Today’s business arena demands a shift to a more environmentally friendly way of handling paper documents. This shift has created a new industry centered around converting paper to electronic images and storing them for retrieval as needed. Numerous scanning and document management systems have sprung up in an effort to meet rising demands for comprehensive solutions that incorporate both scanning solutions and electronic record management software. In addition, document scanning services have also entered the picture to deal with the heavy lifting necessary to convert paper documents to a digital format.
The most useful scanning and document management software packages provide a simple interface that allows users to organize, export, and securely store images within an online database system. Optical character recognition (OCR) is also being paired with scanning solutions, allowing one to read and extract key information from electronic images, making them that much more valuable.
Document scanning services are proving to provide a plethora of benefits to the business community. A move away from paper handling will actually boost personal productivity, departmental efficiency and enterprise document workflow. In addition, electronic image archiving enhances information security and compliance ability within document-centric workflows.
One such comprehensive scanning and document management software package available is through Laserfiche. The following are initial services they provide in an effort to determine the sort of scanning solutions that might have the best results in a particular work environment:
• Conduct a needs assessment
• Develop an implementation plan
• Evaluate organization’s document management goals and objectives
• Choose a document management application
• Discover the difference between document management and records management
• Identify an information capture and indexing method
• Establish a records security policy
• Assess your risk mitigation scheme
• Manage your regulatory compliance strategy
A comprehensive scanning and document management plan would incorporate a software package to meet all organization needs once established. One such package is available through RBJ Software, Inc. and is utilized mainly by the escrow industry. RBJ’s full-featured application covers the entire opening to closing process of an escrow transaction. The software can easily store, generate, and retrieve internal and external documents, electronic file notes, standard forms and communications. Operational expenses are reduced through increased productivity and reduction of print, postage, and delivery costs. Legal retention and access compliance standards are also easier to achieve with such software.
Document scanning services would come into play once company needs have been established and a software package for record management has been chosen. The transition to an electronic imaging format begins with the conversion of existing paper to images that can be imported into the software system. ArchiveIT provides a professional, cost-effective
