"Paperwork" describes forms, applications, records, contracts, and other documents which a person has to deal with.

We often use the word like this:

You wouldn't believe how much paperwork I had to fill out in order to get them shipped here.

I thought about doing it myself, but then I realized that there was way too much paperwork involved and so I got an accountant.

In other words, "paperwork" is something that people often complain about.