Going Paperless: Digital Transformation for Building Management

Filing cabinets full of maintenance records. Handwritten inspection reports. Paper sign-out books. If this sounds like your building office, it’s time to go digital. Here’s how to make the transition smoothly.

The Real Cost of Paper-Based Management

Paper systems might feel comfortable, but they come with hidden costs:

Time costs

Other costs

• Storage: Filing cabinets, archive boxes, storage space
• Printing: Paper, ink, printer maintenance
• Lost information: Papers get lost, damaged, or misfiled
• Duplication: Same information written multiple times
• Accessibility: Can only access from the office

Benefits of Digital Building Management

Work from anywhere

Access your building information from:

• The office
• Walking the building
• At home
• Between properties
• In meetings

Never lose information

Digital records are:

• Automatically backed up
• Searchable
• Impossible to misfile
• Protected from fire, flood, or coffee spills

Save hours every week

Automation handles:

• Report generation
• Notifications and reminders
• Status updates to residents
• Contractor communications

Better accountability

Digital systems track:

• Who did what and when
• Complete history of every issue
• Contractor response times
• Full audit trail

What to Digitise

Priority 1: Maintenance Management

The biggest time-saver. Move from:

Paper system:

1. Resident calls/emails with issue
2. You write it down
3. You call contractor
4. Contractor does work
5. You write up completion
6. You file the paperwork

Digital system:

1. Resident submits via portal/QR code (with photos)
2. You create work order in one click
3. Contractor receives on their phone
4. Contractor marks complete (with photos)
5. Resident notified automatically
6. All recorded automatically

Priority 2: Inspections

Stop doing inspections on paper and typing them up later:

• Create digital inspection templates
• Complete on your phone as you walk
• Attach photos directly to items
• Generate reports automatically
• Create maintenance requests from issues found

Priority 3: Key Management

Replace the sign-out book:

• Digital check-in/check-out
• Automatic reminders for overdue keys
• Photo capture of person
• Complete audit trail
• NFC scanning for instant logging

Priority 4: Communications

Consolidate resident communications:

• Email and SMS from one platform
• Track who’s read announcements
• Store all communications with each resident
• Template library for common messages

Priority 5: Documents

Digitise and centralise:

• By-laws
• Insurance certificates
• Compliance documents
• Meeting minutes
• Contractor agreements

How to Make the Transition

Step 1: Choose Your Platform

Select building management software that covers your needs. Look for:

• Maintenance management
• Mobile app with offline capability
• Document storage
• Communication tools
• Easy-to-use interface

See what ComtyLink offers

Step 2: Start with New Data

Don’t try to digitise everything at once. Begin by:

1. Entering all new maintenance requests digitally
2. Completing all new inspections digitally
3. Storing all new documents digitally

Let historical data stay in your existing system initially.

Step 3: Migrate Critical History

Over time, bring across important historical data:

• Active maintenance requests
• Current contractor details
• Essential documents (by-laws, insurance, etc.)
• Recent inspection reports

Many software providers offer free data migration assistance.

Step 4: Set a Cut-Off Date

Pick a date after which everything is digital. Communicate this to:

• Building managers
• Committee members
• Contractors
• Residents (for portal access)

Step 5: Train Your Team

Ensure everyone is comfortable with the new system:

• Hands-on training sessions
• Quick reference guides
• Ongoing support access
• Patience during transition

Step 6: Encourage Adoption

Get residents using the digital portal:

• Send welcome emails with login instructions
• Place QR codes in common areas
• Remind them of the benefits (track their requests, faster response)
• Phase out acceptance of other channels

Overcoming Common Objections

”Our residents aren’t tech-savvy”

Reality check: If they have a smartphone, they can use a simple portal. Most modern systems are as easy as using Facebook. And for those without smartphones, you can still enter requests on their behalf.

”We’ve always done it this way”

True, but “this way” involves hours of unnecessary admin. A few weeks of adjustment leads to years of time savings.

”What if the system goes down?”

Cloud-based systems have better uptime than your office computer. And good systems work offline, syncing when connection returns.

”We’ll lose our historical data”

Your historical data isn’t going anywhere. You can migrate what’s important and keep archives of the rest.

”It’s too expensive”

Calculate your current costs:

• Hours spent on admin
• Printing and storage
• Lost efficiency

Compare to software cost. Most buildings save money within months.

Quick Wins to Start Today

Not ready for full digital transformation? Start with these:

1. Create a shared drive

Move from local files to Google Drive or Dropbox. Now everyone can access documents.

2. Use a free form builder

Replace paper forms with Google Forms or Microsoft Forms. Responses automatically collect in a spreadsheet.

3. Take photos on your phone

Stop describing issues in words. One photo is worth a thousand maintenance request descriptions.

4. Start an email template library

Create templates for common communications. Copy, personalise, send.

5. Try building management software

Most offer free trials. Test it on one building before committing.

Measuring Success

Track these metrics to measure your digital transformation:

The Future is Mobile

The biggest advantage of going digital isn’t just eliminating paper—it’s gaining mobility.

With a mobile app that works offline, you can:

• Log issues while walking the building
• Complete inspections on the spot
• Send work orders from the car park
• Check key status from anywhere
• Access all building info on your phone

No more “I’ll do it when I get back to the office.”

Conclusion

Going paperless isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about:

• Saving hours of admin time every week
• Providing better service to residents
• Having accurate, accessible records
• Working from anywhere
• Reducing costs

The transition takes effort, but buildings that make the switch never look back.

Ready to go digital? Start your free 3-month trial of ComtyLink and see how much time you can save.