Introduction
In the corporate arena, paper becomes more of a liability than an asset. Metal filing cabinets are taking a toll on the office square footage, and your administrative assistants are spending hundreds of hours every year digging up misplaced items such as signed contracts, invoice receipts, and legal documents.
If your office is paper cluttered, digitization is a must in order to stay competitive in the modern competitive landscape. Partnering with professional document scanning services allows enterprises to convert paper records in a manner that is efficient and secure.
This expansive guide traverses over each component of professional document scanning services, starting with a list of the benefits of converting paper records into digital assets. We analyze the document preparation and production process undertaken by professional document scanning services as well as their compliance certifications and scanning security audits. By the end of this guide, you will be able to choose between onsite and offsite scanning, understand how scanning costs break down, and learn how to organize your newly-digitized document archive.
The Disadvantages of Physical Paper Archives
In the past, physical paper has been the traditional medium for storing data. Within the current digital economy, this method of storing information comes with a number of disadvantages:
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Wasted Space: Office space is costly and storing paper files in filing cabinets is a significant expenditure which has no bearing on your business’s bottom line.
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Human Hours Lost: Time is money and filing paper documents or digging up misplaced pieces of paper represents a significant expenditure of your workforce’s time.
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Damage Liability: Paper is a fragile material that is susceptible to damage due to fire, water, and age.
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Compliance Risk: Physical paper records stored in filing cabinets represent a compliance risk as it is impossible to track who views a paper document, when they last viewed it, and whether they have made a physical copy of it.
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Remote Accessibility Challenges: In the era of remote work, physical filing cabinets represent an extreme accessibility challenge for the distributed workforce.
By turning your physical records into digital records, you unlock the next level of enterprise efficiency and optimize your office space.
An Introduction to Professional Document Scanning Services
Professional document scanning refers to the practice of outsourcing large-scale document digitization projects to specialized scanning vendors. These vendors are equipped with commercial-grade scanning tools that enable them to rapidly convert reams of paper into a high-resolution digital format. While flatbed scanners purchased from retail stores suffer from limited throughput, professional document scanning services utilize production scanners which are rated for high-speed, bulk paper digitization.
Some of the leading services offered by professional document scanning services include:
High-Speed Document Scanning
Most businesses only need to scan standard-sized documents such as contracts, agreements, and invoices.
Blueprint and Large Format Scanning
Some organizations such as architects and construction companies need to digitize large-scale drawings and plans.
Book and Journal Scanning
Some professional document scanning services specialize in digitizing bound books without damaging their spines.
Microfilm and Microfiche Scanning
This niche service involves converting legacy micrographics into digital images or video formats.
OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
This process involves extracting text from scanned documents in order to make them searchable.
Benefits of Professional Document Scanning Services
Most businesses that utilize professional document scanning services report reaping tremendous rewards in terms of efficiency and cost savings. Some of the main reasons why you should consider using professional document scanning services include:
Instant Information Access Using OCR
When you convert your paper files into digital records using professional document scanning services, your employees can rapidly find the information they need. For instance, if your office has scanned copies of all contracts it has ever executed, any employee can utilize a search function to instantly bring up all of the contracts that involve a particular client, have been signed on a specific date, or bear a particular Tax ID. This eliminates the need for employees to spend hours digging up specific physical files.
Waste Reduction and Space Optimization
Filing cabinets take up a lot of space in the modern office. By digitizing your physical records, you can free up much-needed square footage in your office. Some businesses even save on their annual office rental costs by utilizing scanning services. Thus, professional document scanning services allow you to optimize your physical space and reduce the risk of document damage due to fire, water, or pests.
Advanced Document Security and Access Control
Physical documents in file cabinets present a triple threat to your enterprise: unauthorized viewing, document theft, and misfiling. By turning physical records into digital records with the help of professional document scanning services, you can utilize advanced access control and end-to-end encryption to prevent these issues from occurring. Most professional document scanning services offer complete document inventory and tracking, thereby giving you full visibility into who has accessed a document, when they accessed it, and what they did to the document.
Regulatory Compliance
There are numerous industries that have stringent regulatory compliance requirements, including the healthcare, financial services, and legal sectors. By using professional document scanning services, you can ensure that your records are properly indexed and meet the regulatory compliance needs of different agencies.
Disaster Resilience
When paper files are destroyed due to weather-related incidents or other disasters, your business suffers tremendous losses. However, by utilizing professional document scanning services, you can mitigate this risk and guarantee business continuity. If your organization’s paper files are digitized and backed up on secure servers, you can simply regain full access to the files without the need to spend exorbitant sums on reconstructing lost paperwork.
The Document Preparation and Production Process of the Scanning Vendors
The professional document scanning services offered by leading vendors adhere to a systematic production process that guarantees the high quality of the digitized records:
Secure Pickup and Transportation of Your Physical Files
To begin with, a professional document scanning vendor will need to pick up your physical records. Some scanning companies utilize a secure transportation infrastructure that adheres to strict chain-of-custody control measures, thus guaranteeing total document security and visibility throughout the scanning process.
