Energy Audit Group Goes Paperless with Shoeboxed’s Magic Envelope

McNeely Building Group, LLC is a third-party energy auditor and consulting firm based in Michigan that provides energy audits, code compliance testing, home performance consulting, and verification for green building certification.

The challenge: The holy grail of getting to zero paper

“I have an incredible amount of paperwork for various projects,” reports Kevin McNeely, founder and owner of McNeely Building Group, LLC

The McNeely Building Group, LLC is a certified rater and verifier for a number of certification programs, including RESNET HERS Index, LEED for Homes, ENERGY STAR, National Green Building Standard, Enterprise Green Communities and Passive House.

Applications, certifications, and dealing with regulations generate a steady stream of paperwork for Kevin that he must handle. 

“My papers and receipts were starting to spin out of control.”

—Kevin McNeely, McNeely Building Group, LLC

Kevin was determined to go paperless when it came to his business’s receipt management. His goal: “Just to get that to zero paper—or as close to zero as I can, so I’m either not storing it or just not generating it to begin with.”

The solution: Clearing the decks with Shoeboxed

Before switching to Shoeboxed, Kevin stored receipts in a literal shoebox. Periodically, he would attempt to scan and play catch up on all the documents he wanted to digitize.

“I tend not to do things on a regular basis,” Kevin acknowledged. “I would tackle the receipts when everything mounted up, and I had to deal with it. It was probably taking, on average, 5 to maybe 10 hours a month. And my accountant was a little less than enthused about the way that I was getting him documents.”

Kevin explored other scanning options during his search for a receipt scanning service. He found some scanners that could document and sort receipts, even providing tax data export. “But I just needed it to be scanned in and done—where I’m not the one doing it.”

He found Shoeboxed’s Magic Envelope^TM service a fitting match for his need for a receipt scanner for business receipts.

“For me to load up an envelope and send it in and then have it come back and everything is scanned—it’s a great thing.”

Shoeboxed's Magic Envelope

This service is an envelope (with pre-paid postage within the US) that users fill with physical receipts and mail to Shoeboxed's office. The receipts are then scanned, human-verified, logged into users' accounts, and safely stored.

The results: Replacing low-value tasks for high-value projects

We asked Kevin what the value-add of Shoeboxed has been for his business. “Not having to do it myself is a huge deal because if I’m sitting at a scanner trying to feed receipts through, I’m not getting done what I need to get done or making money where I can make money doing what I know how to do.”

“The 5 to 10 hours a month at a conservative billable rate of $100 an hour—adds up to be a substantial amount of money.”

As for favorite features, Kevin notes, “Being able to download the receipts and either send them to my accountant or just letting them have access to my account has worked out well. They seem to enjoy that more than the shoebox [filled with] paper they used to get.”

“Being able to stuff an envelope and pitch it in the mail and then have it all there [in your Shoeboxed account]. It’s awesome.”

—Kevin McNeely, McNeely Building Group, LLC

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