Scanning legal documents can help law firms boost efficiency

While many law firms are already invested in some level of document scanning, a more significant approach could go a long way toward ensuring more efficient and accurate record-keeping. Furthermore, such a decision could deliver additional benefits in terms of saving time and money.

Use of electronic documents is becoming the norm in most parts of the country, as technology improves and consumers and businesses alike become more accustomed to e-signatures and the like, according to Salt Lake City television station KSL. In addition to the initial ease of use law firms and other businesses can find when it comes to processing, filing and accessing these documents later is a significant upgrade over paper files. Indeed, setting up even basic workflows can ensure every e-file goes right to the parties who need it, and stay secure on an ongoing basis.

Furthermore, using electronic document management also saves law firms in terms of what had previously been prodigious costs in terms of both time and money when it came to physically handling paper documents, shipping them, and so on. Moving to electronic file management can also free up plenty of space in physical law offices, allowing firms to do away with massive amounts of filing cabinets and other storage needs.

Of course, because law offices typically have so many documents on hand to begin with, bulk scanning is probably a good idea when making the upgrade.

Cutting other costs
In addition to the cost of physical documents that come from things like toner, paper, equipment and storage, law firms should also consider the benefits that come from using electronic document management to increase efficiency for workers in charge of handling all those documents, according to Business Management Daily. Often, law offices have employees and contractors alike handling massive quantities of physical documents, but those labor costs can be reduced, or their efforts re-allocated to other pressing needs, thanks to automated workflows, document capture, and other benefits of these systems.

While not all document management solutions will work for every law office, it's vital for decision-makers to consider how effective these systems can be when it comes to improving both operational functions and bottom lines.