Document Preparation
Prior to actually scanning your documents, the scanning technician will prepare them for processing. The common document preparation tasks performed by professional document scanning services include:
Staple and clip removal
Torn paper repair
Corner unfolding
Insertion of separation sheets
High-Speed Document Production
After completing the document preparation stage, the scanning technician will run the paper documents through a high-speed production scanner. These commercial-grade scanners utilize advanced features such as double feed detection and automatic color dropout to rapidly convert your physical files into high-resolution digital images.
Image Enhancement and Quality Inspection
The scanning technician will then inspect the scanned document images and make any necessary edits. This step also entails using image filters to eliminate extraneous marks such as hole punches.
OCR and Metadata Extraction
This phase entails using OCR technology to make the digital documents searchable. In addition, the scanning technician will extract any relevant metadata embedded within the document and index it appropriately within the digital records.
File Delivery
Once the scanning process has been completed, the electronic files will be delivered to your company. At this point, you can decide whether to retain the physical files, have them incinerated at the scanning facility, or store them in the scanning company’s secure vaults.
Diverse Industry Applications of Document Scanning
Professional document scanning services find applicability in different industries, based on their distinct needs and use cases. Professional document scanning services cater to a wide range of industries, including:
Legal Industry
Law firms often deal with a high volume of case files, contracts, and other court-related documents. By using professional document scanning services, legal practitioners can rapidly scan and organize these records so that they can search them using an efficient electronic discovery tool.
Healthcare Industry
Hospitals and clinics need to store patient records in a manner that promotes easy access while protecting patient privacy. With professional document scanning services, medical workers can digitize patient records so that they can utilize an integrated health record management solution.
Finance Industry
Tax forms, audits, invoices, and receipts are some of the most common financial records that need to be managed by the finance sector. By digitizing these records using professional scanning services, financial analysts can leverage the benefits of a centralized, searchable document management system.
Real Estate Industry
Title companies and real estate agents need to store property deeds, titles, and other records in a manner that promotes easy retrieval. By scanning these documents and organizing them digitally, title companies can rapidly retrieve the desired property records while also preparing digital closing packages for their clients.
Engineering Industry
Engineers and construction workers utilize numerous drawings and blueprints throughout the building process. By using professional document scanning services, construction firms can digitize their blueprints and ensure that they can access them at worksites using mobile scanners.
Human Resources Departments
Human resources records contain a wealth of personal information on company personnel. By digitizing HR records, organizations can make sure their employee data is safeguarded in a secure digital system.
The Onsite and Offsite Debate: Which Option is More Suitable?
When it comes to choosing between onsite and offsite scanning services, there are a number of important considerations to take into account. Onsite scanning services see the scanning technician bringing a portable scanning workstation to your offices. In contrast, with offsite scanning, the documents are picked up by the scanning vendor and brought to their facility.
The choice between onsite and offsite scanning largely depends on your security needs. Here is a breakdown of the main pros and cons of each approach:
Offsite Document Scanning
Pros
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Suitable for large-scale, recurring scanning projects
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Reduces scanning costs due to high-throughput production scanners
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Eliminates disruption to your staff’s daily operations
Cons
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Paper files are not under your direct control and supervision
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Not suitable for highly-confidential documents such as medical records
Onsite Document Scanning
Pros
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Eliminates privacy and security concerns
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Files are always under your direct control
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Suitable for sensitive or confidential information
Cons
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Higher scanning costs due to the use of portable scanners
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Limited capacity in terms of throughput
Scanning Project Considerations
If you are contemplating using professional document scanning services, here are some of the most important considerations:
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Document Security and Compliance Certifications: Ensure that the document scanning vendor you intend to hire adheres to the appropriate security compliance standards.
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Chain of Custody Tracking: Ask the scanning service provider whether they offer complete chain-of-custody control over your documents.
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OCR Accuracy: Choose a vendor that offers professional document scanning services backed by high OCR accuracy.
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File Export Options: Ensure that the scanning vendor can export digital files in your preferred document formats.
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Document Database Software Integration: Select a scanning vendor that can integrate the digitized records directly into your document management system, if applicable.
Scanning Your Records Yourself vs Hiring Professional Document Scanning Services
Many businesses attempt to scan their own documents using desktop scanners. However, there are several compelling reasons why in-house scanning is not the most optimal solution:
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Lower Productivity: Desktop scanners are generally slow and prone to paper jams, whereas professional document scanning services utilize production scanners that guarantee high throughput without the risk of paper jams.
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Opportunity Cost: Employees who would have been scanning papers now have to spend their time doing other tasks that could have been outsourced.
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Higher Expenses: Desktop scanners purchased from retail stores are relatively expensive especially when compared to the rates charged by professional document scanning services.
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Document Preparation and Processing Costs: Professional document scanning vendors charge extra for removing staples, repairing torn papers, and similar tasks.
While in-house scanning may be suitable for routine processing of day-to-day records, it is not ideal for digitizing historical records. If you have stacks of old papers that you would like to scan, you should consider hiring professional document scanning services. In addition to enjoying higher productivity and throughput, you will also benefit from lower expenses especially if you have a large volume of documents that need to be processed.
