What Is Document Scanning?

February 21, 2017

An office worker clicking a touch screen option on a document scanner.Document scanning is the practice of using scanners to convert paper documents into digital images. More businesses are scanning documents as a way to cut costs, increase productivity and improve access to their information. And in this blog post we discuss the benefits of document scanning and offer tips for digitizing your hard copy records.

Why You Should Be Scanning Your Documents

There are several reasons you should scan your documents:

  1. Cost savings: Storing and managing paper documents is expensive, especially if you rely on file cabinets for document storage and retrieval. A standard four drawer file cabinet requires approximately eight cubic feet of floor space, which can represent a significant portion of your office lease costs. In addition to that, you need to factor in the cost of your time to find and retrieve your documents. Document scanning also allows you to store and retrieve your documents online. This reduces your storage costs and provides greater work efficiency.
  2. Information sharing: Paper-based systems are inherently inefficient. You need to be print or photocopy your documents so several people can view them at the same time. But document scanning enables you to share your information digitally for enhanced employee collaboration and improved customer response times.
  3. Environmental stewardship: Document scanning benefits both your business and the environment. By converting your hard copy records to digital images, you use less paper and toxic printer ink and reduce mailing processes that increase your carbon footprint. 

Do I Need to Scan Every Document?

No, you don’t need to scan every document. But digitizing just your active files is great way to cut costs and be more productive. Scanning experts will pick up your documents, scan and index them, and then transfer them to a password-protected, searchable online data base. This allows your employees instant access to information from anywhere.

Since they are inactive and you will eventually destroy them, it’s more cost effective to store your archival documents off-site. A scan on demand service keeps your paper records safe and secure in a commercial records center and allows them to be converted to digital images if and when you need them.

Should I Outsource My Scanning Projects or Do It Myself?

It is cheaper and more efficient to outsource your document scanning projects. In-house document scanning requires:

  • Buying scanners and software
  • Organizing documents and files
  • Training and/or hiring staff
  • Allocating dedicated imaging time

By outsourcing your scanning project, you transfer costs, risks and responsibilities to a company with scanning and imaging expertise. From the initial document preparation phase to the final delivery of your digital images, the entire process is handled by dedicated, screened scanning technicians who ensure your documents are scanned quickly and securely with unparalleled quality. In the meantime, as we scan your documents, you can continue focusing on growing your business!

Corporate Records Management offers document scanning and imaging services for businesses in Dallas-Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. For more information, please contact us by phone or complete the form on this page.

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We switched to CRM with our document storage and document shredding needs and consider that one of the best decisions ever. CRM is very professional, local and easy to work with. Many thanks CRM!

-Leopold Steinberger

Great and personal service. Great facility...you always know where your boxes are and so do they! Not only do they have the best boxes ever for storing your docs (reasonably priced, sturdy and best of all---easy to put together), they also have onsite shredding. Full service for the entire life cycle of your documents. We have been a customer for approximately 8 years and NEVER had a single problem...which was not the case with our previous vendor! 

-Patricia Flournoy

Love Corporate Records Management. Very efficient and friendly staff. Have never had any issues, would definitely recommend.

-Maribel Hernandez

Very effective in storing our backup tapes in climate controlled storage. They are real quick to response in email queries and was always available to return tapes in case we have an emergency restore. Excellent customer service as well.

-Philip Mills

I have only been working with Corporate Records Management for a few months, but they have been an excellent partner to have in managing our extensive amount of hard copy construction plans and specifications. They are prompt and professional when picking items up to take to their storage facility, and it is extremely easy to request items back from storage if needed at a later time. I have made retrieval requests in the afternoon, and they have delivered to us the very next day. KWA Construction is most appreciate of Corporate Records Management! You help keep our office tidy and clutter-free!

-Tasha Keene

We've used CRM for almost 2 years to store our data tapes offsite. They have been reliable and easy to work with. When we have had special requests they have been quick to respond and get us what we need quickly. There were a few minor glitches when we were first getting everything setup at the beginning, but everything was quickly sorted out and we have zero complaints.

-Bret Harrell

Corporate Records Management is an awesome company. They have very friendly people who don't mind helping if you call with a question. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking to store files at an offsite facility

-Frank DaMommio

Great customer service and rapid response time to orders! Very professional and they also have had great solutions for problems my company has had. Patient employees helped us when dealing with a big conversion. Will highly recommend for business needs.

- Kedrick Williams