The world stood still as Neil Armstrong uttered the first words spoken from the lunar surface. “That’s one small step for man; One giant leap for mankind.”

In the four decades since, technological innovation has skyrocketed to fantastic levels. The iPhone, Blackberry, or Android device in your pocket has a processor that runs several hundred times the speed of the processor used in the Apollo guidance system. Technology has progressed so quickly that your phone may very well have more processing power and storage than the laptop that you proudly toted around just ten years ago.

Your smartphone probably also has a built-in camera. If it does, this makes it surprisingly capable as a personal document scanner/fax machine/and note taking device. After all, a scanned document is basically just a picture of a piece of paper.

Going digital and cutting down on the paper in your life is typically best done one small step at a time. You can start today using your smartphone, computer, and free or low-cost software to organize the documents on your desk. In the process, you will learn valuable lessons that will help you when you decide to go digital in your work environment.

To get started, here are a few free or low-cost software programs and online services for scanning, faxing, and managing documents that you may want to try out. (Please note: Phone programs listed are for the iPhone, but many of the same or similar programs can be found for Windows Mobile, Android, Blackberry, and other smartphones.)

1. Evernote’s slogan is “Remember everything,” and that is exactly what it does… FOR FREE! Walt Mossberg, the personal technology reporter from The Wall Street Journal, recently wrote an excellent review of this service. It runs on the web, on your iPhone or other smartphone, and on both Macs and PCs. Evernote keeps your text, scanned files, and camera-phone-snapped documents all in one easily searchable place. Data synchronizes to the web and across your devices. Even with bad handwriting, Evernote does a solid job making your handwritten notes searchable and easy to find. The free, ad-supported version is sufficient for all but the heaviest data users. This is one of those rare free products that elicits a “WOW” response once you try it.
2. Dropbox gives you 2 GB of free synchronized file storage up in “the cloud.” Simply put your important files that you want backed up into a Dropbox folder on your local computer, and the files will automatically synchronize up to a web portal and back down to multiple computers running Windows, Linux, or OS X. A client for the iPhone and a web-based version are also available, so your files are always within arm’s reach. The free iPhone app , available through the App Store, lets you upload pictures to your Dropbox folder on the road, including pictures of documents that you need to remember. Dropbox is a perfect free companion to Evernote to keep the rest of your digital files close at hand.
3. Need to send a fax to Antarctica? FilesAnywhere may be the right solution for you! Sign up for a free account and upload your Word Document, PDF, or other file to their online server, and you can send it as an outgoing fax to just about anywhere in the world for free! FilesAnywhere works best as an online service, but it also has PC/Mac/iPhone applications available at no charge.
4. Need to convert an iPhone snapped picture into a legible, multipage PDF file? Take a look at Readdle’s Scanner Pro or JotNot Scanner for the iPhone. While these apps are not free, they are very low-cost. Both apps let you take pictures of document pages using your phone’s built-in camera, clean them up so that they are more legible, and save or upload them to popular services. (JotNot supports both Dropbox and Evernote upload, mentioned earlier. Scanner Pro supports Dropbox upload.)

With the right tools, starting your digital life can be fun!

Of course, nobody will want to scan every page using a camera phone. As you get familiar with using scanned images one step at a time, you will likely want to invest in a small document scanner to keep up with your day-to-day scanning. Personal multi-function printers/scanners can be an inexpensive way to start. If you are scanning on a regular basis, consider upgrading to a more durable, business-class desktop scanner such as the Kodak ScanMate i1120. What is the difference? It all comes down to image quality, scanning speed, and durability. The more you scan, the more important a quality scanner becomes.

You can probably keep up with scanning your current documents using a machine like the one mentioned above, but what about the boxes of old files in your cabinets, garage, or storage space? These will take a significant investment of time to scan, even with a nice desktop scanner.

Before scanning everything, figure out what you really need to keep! Shred boxes of old records that you no longer need using a shredding service. Spending a few dollars per box will wisely save you from having to spend hours feeding sheets into a personal shredder.

Now look at the records that you have left; the ones that you need and want to scan. A professional document scanning service can quickly turn your papers into PDFs. Reputable scanning service bureaus have state-of-the-art production scanners and specialized personnel. This means that they can scan your legacy documents more quickly and at a lower cost than you could yourself.

i/oTrak is committed to making paper easy for you and your business. We bring technologies that were unaffordable to any but the largest of companies just a few years ago to price points that make sense for all businesses, regardless of size. Contact one of our client solution specialists today to find out more about how our E-Z Scan, E-Z Shred, E-Z Store, and E-Z Send services can help make paper easy in your professional life.