Key Factors that Determine Scanning Costs
The charges associated with professional document scanning services depend on a number of factors including:
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Document Volume: The higher the page count, the lower the scanning cost per page.
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Document Preparation Complexity: Expenses are dictated by the complexity of the preparation process. For instance, removing staples and repairing torn papers usually incur additional charges.
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Indexing Requirements: Basic indexing only involves identifying a file’s name or number whereas more intricate forms of indexing may entail extracting more detailed metadata such as client names and account numbers.
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Paper Size: Larger paper sizes such as blueprints usually incur higher scanning costs.
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Project Turnaround Speed: Faster turnaround times usually come at a higher price since the scanning process has to be expedited.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Scanning Your Records
If you are new to the world of document scanning, here is a roadmap to help you identify how to get started with professional document scanning services:
Assess Your Current Records
Begin by identifying the documents you want to scan. In addition, it is important to identify the records that should be shredded as well as those that should be kept in paper form.
Establish Indexing Requirements
Once you have identified the records you want to scan, discuss your indexing needs with the scanning vendor. Decide on the types of metadata your records should possess in order to make them searchable.
Identify Your Preferred File Formats
When choosing a scanning vendor, ensure that they offer file formats that are compatible with your current software programs.
Select a Reputable Document Scanning Vendor
It is crucial to do your homework when selecting a document scanning vendor. Ask around and request proposals from different vendors that offer professional document scanning services. In addition, scrutinize the privacy compliance certifications of your shortlisted scanning partners.
Test Run
Request a test scan so that you can ensure that the scanning vendor can produce high-quality digital files.
Establish Your Document Ingestion Protocol
Create a protocol on how you will ingest the scanned files into your document management software.
Document Preparation Considerations
The document preparation process plays a critical role in ensuring that the documents you want to scan are in optimal condition. It is essential to entrust this task to a professional document scanning service, since they have the right tools and expertise to prepare your documents for scanning.
Most scanning vendors offer preparation services that entail getting rid of any unwanted materials from your records. For instance, paper clips, binding clips, and other foreign objects are removed during the preparation process. In addition, torn papers are repaired so that the documents can smoothly pass through the high-speed scanners.
Apart from removing foreign objects and repairing torn papers, preparation can also entail inserting separation sheets between documents. This enables the scanner to easily recognize the end of one document and the beginning of another, thus eliminating the need for you to separate the files after they have been scanned.
An In-Depth Look at OCR and Metadata Extraction
After a document has been scanned, it needs to go through the optical character recognition process. This step is important because it converts scanned documents into a format that can be searched electronically. In other words, OCR makes it possible to rapidly identify the contents of a digital file.
For instance, if you have scanned a document containing the word “contract”, the OCR software will ensure that the word is searchable. That way, if an employee wants to find all of the documents that contain the word “contract”, they can simply perform a search.
While OCR makes it possible to digitally represent a document’s content, metadata extraction goes a step further by organizing this information. During metadata extraction, the scanning technician will determine the categories that are relevant to your documents and extract this information from your scanned records.
For instance, if you are managing accounting records, the metadata fields may include the client name, invoice number, and the relevant tax codes. Apart from making it easier to identify the contents of a scanned document, metadata fields can also be utilized to automate your document management system. This enables you to set up rules regarding how your digitized records should be managed, filed, and routed.
Modern Document Management Database Integration Considerations
Converting paper records into digital records only constitutes part of the document management process. The other, equally important component entails making sure that the digital files seamlessly integrate into your enterprise’s document management system. Most professional document scanning vendors recognize this fact and offer document database integration as part of their standard package.
The integration component mostly entails creating metadata manifests that can be utilized to sort and organize the documents according to their metadata fields. By establishing the appropriate integration framework, the scanning vendor will essentially be able to automate your document management system.
For instance, as soon as the human resources department scans new employee records, the document management system can automatically sort the employee records in accordance with predefined guidelines. This degree of document management automation is only possible when the professional document scanning vendor creates the appropriate database integration framework.
Document Destruction Compliance Requirements
After your physical records have been scanned and digital copies have been created, the next logical step is to decide what to do with the paper files. The obvious answer is to get rid of the physical files since retaining them in a secured vault is an unnecessary expense.
However, many professional document scanning vendors offer certified document destruction services. This means that you can opt for an end-to-end document scanning experience that involves first digitizing your paper records and then destroying them in accordance with your compliance requirements.
After the paper files have been destroyed, the scanning vendor will provide a certificate of destruction to show that the documents were destroyed. This certificate is useful in proving that your business follows strict document privacy and destruction regulations.
Long-Term Document Maintenance and Day Forward Document Scanning Strategies
Scanning your historical records digitally is certainly a great first step. However, most document management experts will tell you that it is also important to institute a day-forward scanning strategy, so that your new records also exist in a digital format. By doing so you can ensure that your office is completely paperless at all times.
Document scanning vendors offer both day-forward scanning and backfile scanning services. The former involves digitizing your new records on a daily basis, whereas the latter denotes converting your historical records into digital files.
When you combine both day-forward and backfile scanning, you can ensure that your office has a truly paperless document management system.