Whether you have a continuous stream of records to scan or a backlog of files you’re finally going to get to this spring, there are many mistakes to avoid when scanning documents. If you don’t follow these expert tips and tricks, you could block out important information or lose all your records.
Using the Wrong Document Scanner
If you already have scanning equipment, you’ll want to make sure it has the capacity to handle the volume of documents you’re going to scan. You may find it more cost-effective to use a scanning service opposed to investing in equipment if you have a backlog of documents and won’t need a scanner for more than a few weeks or months. Document digitization companies such as Scanstrong are experts at securely turning your paper files into digital records.
Keeping Paper Records On-Site
Your records are securely stored and can be accessed via your computer, so you don’t necessarily need to keep them at the same place where you conduct business. Store documents off-site—especially if your building doesn’t have proper security for sensitive materials. You can also save space in your office by moving files to a storage facility.
Highlighting Information in a Document
While it makes sense in the moment, anything you highlight on a document won’t show up when scanned. If you’re going to begin scanning documents, practice leaving the highlights off the page until after the document is scanned. Implement this throughout your entire company to ensure no important information is lost.
Pro Tip: Don’t staple important documents together! If a staple goes through a scanner, it could damage the machine.
Forgetting To Back up Your Documents
One of the best things about digitizing your documents is that you can back them up. Cloud storage is more secure than hard drives or USBs, and you can encrypt any data you put in digital storage. You can password-protect your files and audit them to see who has accessed them.
Having a system to keep your files organized is one of the main points of document scanning. Scantrong uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to help you categorize your documents. Our professionals won’t let you make these common mistakes to avoid when scanning documents.