Preparing For Your First Document Scanning Project

It can very time-consuming to scan all of your company's documents and records. Depending on the type of records you are scanning and the number of records that you have, digitizing your records can turn into a much larger project than you ever anticipated. While this project may be rather tedious, it can definitely make your life easier in the end.

Document scanning offers the ability to access all of your company's records with the click of your mouse's button. When preparing for your first document scanning project, there are a few things you should keep in mind so that you have minimal (if any) issues and the process goes smoothly and quickly overall.

Organization Is Essential

Make sure that you have each document accounted for and have considered how you want each one categorized. To begin, you will want to stack all related documents into piles in the way you want them in your online filing system. Think about how you will want to search for them once they are digitized and indexed. Ultimately, the more specific you organize them now, the easier it will be to find them once they are digitized.

Prep Your Paperwork

Before you can scan your records, all of the metal must be removed from the paper. For instance, you need to remove all paper clips, staples, etc. If you are working with a document scanning company instead of scanning the records yourself, you could have them complete this process for you, but it will cost you extra. In the end, it is just easier and more cost-effective to do it yourself as part of the organization process.

Have a Plan for the Hard Copies

Once your records have all been scanned and digitized, you will still have your hard paper copies. It is important that you have a plan of what to do with them ahead of time. Some of these documents will need to be stored on-site or off-site; however, other documents do not need to be retained. For these records that do not need to be stored, you cannot simply throw them away in the standard trash can in the office, as they likely contain personal or critical information that is confidential to your business or your clients. Therefore, you will need to ensure that these documents are properly destroyed.

When you are ready to embark on your document scanning project, reach out to a company like Indigital Inc that can help you in selecting a document management system that meets your needs.