| Use your accounting and payroll software to go | | | | paper from the forms, the envelopes, and the |
| green, and you will streamline processes and save | | | | stamps. |
| money at the same time. | | | | 4. Send and store reports electronically rather |
| 1. Send invoices and statements via e-mail instead | | | | than printing. |
| of via snail mail. | | | | You likely run financial reports every month, |
| These days nearly every business has an e-mail | | | | whether it's an income statement, balance sheet, |
| address. Set up customers with e-mail addresses | | | | or a long list of other reports you run for your |
| to have their invoices and statements sent via | | | | business. You likely send the reports around to |
| e-mail. The environment will benefit in many ways, | | | | people who view them once, and then shred or |
| including the savings of gas to deliver the mail, the | | | | throw them in the trash. Send the reports via |
| trees saved from the paper, and the gas | | | | e-mail, and you will save a significant amount of |
| emissions cut out. There are added benefits your | | | | paper each month. Those who wish to keep the |
| company. You will save on the cost of stamps, | | | | reports for later viewing can either store them in |
| invoice paper, envelopes, printer ink, and the cost | | | | an e-mail storage file, or they can save the |
| of the time to print, mail and stuff the envelopes. | | | | documents in a password protected file. |
| What's more, customers will have their invoices | | | | 5. Keep track of handwritten information in a |
| and statements instantly, promoting faster | | | | computer spreadsheet. |
| payment! If your business sends 300 invoices per | | | | Sometimes it seems easier to just track things |
| month, that adds up to 3,600 sheets of invoice | | | | on paper instead of using a spreadsheet on your |
| paper and 3,600 envelopes per year! | | | | computer. Some of the things people still track on |
| 2. Use direct deposit instead of printing paychecks. | | | | paper include serial and lot numbers, customer |
| Imagine the amount of paper saved if you print | | | | orders, customer pricing, and much more. Most |
| checks every week for 100 employees. By | | | | people are shocked to learn how much time is |
| paying employees with direct deposit, a company | | | | saved by entering this information into a |
| would save 5,200 envelopes and 5,200 checks | | | | computer system instead of on paper! Most |
| per year. | | | | accounting systems can handle the storage of this |
| 3. File tax forms electronically instead of printing | | | | information. By backing up the information on a |
| and sending forms via mail. | | | | regular basis, you can ensure this data does not |
| Do you order tax forms every year? Think of | | | | get lost. Not only does this save on paper, it |
| the time you spend ordering them, the cost, and | | | | keeps information more accurate and easily |
| the impact of all that paper. This year, file your | | | | accessible from one location. |
| tax forms electronically, and you can save the | | | | |