Determining the Best Scanning Solution for Your Business
Scanning has become the backbone of moving from paper to paperless document management. The main goal of scanning has been to reduce problems that result from dependence on paper. Scanning solutions discovered, however, offer a wide range of solutions to document management. Moreover, businesses need to choose a scanning solution that suits their needs and budget. This page will provide a comprehensive dive into some of the best ways of determining the most appropriate scanning solution for your enterprise.
1. Know the type of scanning for your business
Different businesses do their scanning differently. Document management plays a significant role here in the kind of scanning you need. The scanning types below will allow you to identify the type of scanning that identifies with your business.
a) The Scan on Demand Type
Even as we cut on paper with paperless document management, document conversion also comes at a cost. Sometimes the best way to manage documents is by merging physical document storage with document imaging. Scan on demand allows you to do that. Here, documents are stored in a secured physical space. What follows is that whenever there is a need for those documents, they are converted to a digital file, which is later uploaded to a secure online portal where it is accessible by authorized persons.
b) Backfile scanning
This is possible when a business has decided to go paperless in its document management. Backfile scanning allows the enterprise to scan all physical documents and link the conversions to an enterprise content management (ECM) application. This type is suitable for bulkier conversions. It is prompt and efficient.
c) Blueprint scanning
Architects, engineers, contractors, structural designers, surveyors are known for using large format documents. Blueprint scanning services allow them to convert such documents into uniform and high-quality digital files that can be accessed anywhere at any time.
d) Image service bureaus
Going paperless, you might need buying a scanner and scanning software but have you wondered about maintenance and operation costs. Image service bureau is a type of paperless office solutions website that allows you to access to a turnkey solution for prompt and long term a scanning and image storage solutions. Images of documents appear exactly like their original documents.
e)Workflow scanning
This is a timesaving document management solution. Here you can retrieve digital records of business from invoices, purchase orders, credit applications, and HR records without having to leave your desk.
2. Performance of scanning solution
You cannot talk of scanning without mentioning a scanner. As a major scanning solution, you need to analyze scanner for performance based on images scanned per minute. Here, you need to look for the amount of effort by anyone working on the scanner, the quality of images produced, and the image acquisition type among other features without compromising on speed of scanning solution.
3. Look out for image processing software
A scanner or instance cannot work without an image processing software. This software is responsible for the image acquisition process of the image and conversion of the image to a digital file. Not all software of this nature can deliver quality scans, which is why you will have to ask supplier and research for the best. An example is Kofax VRS. You will need to look out for scanning with this software. You can also try a scanner with the Nuance PaperPort. Such software comes with unique features such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR), organizing and scanning document technology.
4. Hardware interface
In the past, we have had physical connections between devices, also known as hardware interfaces. Today we have software interfaces such as ISIS and TWAIN replacing old version interfaces. When looking for a suitable scanning solution for your business, you will need to select an interface that is supported by software to meet your document management needs through the perfect acquisition of images. Here Make Use Of will tell how software is changing our daily life.
5. Size and noise features
As we fight to go paperless document management, we might also need to consider space as an issue in document management. For a scanning solution like a scanner, for instance, one will need to watch out for desk space required. Most scanners will come without a stand of their own. The other will be movable, which is good; however, you might need to look for whether these additional features compromise on the quality of images produced.
Noise is another common factor for scanners of production levels. Some will be gentle, some quite irritating. You might need to research or even test the printer before purchase to ensure you can tolerate their noise production. Office level scanners are usually silent, but this is dependent on the volume of work in question.
6. Check for dropout color solutions
Nothing sounds good as a scanner that produces amazing color results. Drop out color technology allows for documents with predefined colors to disappear during the scanning only to appear in the final document when important information on the original file is scanned. This technology comes in three ways, namely a colored light source, a color lens, or software that makes color scanning a simple exercise.
7. Check for maintenance costs
There is fun in going paperless, but there is a need to know whether it is a worthy investment with manageable costs. Check out whether your choice of a scanning solution requires any maintenance; here look out for price on consumables, updates, patches, and a professional to maintain the scanning solution. Check out for annual costs of the above. Others can be costly; you do not want that to happen after an expensive purchase of your scanning solution.
The choice of the best scanning solution is not easy; it will require time and effort to make the right choice. The above are some of the best ways of identifying a solution that can meet your document management needs. Know the type of scanning that suits your business, the performance of that solution, image processing software, hardware interfaces, maintenance costs, dropout color solutions, and space and noise solutions.