Paper – whether it’s papyrus or cotton, the medium remains the common denominator for what has fueled the communication of data for centuries.

But more people in the business world are parting ways with it as the concept of a virtual office, with paperless filing cabinets and online applications gaining popularity. Two local companies, IFS Technologies and DocuScan, have teamed up to pioneer a simplistic approach for document management on the digital level.

Some of the clients include Dollar General, pharmaceutical companies and Audubon Area Community Services in Owensboro.

Logistically, the partnership is simple: DocuScan does the scanning, turning paper files into digital ones and then IFS handles the online storage, indexing, backup and security of the files.

Both Craig Sleight, Chief Operating Officer of DocuScan, and Joe Wheet of IFST believe corporate America can’t afford not to get in line with digital solutions, as the need to store critical and important information off-site brings back reminders of what was lost during Hurricane Katrina.

According to the Small Business Association, about 106 credit unions lost data during Hurricane Katrina – data that can never be restored.

But besides the need to plan for emergencies, businesses can save by hosting their files digitally, according to Sleight, who believes companies who choose to build their digital file network internally may burn up capital and personal resources.

&#8220It becomes more efficient for the office to operate,” Wheet said. &#8220They don’t have to maintain a large IT staff; basically they outsource the IT to us.”

Having a digital office also gives mobility, according to Wheet, since data can be accessed from anywhere in the world at any time.

But accessibility isn’t enough, Sleight said, since people have to be able to find what they’re looking for.

&#8220Knowledge isn’t just power, but the utilization of power is more important,” Sleight said. &#8220When we’re done, your documents are only two clicks away – literally.”

In order for digital document management to become more mainstream, those who offer the service have to make it simple and cost effective, Sleight said.

The main challenge in the digital document management business remains getting people to feel comfortable being without the all-too familiar paper they’ve had around the office.

&#8220It’s a brand new frontier,” Sleight said, with no standardization.

&#8220Paper isn’t going away, but virtual offices limit the use of it to when it matters the most,” Sleight said.

Partnership began in July ‘05

The business relationship between Sleight and Wheet began almost two years ago when the duo met during a local Little League game at Basil Griffin Park.

Whether it is a customer with multiple offices who has to share information in a non-traditional way, or a small business looking to take the headache of finding multiple files in a junky office, Wheet and Sleight said their own business experiences led them to each other.

American Bank & Trust, a locally owned and operated bank in Bowling Green, is a customer of the partnership, according to Pam Decker, executive vice president.

Decker said the bank has to have the level of security and backup for their customers that’s provided.

Other banks should provide the same security and data backups other than &#8220tape backups,” according to Decker.

IFS provides data storage services, application hosting and network security that is on Bowling Green’s fiber network, and sends information and data to another site in Austin, Texas, which is also on a fiber network.

&#8220We highly recommend the fiber which BGMU provides,” Wheet said. &#8220Teresa Newman is the general services manager and Todd Crosby is an engineer we deal with on a regular basis. BGMU has been great to work with and we look forward to a long relationship with their organization.”

Wheet speaks highly of his partners at IFS.

&#8220They listened to my business plan and decided this was a great investment. So from that, IFS Technologies was formed,” Wheet said.

Leonard Edwards is president. Phil Wiseman is vice president of operations, but is also the president of IFS, and Charlie York is a partner who resides in Louisville.

&#8220Without their investment, IFS would not exist,” Wheet said, who pointed out how grateful he is for their foresight and trust.

Sleight to be in Tokyo

Sleight began his career in document managing as an intern for Xerox when he was a student at Western Kentucky University.

He graduated from WKU in 1989 and went on to become an account executive for 15 years.

He started DocuScan Inc. seven years ago.

Sleight sits on the board of advisers for Panasonic, and is set to be in Tokyo soon to meet with the company’s research and development team to see how to form an alliance that focuses on how to bring digital document management to the United States using Panasonic’s technology.

DocuScan Headquarters

1711 Destiny Lane, Bowling Green

(877) DOC.SCAN (362-7226)

e-mail: craigsleight@bellsouth.net

http://www.docscan.biz

IFS Technologies

946 Searcy Way, Bowling Green

(800) 781-6636

e-mail: info@ifstechnologies.net

http://www.ifstechnologies.net