Are you ready to add scanning to your company's tool belt? Congratulations--you're about to see a world of benefits and advantages you never thought possible. Here are a few important tips to help get you started!
Building Your Scanning Vocabulary
When you add scanners to your fleet, you're taking your document game to a whole new level. However, to get the most out of this new level, you'll need to brush up on a few scanning basics.
Here's what you need to know:
Scanning is not the same as digitizing.
"Scanning" means to put a document on a scanner and to get a digital image. Digitizing, on the other hand, means to turn a physical file into a fully functional digitized document that can be searched, edited, and updated as necessary.
The difference is simple: OCR.
OCR means "optical character recognition."
OCR isn't automatically included with every scanner, which is why it's important to do your research beforehand. The truth, though, is that some companies may not need OCR. As long as you don't expect to alter your digital documents in any way, scanning is an excellent choice.
If you do want dynamic documents, OCR is about to become your new best friend. It "reads" your files by analyzing every shape (even the handwritten ones!) and comparing everything to a language database. Once it knows what your document is actually saying, it translates that information into a digital format that can be edited to your heart's desire.
Scanning can be simple, but only if you come prepared.
Whether you choose to scan or digitize, one thing remains constant: A little organization goes a long way. If you try to tackle scanning projects all at once, you could quickly become frustrated.
The key is to make a plan ahead of time. For example, you might scan documents by file type, content, date, or keyword. By utilizing a strategy like this, you also enable easier organization once the files are scanned.
Conclusion
Scanning can do big things for your business, but not without a little background work on your part. The good news is that even the most complicated scan jobs can be manageable with the right plan, preparation, and knowledge.
Ready to start your own scanning journey? Contact us today to get started!
