Paperless Part 2 HOW I Went Paperless and What I Use

By Dr. Barrett Mosbacker

June 01, 2013

By Dr. Barrett Mosbacker

In my previous post — Part 1: Why I Went Paperless: There Had to Be a Better Way — I explained what motivated me to go paperless and my specific goals. Below is a view of my computer desktop: just as neat as my office, and again, I did not clean it up for this article. I have one folder on my desktop with two or three active documents. How can I maintain such a neat office and computer desktop? Because everything is digital and in its place, reducing stress and increasing productivity.

It was not easy to change deeply ingrained habits. For my entire life I have handled paper. Over the years I developed a workflow that, well, worked — for paper. My process was familiar and comfortable. But my workflow was built around paper and filing cabinets, not digital communications and mobile devices.

Adding to the difficulty is the fact that many people still operate in both the digital and analog worlds. I receive much unwanted paper in meetings, at conferences, and in the mail, along with an ever-increasing avalanche of digital documents and communications.

Everything was jumbled together. Projects consisted of paper documents, digital documents, emails, and websites. Meeting notes were on legal pads, with follow-up communications in email. Finding, producing, sharing, and consolidating information across the paper and digital worlds was becoming increasingly complex and frustrating.

The struggle was not convincing myself that I needed to go paperless. The struggle was finding the right combination of software and hardware and designing an easy-to-manage workflow that worked across platforms without unnecessary overlap and complexity. The struggle was also forcing myself to abandon old habits and create new ones.

After much trial and error, I can confidently declare that I am now happily and productively paperless. I can also assert that short of an apocalypse, I will never go back to using paper.

The information below summarizes the tools I use and my workflow. I am not attempting to provide a step-by-step guide for these tools. My purpose is to offer a model and way of thinking about them so that you can adapt the approach to your own situation, needs, and preferences.

Hardware

For years I was a committed PC and Windows user. My software and workflow revolved around the Wintel platform, including Microsoft Office. I have since switched to Apple hardware, and for most — though not all — document production and communication I rely on cloud-based services. The reasons for the switch are explained below.

This series of articles is not intended to promote one platform over another; one can be equally successful in moving to a paperless workflow using the Wintel platform. It is not necessary to adopt the hardware and software I have listed below. There are equally capable, and in some cases superior, alternatives from other companies. The key is understanding what is needed to go paperless so that you can choose the best combination of hardware, software, and services for your needs. For me, after years on Windows, I have settled on Apple and Google hardware, software, and services.

I use the following hardware: a MacBook Pro Retina, an iPad with a Logitech FabricSkin Bluetooth Keyboard Folio, an iPhone 5, and a Fujitsu scanner. I chose Apple hardware because I became convinced that for my purposes it is more reliable and requires less maintenance. Because the hardware and software are designed by the same company, they work seamlessly together. Apple support is rarely needed and is excellent in those rare instances when it is required. I want to emphasize again, however, that for others the Wintel platform may be the better choice.

Applications and Services

The following list is not comprehensive; it summarizes the major applications and services I use for the majority of my work. For each application I will provide a brief reason for the selection and explain how it is used.

Document Creation

Before switching to Apple and Google products, I was nervous. As a Microsoft and PC power user, I was concerned that I would lose the power and flexibility I needed to get my work done, and that integrating my workflow with colleagues on the Wintel platform would prove difficult.

My fears proved unfounded. I lost nothing — in fact, I gained a great deal. On the Apple platform I had access to every application made for all three platforms: Microsoft Office for the Mac, Apple’s iWorks and iLife suites, and Google’s applications and services. I also retained access to any Windows-based software I needed by running VirtualBox or Parallels on my Mac. In other words, I have the best of all worlds.

What surprised me most is that I found myself not needing or wanting to use Microsoft products — with the occasional exception of a complex Excel spreadsheet. I have found wonderful, and often superior, substitutes for everything I used on my PC. I have nothing against Microsoft; they produce arguably the most feature-rich professional office software available. If your work requires complex spreadsheets and advanced text documents, MS Office is unmatched. I found, however, that for 95% of my work I did not need those advanced features. For the rare projects that do require them, I can open MS Office for the Mac and accomplish whatever is needed.

