Paperless Office Part 3: Interfaces and Measures

In the first two parts of our blog series on the paperless office, we highlighted its importance and explained why it makes sense for every commercial business to create a highly digitalized work environment. Working with little to no paper and the resulting changes are also a priority for us at TOPIX. That’s why, in this third part, we’ll take a closer look at the relevant TOPIX interfaces and conclude with a list of essential steps for creating a paperless office. But first, let’s look at the concept of the “Clean Desk Policy” — a fundamental part of any paperless setup.

 

The Tidy Desk

The idea behind the Clean Desk Policy (CDP) is fairly straightforward. It’s a company policy or guideline requiring employees to leave their desks tidy at the end of each workday. The specifics may vary depending on the company — whether it’s just about maintaining a neat impression or about keeping the desk completely clear. On one hand, the CDP encourages employee discipline. On the other, it promotes the completion of tasks by the end of the workday.

While it can’t be applied as a one-size-fits-all rule, the CDP is a useful and effective step toward a paperless office — an environment that thrives on clean desks and consistent organization.

A tidy workspace also makes a professional impression on visitors and helps protect sensitive documents from prying eyes — both aspects that take on even greater importance in a paperless office. And don’t worry: you don’t have to give up your beloved Post-its or notes. As long as they’re not relevant for others, simply store them in a drawer at the end of the day.

 

Going Paperless with TOPIX

TOPIX is designed to help you store, organize, and retrieve all your information, data, appointments, and tasks with ease — while offering features you’d never have with sticky notes, paper piles, or siloed solutions.

The TOPIX DMS (Document Management System) enables fast document retrieval and is fully integrated into your ERP system. Even long-standing workflows don’t require additional software: with TOPIX, everything is managed clearly and transparently under one digital roof. Even complex processes can be tracked intuitively and updated quickly as needed.

Already working with a tool like Rossum? No problem. We provide the right interface. Even if you already have established, working structures, switching to TOPIX won’t mean lengthy onboarding or adjustment periods. Our goal is to simplify your processes — and make them paperless in the process. With TOPIX, paper invoices can soon be a thing of the past.

 

Ready for Europe

When it comes to invoicing, a paperless approach is especially valuable. It saves time, labor, and money. One key component of digital invoicing is ZUGFeRD — short for “Zentraler User Guide des Forums elektronische Rechnung Deutschland.” This format enables invoice data to be embedded, extracted, and processed from within a PDF file.

Naturally, TOPIX includes a ZUGFeRD interface. This ensures that your invoices meet all fiscal and commercial legal requirements for electronic billing. The format is standardized and developed with international input for Europe-wide use — making it ideal for cross-border transactions.

The benefits of this paperless invoicing process are many:

You avoid manual entry errors, automate both incoming and outgoing invoice handling, and eliminate the need for scanning or other manual processes. In addition to saving paper and printing costs, you also significantly reduce postage expenses over the course of the year.

 

The Right Measures

Finally, here are several important measures to consider when transitioning to a paperless office:

• Conduct a thorough assessment of all areas where paper use can be eliminated. This may reveal areas where paper is still necessary — but these should be rare exceptions.

• Choose professional, scalable software that can handle all your digital workflows and requirements.

• Establish a clear folder and file structure before implementation, with input from employees at all levels.

• Provide employee training and begin structured document management — meaning documents and data are consistently implemented, named, and stored in the right places. Uniformity is critical.

• Leadership matters: Management should consistently communicate the benefits of the transition — not with slogans, but with practical, relatable improvements. Listening to employee feedback is crucial.

• Incorporate useful and enjoyable tools and apps where appropriate — even small upgrades like a new tablet can boost acceptance and enthusiasm for change.

That wraps up our look at the paperless office. Now it’s your turn: take what you’ve learned from this blog series and put it into practice. Maybe make yourself a little reminder — or better yet, a note in your digital calendar.