural resources, but reducing our carbon footprint will mean examining in great detail all aspects that prevent the Earth from being a greener environment. Time management, labour efficiency and space shortages have also become crucial to business and the economy as a whole. It is to be hoped that future document management systems will attempt to address all of these issues.
<h2>Storage Methods Today</h2>
Businesses that generate a high volume of paper usage, such as the legal profession, have increasingly begun to make use of multi-function printers to replace the stand-alone printer, copier and fax machine. This not only lessens the amount of floor space required to house these machines, it also reduces the dependence on paper. Most importantly, these MFPs cut the energy requirements by half. Lower electricity bills and savings on service agreements are only some of the benefits to business; for our embattled natural resources it has a far greater impact. Converting paper documents to digital files as part of a management system makes retrieval easy, convenient and labour efficient. Confidentiality and the securing of sensitive information are also provided for depending on the system software chosen. Choosing the right MFP can also do much in protecting our vulnerable eco-system
<h2>Security Measures</h2>
Keeping documents secure is vital to any business and choosing a digital content management system that ensures information is accessible to authorised personnel only is a must. MFPs make it easy to restrict access by identifying users by name, number or password. Encryption methods can also make data unreadable and stored data is able to be shredded, or routinely automatically electronically erased. Choosing this type of MFP will not only save company money, it will also have a far greater impact on its carbon footprint if further features are selected when purchasing. Solid ink technology has made it possible to replace liquid ink with a solid ink stick that uses resin-based colour. As there is no cartridge or toner casing to be disposed of there will be less waste finding its way to landfills. It is estimated that this non-toxic printing method will reduce printer waste by approximately 90%. An ‘intelligent ready’ option will also impact on energy usage by noting the periods when printers are usually not in use and switching to a low-power mode during these times Future technological advances are sure to propel document management to a new level.
<h2>What May the Future Hold<h/2>
Having the world constantly connected means that document management has already made the transition to online storage. Advanced enterprise level software packages are being constantly upgraded to accommodate large-scale data storage and advanced security measures. Once certainty seems to be that the future of document storage will be paperless, which is really good news for Mother Nature. With approximately 24 trees being needed to produce one ton of paper, the environmental impact is almost immeasurable and, with companies being far more environmentally aware, technology is certain to take huge strides forward, while advancing the chances of our planet’s survival.