Google Apps (Documents, Spreadsheets, Forms, Drawings)

Google offers a full suite of productivity applications and services. Google’s applications provide the core features most people need, though they lack some advanced capabilities. There are several advantages to using Google Apps — note that Microsoft’s Office 365 suite and SkyDrive offer similar features, though I have found their collaboration capabilities less robust than Google’s. The apps are free or very low cost, always up to date, and require no overhead for maintenance or support. Most importantly for workflow, you can collaborate and share documents without the need to send attachments by email, though you may do so if you prefer.

I use Google Apps — primarily Documents and Spreadsheets — for creating basic documents, collaboration, and sharing, including work with people outside the school. Google applications are my no-frills, workhorse tools.

Apple Pages and Numbers

I use Apple’s Pages application when I need to produce a polished, professional-looking document or newsletter. I also use Pages for all text-based presentations. By saving the presentation as a Pages document in iCloud, I can easily access it on my iPad for speaking engagements. I may draft the document in Google Docs or ByWord on my Mac and then paste the content into Pages for finishing. I use the Drafts application when taking meeting notes on the iPad.

I use Numbers when I need to produce a clean, well-designed spreadsheet with visually informative charts. Numbers is a capable application but lacks many of the advanced features found in Excel.

Word and Excel for the Mac

I no longer find occasion to use MS Word. Any Word document I receive can be opened in Pages or Google Docs. Excel remains the most capable spreadsheet program available and I use it when I receive complex spreadsheets from others or need to produce one myself. In those instances, there is no substitute.

ByWord

Modern word processors can be distracting because they tempt one to fiddle with formatting rather than focus on the words themselves. This is why I use ByWord — a beautifully designed, minimalist application that does two things extremely well: it enables distraction-free writing, and it syncs across devices through iCloud and Dropbox.

I have ByWord on my Mac, my iPad, and my iPhone. I can begin work on a draft document whenever I have a few undistracted minutes — on a plane, for example. Because it is minimalist in design, it also uses less battery power, enabling longer work sessions when a power outlet is unavailable.

Once a draft is finished in ByWord, I export it as an RTF or HTML file to Google Docs or Pages for finishing. It can also be exported as a Word or PDF document.

Apple Keynote

Keynote is a powerful and easy-to-learn application for producing compelling presentations. Because it syncs seamlessly with the Mac and other iOS devices through iCloud, I can produce a presentation on my Mac, sync it to iCloud, and leave the laptop at home when traveling to a conference. At the venue, I connect my iPad to a projector and use my iPhone as the remote. If I make revisions en route or after the presentation, all changes sync to iCloud automatically. This same process works with Pages and Numbers.

Keynote also syncs seamlessly with iPhoto and iMovie, providing a consistent and simple way to incorporate photos and video into presentations across all devices.

Document Sharing and Archiving

Google Drive

Google Drive does three things extremely well: it serves as the access point for all Google applications and documents, it archives and saves documents automatically, and it provides the platform for collaboration and sharing. Google Drive also enables document creation, editing, and saving in offline mode so that an Internet connection is not always required. Once back online, Google Drive automatically saves and syncs all documents.

Evernote

Evernote serves a specific and valuable purpose: it is my primary repository for document archiving, retrieval, and sharing for material I do not need to actively edit. The distinction between Google Drive and Evernote is important. While there is some overlap — both programs save, archive, and sync documents — Google Drive is best for living, active documents. Evernote is best for static reference material.

Work-related documents being actively edited, or that may ever need to be edited by others, live in Google Drive: letters, policy manuals, spreadsheets, schedules, and the like. Receipts, research articles, web clippings, user manuals, and any other static reference material live in Evernote. I also store important personal documents in Evernote — insurance papers, for example — so that in the event of a fire I still have access to critical records. Evernote excels at quickly capturing information from the web on a laptop or mobile device and at fast, precise searching. With a Business Account, Evernote also supports a shared Business Library of reference material for employees, such as technical how-to articles from the IT department or employee manuals.

Communications and Calendaring

I average over 1,200 business emails each month, not counting personal correspondence. I also receive many phone calls and text messages. Efficiently managing this flow of information requires both the right tools and disciplined habits.

After years on Outlook — including SharePoint — I decided it was time for a change. As a school, we no longer wanted to be in the email and server business. We wanted our IT staff focused on supporting technology integration in the classroom, not on managing email servers and antivirus software.

