Going Paperless Checklist: Step-by-Step Template for UK Businesses

This checklist supports our full how to go paperless guide. Use it to track your project from decision to fully operational digital workflow.

Phase 1 — Planning (Week 1)

• ☐ Appoint an internal project owner (not just IT — a business owner)
• ☐ Identify all document types your business handles
• ☐ Estimate document volumes (pages per week, total backlog)
• ☐ Audit current storage: how many filing cabinets, what off-site archive?
• ☐ Define retention requirements per document type (HMRC, SRA, NHS, GDPR as applicable)
• ☐ Identify which documents require physical originals to be retained
• ☐ Decide on destination: SharePoint, OneDrive, or dedicated DMS
• ☐ Decide on scanner type: desktop USB or standalone PC-free network scanner
• ☐ Get sign-off from management on budget and timeline

Phase 2 — System Design (Week 2)

• ☐ Design folder/library structure (before touching any documents)
• ☐ Define metadata fields for each document type
• ☐ Agree file naming convention
• ☐ Define access permissions: who sees what
• ☐ Set retention labels per document type
• ☐ Create the folder structure in SharePoint/DMS
• ☐ Test the structure with 20–30 real documents before proceeding
• ☐ Get sign-off from each department head on their section's structure

Phase 3 — Scanner Setup (Week 2–3)

• ☐ Order and receive scanner
• ☐ Connect to network (WiFi or Ethernet)
• ☐ Authenticate with Microsoft 365 / DMS destination
• ☐ Configure job buttons for each document type
• ☐ Test scan for each job button — verify documents land correctly
• ☐ Test metadata population — verify fields are populated correctly
• ☐ Test barcode recognition if using (scan barcoded test document)
• ☐ Train scanner operators (30 minutes each)

Phase 4 — Backlog Digitisation (Weeks 3–8, depending on volume)

• ☐ Triage all paper: scan / physical archive / shred
• ☐ Start with active files (documents referenced regularly)
• ☐ Scan compliance-critical records (needed for audits)
• ☐ Verify scanned documents: image quality, correct filing, metadata
• ☐ Securely shred or archive physical originals as appropriate
• ☐ Historical archive: decide scan now vs defer (cost vs benefit)

Phase 5 — Go Live and Training (Week 4–5)

• ☐ Train all staff by role (scanner operators, regular users, power users, admins)
• ☐ Appoint team champions in each department
• ☐ Announce go-live date — clear communication to all staff
• ☐ On go-live day: make old shared drive / filing system read-only
• ☐ Establish "scan on arrival" rule for all new documents
• ☐ Set date for old system archival (30 days after go-live recommended)

Phase 6 — Embed and Review (Weeks 6–12)

• ☐ Week 2 check-in: identify any adoption issues, fix quickly
• ☐ Monitor scan volumes and document upload rates
• ☐ Week 6 review: interview each department — what's working, what isn't
• ☐ Archive old system (remove access per scheduled date)
• ☐ Test document retrieval: can anyone find any document in under 30 seconds?
• ☐ Verify retention labels are working (spot check documents past retention date)
• ☐ Document final process for new staff onboarding
• ☐ Calculate actual time saved vs pre-implementation baseline

Ongoing Maintenance

• ☐ Monthly: review documents pending retention action
• ☐ Quarterly: audit random sample — are documents filed correctly with metadata?
• ☐ Annually: review folder structure — does it still reflect how the business works?
• ☐ Annually: review retention schedules — any regulatory changes?
• ☐ When staff join: include DMS training in onboarding
• ☐ When staff leave: reassign their documents and review their permissions

Key Decisions Checklist