Electronic document management initiatives can improve operational efficiency while delivering environmental benefits, it has been claimed.
According to IT industry analyst Gartner, the technology can also decrease costs by reducing paper-based processes.
Mark Gilbert, research vice president at the group, said energy savings can also be achieved through diminished paper production, distribution, usage and disposition, and transit through the postal system.
"Organisations are realising that process improvements and the move away from paper to electronic processes can also bring green benefits," he commented.
The company went on to say firms should consider making use of managed IT outsourcing providers, who have often maximised their infrastructure and can offer economies and knowledge.
Last week, office equipment supplier Ricoh Americas Corporation claimed tracking and tracing critical documents effectively is vital for many industries, such as construction, healthcare, legal, insurance and manufacturing.
The group commented that making use of electronic document management can prove challenging for many organisations due to the unique requirements of each business process.