With our move to Google products, we adopted Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Hangouts for video conferencing, and a host of other integrated, cloud-based applications. As a result, we spend far less time and money managing email and calendars, and we are able to integrate document creation and sharing directly with our digital communications — enhancing productivity and reducing complexity.

After experimenting with various options, I have settled on Apple’s Mail for email and BusyCal for calendaring. While there are advantages to using the browser versions of Google products, overall hardware and application integration on the Mac and iOS devices is better when using Apple’s native applications or well-designed third-party applications like BusyCal. Apple’s Mail application, once mastered, is very powerful and makes processing a full inbox efficient. BusyCal is beautifully designed, includes a built-in to-do system, and features a menu icon that drops the calendar into view on demand and retracts when finished — saving screen space and reducing window clutter.

For meetings that do not require face-to-face contact but do require live communication, I use Google Hangouts. It supports simultaneous video calls with up to ten participants and allows sharing of Google documents or a desktop during the call. It is free and available as an iOS application for video calls from an iPhone or iPad while traveling.

Phone Calls

Going paperless works well for managing phone calls. My administrative assistant records messages in a shared Google document. Each morning she opens the document, enters the date, and records messages and return phone numbers throughout the day. That document remains an open tab in my browser. When I am ready to return calls, I open it from my Mac, iPad, or iPhone and have all the information I need. I record notes from each call in the same document and mark it complete when finished. If I ever need to locate a message or contact, I search the document from any device. No paper — everything archived and searchable.

Note Taking

I have many meetings and must take thorough notes — ideally without appearing intrusive or distracted. Digital note taking presents several challenges.

Paper is not paperless, and paper notes must be retyped or scanned to be useful digitally. They cannot be efficiently shared and are not connected to other documents and communications.

A laptop in a professional meeting can feel intrusive. The keyboard noise is distracting, the screen creates a barrier between attendees, and the temptation to check email undermines focused attention.

I have found the iPad to be the solution. It is light, unobtrusive, has long battery life, and offers several note-taking options. You can type notes using the silent virtual keyboard, use an iPad case with a built-in Bluetooth keyboard, or handwrite notes using a stylus with an application like Notability. The best method will depend on the person and circumstances.

My objectives are to use as few applications as possible, produce digital notes, archive them reliably, and have an efficient way to delegate and track tasks arising from meetings.

After much experimentation and no small amount of frustration, I found an effective system built around an application called Drafts, used in combination with TextExpander. Drafts automatically saves work and syncs it across iOS devices. It is distraction-free, power-efficient, and works well on both the iPad and the iPhone. When combined with TextExpander, opening Drafts and entering a few keystrokes drops a meeting template into place and the notes are ready to begin.

One of Drafts’ most useful features is the ability to send meeting notes with a single tap to Evernote, email, Dropbox, OmniFocus, or a range of other applications. After completing meeting notes — including to-do items for myself or others — I select each item and send it to OmniFocus or Evernote. All meeting notes are then archived in the appropriate project notebook, accessible from any device, at any time. No paper. No filing.

For example, I maintain an interview template in TextExpander. Before an interview begins, I open the Drafts app on my iPad and load the template. During the interview I take notes discreetly using the embedded structure. When the meeting concludes, I send the notes to Evernote with a single tap for archiving and, if needed, share them with my administrative assistant or others.

Project Management

Finding the right project management tool has been my greatest challenge. For my purposes, the ideal application would:

• Work across all devices.
• Be powerful and flexible without being overly complicated.
• Be developed and supported by a company I trust and am confident will be viable long term.
• Integrate with my other major applications: Google Docs, ByWord, Drafts, Gmail, Apple Mail, BusyCal, and Evernote.
• Enable viewing of projects, tasks, and documents by project, date, person, or context.
• Alert me when projects are approaching, due, or overdue.
• Allow tasks or projects to be created directly from emails, Drafts, or Evernote without copying and pasting.

OmniFocus meets all of these criteria and more, integrating these capabilities into one powerful yet relatively straightforward product. For a tool to accomplish all of this without becoming unwieldy is no small achievement, and it has proven to be the cornerstone of my paperless workflow. Its capabilities will be illustrated further in the next article in this series.

In my next and final post — Part 3: Workflow: Putting It All Together — I will illustrate how I use this hardware and software to create a paperless workflow.