Whether you’ve been sitting on the fence about committing to a paperless office or have a major archive issue on your hands, it always helps to understand the benefits and machinations of the bulk document scanning process. One of the most common questions our customers ask when they first interact with is: “How do you convert my documents into digital data?”
No doubt this is an important question, but it is not an easy one to answer. To make sure we cover all the details about digitized documents, we’ve created a complete guide to the bulk document scanning process in the hopes of answering all the possible questions on your mind.
How Does Document Scanning Work?
Document bulk scanning is the quickest, easiest, and most secure way to convert paper documents into readable, accessible digital files. It creates a single format for paper documents so they can be integrated into a central storage system. This allows you to integrate all your documents whether they are paper, microfilm, microfiche, large format paper files such as blueprints, and more. There are seven steps involved in document scanning processes:
- Consultation: It all begins with a strategy to determine your needs. No two scanning jobs are alike, with every organization having their own indexing and cataloguing systems they wish to adapt. The initial phase of the process involves learning about your objectives and discussing your document plans. We’ll learn more about the data contained within your documents and build a strategy that safeguards your data and ensures the ideal approach for your customers.
- Delivery: Your documents are delivered to a secure site where they are stored during the process. We employ a strict “chain of custody” process at our federally certified Controlled Goods conversion facility, located in Markham, ON. This process tracks all client files throughout the process for the purposes of auditing and emergency retrievals.
- Document Preparation: Next we ensure your documents are prepared to avoid damage during the scanning process. This includes things such as removing staples and paperclips, unfolding documents, and checking for possible blemishes that might interfere with accurate scans.
- Scanning: Documents are scanned using industry best practices and state-of-the-art equipment. We adhere to all industry-specific compliance requirements and ensure your documents remain secure and untouchable by any unauthorized personnel. We format the digital images based on the digital format you prefer whether it is a TIFF or JPEG.
- Quality Control: During the entire scanning process our team ensures scanned documents are completely legible. In the case where images are compromised, we either rescan or touch up the image depending on the reason for the lack of clarity.
- Indexing: As scans are complete and pass quality control, they are sent for indexing using the search criteria provided by your team. This ensures you can search and retrieve digital documents easily.
- Paper Document Management: Once everything is saved, we can either return the paper documents to an agreed-upon site or destroy them based on industry requirements.
Who Uses Bulk Document Scanning Services?
The short answer is anyone who has paper records and documents they wish to preserve or share. However, some of the most common reasons our clients request our bulk document scanning services include:
- Improve information management processes: If you struggle with multiple formats of documents, you can improve information management processes with a consistent format and indexing process. This improves how your team stores, finds and shares information, improving workflows and creating a more productive, collaborative environment.
- Multiple locations: Along the lines of information management, if you find you have information and documents either stored at different locations or required for file sharing at multiple locations, bulk document scanning provides a simple way to store documents in one spot. This provides access to everyone with authorization regardless of location. This also applies to scenarios with remote workers or people who are always on the road.
- Access and authorization: Sharing documents is always a risk when it comes to confidentiality. Scanning documents allows you to reduce access and allow for sharing based on defined roles. This ensures documents are never copied, leave the secure area, or experience damage, loss or alteration.
- Too many systems: If you find you have too many document management systems, including digital and paper files, bulk document scanning centralizes information. This is important to avoid outdated versions of information stored in different silos, as well as to make it easy to search information using the same indexing and search criteria.
- Compliance/Audits: Being able to instantly access records either financial or otherwise ensures you maintain compliance and are ready for any form of information or financial audits. Bulk scanning centralizes storage and makes searches for vital information easy.
- Document retention: Both external and internal policies can enforce retention rules your company must adhere to. If you are bogged down with paper documents you must archive, you can free up office space and simplify your archiving system with bulk document scanning.
- Improved security: If you are concerned about privacy, confidentiality or trade secrets, storing digital documents online is dramatically safer than storing paper documents. physically. Industries where confidentiality is key such as health, law and financing can also benefit from secure document storage. Digital documents provide control over who can access documents while also allowing you to track unauthorized activity. The law requires data storage companies to maintain up-to-date, stringent security protocols and measures. As well, in the case of a natural disaster or fire, your documents remain safe and secure and can be accessed almost immediately.
There are also many functions in your organization that can benefit from scanning including HR, accounting, records, payroll, R&D, IT and more.
How Long Does Bulk Scanning Process Take?
Our systems operate at 120 pages per minute allowing us to manage high-volume scanning projects.
How Much Does Bulk Scanning Process Cost?
The cost varies depending on your needs and scope of work. However, you can use our free tool here for an initial estimate.
Our team works with companies across the country to help them capitalize on the many benefits of document scanning services. To learn more about our work in the industry and the value our dynamic document scanning can bring to your company, call today to get a free quote.