Take the Office with You

The first step in planning a mobile working strategy is to organize files and data. It is not feasible to work mobile if your file cabinet is a metal parapet in an office. Mobile working forces you to go digital. Digitization is the future of the office. It saves trees and also precious time and allow us to work remotely as if we were at our desk. A digital transformation is a needed but complex process and involves many different issues so we are going to start talking about the basic digitization of a small business or sole proprietor on this blog. In going digital in your small business you need to take the first following steps:

- Use electronic documents. Create a paperless office environment. 

- Institute a policy of receiving only electronic invoices from vendors and suppliers and eliminate paper billing. In my business we have a dedicated email address for accounts payable which is invoices@XYZ.com where we receive all invoices for processing

- Create a cloud based filing system with local server back up storage safeguarded at your office physical location

- Execute all documents with electronic signatures utilizing a proven service or the many available. I personally use Docusing, a great service. 

- Institute a policy of electronic payments for accounts payable and accounts receivables. We make all payments to vendors and suppliers online or by ACH and receive all payments from clients electronically

- Set up direct deposit payroll services. All payroll processing services offer this at a marginal cost.

- Invest in the right software and systems for operations and accounting, enterprise systems and online documents and team collaboration processes.
- Embrace a cloud computing strategy for your business. Use the power of software and hardware once available only to large enterprises and Universities and now available to small business and individuals at a minimum cost

We operate with the Google platform for filing, collaboration and shared documents and have a back up private cloud. We use Quickbooks Online  and Online banking for all accounting, banking and financial processes. Enterprises, large businesses and sophisticated companies will require more robust platforms and ecosystems in many cases but for individuals and small business our approach to a digital business transformation is easy and cost effective  

Going digital to a paperless office is essential in the strategy to The Mobile Business, achieving the freedom we all desire.