Hi Carol,<br><br>We've been "less paper" (wish we were totally paperless ;-) for about 3 years now. LOVE IT! The primary rule of the office is that as soon as a document arrives in someone's hands, the document gets scanned. Our big office copier also scans and all scans go into one specific folder on our server. (Other than printing student letters, I think it's used more for scanned! I always have to stop and think how to make a copy!!) A scanned file is immediately verified to ensure that it's a good scan (no missing pages, no crooked pages, all pages are straight). Once verified, the document is given back to the student - if they provided it - or shredded (if it came in via fax or snail mail). <br>
<br>We came up with naming standards so that files are consistently named and easy to identify in the student's digital folder.<br><br>When documentation is scanned, we also note in the student's
database record in the database as to who authored the documentation
(such as a doctor's name or hospital or agency) and the date our office
received it. (That way if a student comes in asking if we've received
documentation from "XYZ," we can quickly tell them what we have.)<br>
<br>Our department is actually in two locations (and shortly a third location is going to be added); and my office was initially not in the main office area. What a headache to find a student's hard-copy file! I'd have to go to the main office, look in the filing cabinet, and - usually - the file wasn't there. So then I had to begin scouting in peoples' offices! Now, all the information is scanned and filed. <br>
<br>It was a headache getting everything scanned initially, I will admit. But it's been worth it! (We had some student workers and GAs who did the scanning.) When we began the process, we started scanning current active student files. Each student's file was scanned as one big scanned file. Then we separated the types of paperwork - initial registration form, documentation, eligibility form, case notes, semester check in forms, etc. - into their own digital files. Case notes were turned into Word docs. All other paperwork is saved as PDF. Once all the active files were scanned, we started on the inactive files. <br>
<br>The down side? Hm, maybe that if a digital file isn't moved from the initial scan folder to the correct student folder, it can be a little difficult to find. But a computer search remedies that. We do have to regularly go through the folder where scans are automatically saved in order to ensure that paperwork is moved out in a timely manner. But we've gone to digital on almost all types of office paperwork that we can and it's definitely working well. And we're much more conservation-minded! <br>
<br>Good luck and feel free to email me off-list if you'd like any more info.<br><br>Heidi<br><br clear="all">+++++++++++++++<br>Heidi Scher, M.S., CRC<br>Associate Director<br>Center for Educational Access<br>University of Arkansas<br>
ARKU 104<br>Fayetteville, AR 72701<br>479.575.3104<br>479.575.7445 fax<br>479.575.3646 tdd<br>+++++++++++++++<br><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 12:47 PM, Gershman, Cindy <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:cgershman@pima.edu" target="_blank">cgershman@pima.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US"><div><p class="MsoNormal">Posting for a colleague; forgive the cross-posts.<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">We need some feedback from those of you who work in a paperless or near paperless office. Our office will be using a on line database soon. Thanks in advance for answers to the questions below.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What are the negatives of becoming paperless?<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Did you scan proof of disability and return the original to the student?<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">How did you start the process on current files?<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Carol Barnes <u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Brush Script MT";color:#4bacc6">Carol Barnes<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Disability Resource Specialist</span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#5f497a"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"">Pima Community College, West & Community Campuses</span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><a href="tel:520-206-3132" value="+15202063132" target="_blank">520-206-3132</a></span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif""><a href="tel:520-206-3139" value="+15202063139" target="_blank">520-206-3139</a> (fax)<br><a href="mailto:carol.barnes@pima.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">carol.barnes@pima.edu</span></a></span></b><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Bradley Hand ITC";color:#943634">Cindy Gershman<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Advanced Program Coordinator, Alt Format<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Disabled Student Resources<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color:#1f497d">Pima Community College<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">Tucson, AZ<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d"><a href="tel:520-206-6688" value="+15202066688" target="_blank">520-206-6688</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:cgershman@pima.edu" target="_blank">cgershman@pima.edu</a><u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>
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