Paper archives have a number of serious shortcomings, which at best cost time and money, and at worst threaten the viability of an organization.
There is first of all the issue of space which is typically at a premium in most organizations. Filing archives take up an ever increasing, and non-productive, share of the workspace. Archives generally deteriorate in poor storage conditions, and become disorganized and untidy out of sight, out of mind usually applies.
Another important issue is the time wasted in operating and retrieving from a paper-based archive, which is very often hidden in general office activity but nevertheless can represent a real cost to the organization. Locating a document or file, even in a modest filing system, can take a long time, particularly if misfiled by the previous user.
Finally there is the very real concern of security. It is theoretically possible to plan for disaster recovery in a paper-based archive, either by using fireproof cabinets, or by storing photocopies of all important documentation in some remote location. The cost implications of either of these options are obviously enormous. Fires frequently cause the...