Paper No Longer First Choice for Document Storage
over 50% of the pages printed
on MFPs are from e-mail messages or the Internet.
(Weymouth, MA) AprIL, 2005…In a new research study entitled The Future
of the Document in the Workgroup Environment, analysts examine the changing
dynamics of the office document and its impact on customer requirements and
usage patterns.
A Connected and Digital Workplace Environment
“We are working in an
increasingly connected and digital environment, we have moved into a virtual and
collaborative workplace, where the office workflow and information processing is
becoming central to defining the total product solution,” commented Rick
Clayton, a Director at InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. “Manufacturers need to be aware
of these trends and offer the products and solutions that will accommodate the
changing needs of the market.”
As the number of documents that are placed on the network continues to
increase, the demand for solutions that help manage and control the process will
become of paramount importance to end-users as well as overall organizations.
This means that sales organizations must be proactive in accessing,
recommending, and implementing robust solutions that create added value for
various hardware devices.
Key research findings include:
• The size of the workgroup is changing on both ends of the spectrum. As more
companies consolidate, workgroups at the corporate level are getting larger,
while virtual offices and telecommuters are reducing the size of workgroups at
the lower end of the spectrum.
• Research findings certainly suggest that the document process and its
management will become more of a priority for office workers in the United
States.
• Scanning, which was once used primarily by production print facilities, has
become a mainstream office application as organizations are expected to convert
paper-based documents to electronic format.
• The majority of office documents that are reproduced are still being
created at the desktop. Roughly 38.6% of respondents indicated that the paper
they print is generated from the PC. e-Mail output accounted for 29.2% of total
volume and Web pages represented 21.5% of total volume.
• Paper is no longer the media of choice. It has become a transient media and
will no longer be used as a mainstream method of maintaining permanent records.
The report indicates that over 50% of the pages printed on MFPs are from e-mail
messages or the Internet.