When is Scanning the Right Tool for the Job? Myths vs. Reality

More and more businesses are scanning and digitising their documents. In fact, 85% of enterprise decision-makers have expressed concern of falling behind their competitors if they don’t make significant improvements in digital transformation in the next 2 years. As scanning becomes more popular, so do the myths surrounding it. Word of mouth and people not knowing how it works has caused these myths to become widespread. This is a big deterrent for many, making them delay or even cancel scanning projects. How can you know what’s true about scanning and what isn’t? Here at Kefron we have extensive experience with scanning and digitising documents. We’re here to help you sort through the chatter and get to the truth of the thing. 

Myth No 1

Digitising and scanning documents is expensive. 

Reality 

Scanning documents is less expensive than you’d think. Of course, pricing is dependent on the exact requirements. For full processing, indexing, and ultimate destruction of the hardcopies, it costs between 4p to 8p. As technology becomes more advanced and digitising more popular, it becomes more cost-effective. The equipment needed for the best possible results is expensive. But you can outsource this project to a company who already have the equipment for it. This will save your business from having to buy costly equipment that will rarely be used. You won’t waste time rummaging in filing cabinets anymore. Your team will be saved from tedium and be able to dedicate their time to more value-added tasks. It’s a one-off cost that will be recouped in man hours and productivity in no time.  

Myth No 2

Scanning projects are time-consuming and tedious.  

Reality 

This is true if done by an inexperienced team. It’s an admin heavy process that is a waste of your team’s time and talents. However, you can outsource this project to an experienced professional. Expert scanning bureaus will have tried and tested processes to streamline the project. They will digitise your files quickly and efficiently without compromising quality. If you need a document urgently, your provider can move it up the queue and scan it immediately. You can be assured you can access your documents without disrupting the process. There are many ways to speed up the project’s process. For Kefron this includes: 

• Inserting barcoded sheets at the front of documents with basic indexing information. This automatically separates documents throughout.
• Using the customer database to extract indexing information automatically by linking it to a manually indexed field. This automatically extracts identified areas of text for in.

Myth No 3

It’s risky. It’s harder to keep files secure when you can’t physically lock them away. 

Reality 

Keeping your documents physical is far, far riskier. When a hardcopy is lost, it’s lost for good. If you pop a digital file into the wrong folder, it can be found with a few clicks. All you do is put the name in the search bar and it will appear, then it can be moved in the right place. Plus, if you delete a file by accident, it’s still retrievable for a set amount of time as are earlier versions. Permissions and access can be restricted using a digital system. But physical files can be read by anyone if misplaced/left unattended, which is easy to do. When softcopies are being transferred, there are several security measures in place. For any professional business this will include firewalls, password protection, secure networks, etc. Easy retrieval and added security mean better compliance with GDPR and audits. 

Myth No 4

Digital documents are more difficult to find and manage than those stored in a cabinet.  

Reality 

This could not be further from the truth. There are many ways to manage these documents such as using your device or a digital document management solution. Whatever you use, the folders are fully customisable. It couldn’t be easier to find a file – they’re searchable by title, keywords, author, date, location, and size! Scanning professionals often provide data capture as well. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) makes any document and its text machine searchable.  

Myth No 5

It’s an unnecessary project. We have always used our current system and don’t see the need to change. 

Reality 

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? Not only is this popular saying grammatically incorrect, it also stops progress. Moving to an unfamiliar system can worry your team. This is nothing new, throughout history change has frightened people and this is imbedded in our DNA. Getting everyone on board is the hardest part of any project. However, getting used to this could not be easier. Most digital filing/management systems are very intuitive. To streamline implementation the provider can give demonstrations, training, and other resources. They can address any queries and concerns no matter how small. They will know how to introduce even the biggest technophobe to this system. If there are still sceptics, you can trial scan some documents. This can be done to see if it’s the right time to commit to a scanning project or to convince those stopping the project moving forward. Of course, you can decide to scan some items and not others, whatever best fits your business. 

So, now we know that scanning your documents is both efficient and cost-effective. Beginning such a project can be difficult, especially when it involves technology and processes you have not come across before. To help you navigate this unfamiliar journey, you can contact Kefron.