Virginie Taborowski
Content Specialist
Last updated on
8.10.24
Best Practice
Digitize incoming mail: increasing efficiency and saving costs through digital processes
8
min
Table of contents
Digitizing incoming mail is a decisive step towards modernizing office work. At a time when efficiency and cost optimization are paramount in companies, the transition to digital mail processes offers significant added value.
In this blog post, we look at the benefits and process of digitizing incoming mail, highlight challenges and provide you with practical tips.
What does digitization of incoming mail mean?
Imagine that your mail no longer arrives on paper but as a digital file in your system. The digitization of incoming mail transforms incoming letters, documents and other shipments into digital formats. These are then automatically recorded, processed and distributed — completely without piles of paper and endless sorting.
Explained in practice: digital vs. traditional mail processing
In traditional mail processing, letters are manually opened, scanned and then distributed onto paper. This process is not only time-consuming, but also results in high paper consumption and logistical costs. In contrast, digitizing incoming mail enables a central processing: After scanning, the documents are forwarded directly to the responsible persons or departments via special software solutions. This not only saves time, but also resources and increases efficiency.
Practical examples that inspire
Let's take accounting as an example. Instead of rummaging through piles of paper, digitalized invoices, automatically recognized and sent to the responsible employees for testing.
Another example is customer service: By digitizing your incoming mail, customer inquiries are forwarded to the appropriate contact person immediately upon receipt. This speeds up the entire process and significantly improves service.
The benefits of a digitized inbox
The digitization of incoming mail offers a variety of advantages. Let's look at how these benefits can improve your business processes:
A new level of efficiency
Imagine all your mail being processed in seconds. Digital processes enable you to scan, recognize and forward documents instantly. that saves time and reduces processing time huge. Your employees can focus on value-adding tasks instead of wasting time with manual processes.
With a invoicing program with DATEV interface save even more time. Read more about this in the linked article.
Cost savings that are impressive
By reducing paper usage and minimizing physical inventory, your costs drop drastically. Less paper, fewer printers, and lower archiving costs — it all adds up to significant savings. Digital mail processing is an investment that pays off in the long term.
Improve transparency and traceability
With digitization, you always know exactly where your documents are. Each step in the processing process is understandable, what kind of higher transparency cares. No more searching for lost documents — everything is stored centrally and securely.
Security gains through digital processes
Data security is a top priority when it comes to digitization. Electronic documents can be encrypted and protected by access rights become. The risk of loss or damage to mail is significantly reduced. Your sensitive information is safe and secure.
Your contribution to environmental protection
The digitization of incoming mail also reduces paper consumption and thus actively contributes to environmental protection. Less paper waste means less impact on the environment. By using digital processes, you make a valuable contribution to the sustainability of your company.
Maximize flexibility and accessibility
Thanks to digital mail processing, you and your employees have Access anytime, anywhere on the required documents. Whether working from home or on a business trip, your documents are always at hand. This flexibility can significantly increase your organization's productivity and response speed.
Step-by-step: How to digitize incoming mail
Switching to a digital inbox may seem complex at first, but with a clearly structured process, it quickly becomes routine. Here you can find out how you can digitize your incoming mail step by step in order to save time, reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Step 1: Prepare your inbox
First, the incoming physical documents must be prepared. This step includes opening mail, removing clasps, and sorting documents by type and urgency. This step ensures that the documents are ready for the next step and that no time is lost.
Step 2: Scan documents
The next step is to scan the prepared documents. To do this, you need a powerful scanner that is able to capture multiple pages in high quality. Modern scanners often offer features such as automatic document feeding and duplex scanning to capture both sides of documents simultaneously. The scanned images are saved as digital files, typically in PDF format.
Step 3: Apply text recognition (OCR)
After scanning, text recognition (OCR) is used. OCR software analyses the scanned images and converts the printed or handwritten texts into searchable and editable digital texts. This not only makes it easier to search for documents, but also enables the automatic classification and processing of documents.
Step 4: Automatic processing and forwarding
The digitized and searchable documents are now analyzed by the software. Automatic processing recognizes keywords or data, such as invoice numbers or sender information, and forwards the documents accordingly. For example, invoices could be automatically forwarded to the accounting department while inquiries go to customer service.
Step 5: Archiving and Storage
Once the documents have been processed and forwarded, they are archived. The digital documents are stored in a secure and well-structured digital archive. This not only enables easy search and accessibility, but also ensures that the documents are securely protected against loss or damage.
Step 6: Access Management and Security
Finally, you must ensure that only authorized people have access to the digital documents. Implement appropriate security measures, such as access rights, passwords, and encryption, to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of documents. Good access management ensures that only people who are actually authorized can view or edit the documents.
Are you looking for a good software to write invoices digitally directly? Read more about this in the linked article.
Conclusion: A worthwhile step into the future
Digitizing incoming mail is an essential step towards modernizing business processes. The benefits in terms of efficiency, cost savings and safety are significant. Despite the challenges that the changeover may entail, the positive effects clearly outweigh the positive effects. With the right planning, training and continuous optimization, companies can successfully digitize their incoming mail and thus make a decisive contribution to digital transformation.
