Why is there so much paperwork?
By Wizzywig
@Wizzywig (7847)
November 2, 2009 6:13pm CST
OK , we live in the 'computer age' where transactions take place through cyberspace & you can sort pretty much everything online...so WHY is there still so much paperwork; forms; documents coming through my letter box that need to be dealt with and filed away in a safe place? All the various insurance policies; council tax; water rates; notifications; receipts; guarantees; appointment letters etc etc.
2 responses
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
3 Nov 09
Hi wizzywig, I did a completely bombed discussion on Greek paperwork ages ago so hope you have more success. Mine was re the amount of paperwork I had to get stamped and signed of by Greek officialdom simply to allow my primary age school to join the after school football training. I kid not there was more paperwork in that one little thing than in buying a house and enough running round to all different buildings, departments and hospitals to keep me at it for more than a week. And the end result. They lost the paperwork, along with the original passport which I had so reluctantly handed over when they said a copy wouldn't do. In the end I resorted to using my contact of the deputy mayor to get it all found as their advice of just do it all again left me ranting in Greek.
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
3 Nov 09
Sounds like a nightmare! When I broke my wrist about 3 years ago, I couldn't work so made an application for incapacity benefit.You have to phone & answer a gazillion questions and then they send you a partially completed multi-page document. You have to go through it to make sure they've entered your details correctly & fill in the rest. If they have any incorrect info on there you have to amend/date/sign each thing plus there are 4 or 5 other signatures required. I kid you not, I signed my name no fewer than 32 times to complete that claim. They had asked for such detailed information that, when it got to the box that said "Is there anything else you think we need to know?" - I told them that I was 5'3" tall; had all my own teeth; had opened my bowels that morning; didnt take sugar in my tea & that it was lucky I had broken my left wrist & was right-handed and that I was not suffering from an anxiety condition or they would have set my recovery back by several months! I also mentioned that I used to work in the department which dealt with sick pay & that claiming was way more straightforward before all this computerised 'improvement'. They sent me a letter back saying they were sorry that I had found the form so difficult to understand and that the changes were a learning curve which we must all deal with. About 3 weeks later, they paid my claim. 
@maezee (41997)
• United States
3 Nov 09
Well, a lot of these things HAVE started becoming more and more computerized. You can fill out job applications, W2s, do your taxes, etc online now - which is nice considering it used to all have to be hand-written. It is frustrating how much paperwork we still have to fill out, but that's life, right?
