Going paperless is one of the biggest trends in today’s business world. Fueled by the need for companies to become more environmentally conscious, it’s the logical next step in reducing the carbon footprint and becoming more eco-friendly.
However, when you’ve used paper documents for decades, making the switch isn’t easy.
Scanning the documents is one thing, but you also have to figure out how to set up an effective document management system for all of the digital records.
You will also need to determine if you’ll take on the project yourself or whether it makes more sense to outsource the process to a bulk document scanning services provider.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of the most important aspects of the entire process.
Figure Out the Scope of the Project
Before you take on the task of digitizing your documents, you will need to figure out exactly what you’ll need to scan. Doing an inventory of your current document storage will help you get a better idea of how big the project might be and how to best approach it.
For instance, if you don’t have a large document storage facility, you might be able to get by with doing the scanning yourself. However, most offices have thousands upon thousands of documents, taking the time and effort required not worth the investment in equipment and labour. Therefore, hiring a professional document scanning company is usually the best option.
Choose the Right Scanning Company
Now that we’ve determined that opting for professional services is the smart choice, we need to look at how to choose the right bulk document scanning services provider for your needs.
For one thing, there are many companies that offer scanning services, but not all of them are suitable for the needs of every business.
You’ll want to find a company with the right equipment, the human resources, and the expertise to handle large scanning projects quickly and effectively. While there are many companies that scan standard paper documents, not all companies have the equipment to scan other document formats such as blueprints, maps, microfilm, microfiche, photographs, etc.
Security is also an important factor to consider. Make sure the company you choose has security measures and procedures in place to effectively handle sensitive materials according to applicable regulations. For example, medical records need to be processed and handled in a manner that is HIPAA compliant.
You might even want to consider a provider that can perform the entire scan on-site, bringing their own equipment, and minimizing the disruption to your day-to-day operations.
Consult About the Best Document Management System
One of the biggest perks of hiring a professional document scanning company is the know-how they can bring to the table.
Instead of having to figure everything out on your own, you can rely on their guidance to ensure that the process goes smoothly and that the digital documents are more convenient than the old way of using paper.
For instance, your large format scanning service might be able to help you pick the best document management solution for your needs.
What’s more, they can also help you set everything up, offering an effective system for tagging and sorting the documents so that your employees can access them in a few seconds.
One of the biggest advantages of going digital is having the opportunity to retrieve any document in seconds, so make sure you choose a solution that can allow you to take advantage of what today’s technology can offer.