XML or Doc for paperless office?

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a W3C-recommended general-purpose markup language that supports a wide variety of applications. XML languages or 'dialects' may be designed by anyone and may be processed by conforming software. XML is also designed to be reasonably human-legible, and to this end, terseness was not considered essential in its structure. XML is a simplified subset of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). Its primary purpose is to facilitate the sharing of data across different information systems, particularly systems connected via the Internet[1]. Formally defined markup tag and syntax language sets are based on XML (such as RSS, MathML, GraphML, XHTML, Scalable Vector Graphics, MusicXML and thousands of other examples) allow diverse software to reliably understand information formatted and passed in these languages within a given type (e.g. for music notation.) [better attribution for the following is needed] XML has been consistent with the general evolution of micro-computers within basic camps (by O.S. or processor type for example) that enables specialization of repetitive tasks. In XML's case, the task is to create a skeletal construct for exchanging complete, often complex, types of data reliably. Accomplishing the task in a formal collective fashion lowers costs and increases functionality and reliability for individual developers and the end user. XML is an open, meaning fee-free standard, with an engineering-savvy governing board and standards adoption process, like many recent digital systems initiatives including USB, flash memory formats, and digital television.

Microsoft Office Word is Microsoft's flagship word processing software. It was first released in 1983 under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems.[1] Versions were later written for several other platforms including IBM PCs running DOS (1983), the Apple Macintosh (1984), SCO UNIX, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows (1989). It is a component of the Microsoft Office system; however, it is also sold as a standalone product or included in Microsoft Works Suite. Beginning with the 2003 version, the branding was revised to emphasize Word's identity as a component within the Office suite: Microsoft began calling it Microsoft Office Word instead of merely Microsoft Word. Nomenclature usage in the wild is currently in flux, with both names being commonly used. The latest release is Word 2007.

NOTE: Word 2007 is the most recent version of Word. This release includes numerous changes, including a new XML-based file format, a redesigned interface, an integrated equation editor, bibliographic management, and support for structured documents.

Word and Office 2007 and forward will support XML formats. Not all applications in the future will necessarily support Word. And if your particular XML format cannot be read by Word, it is a trivial matter to transform it to something that does work with Word. So, it makes the most sense to go with a format that both Word and other applications can read - XML.

We were going paperless after I joined, 13 years later we are extra away than ever from being paperless, at the same time as we recycle all the paper we may be able to, there remains extremely some waste. mission is that technologies shouldn't have a answer to getting suggestion we choose the position we choose it when we choose it.

For scanned images, you may want to consider TIF format as it is a true image file. Some industries require this instead of OCR'ing and saving as DOC. You lose a lot in the process like signatures and graphics.

Yes, TIF is HUGE, but this is the price to pay. Get a nice sized raid for local storage and an offsite backup policy.