Be updated, subscribe to the OpenKM news

What Benefits of Using Document Scanning Services for Digitizing Your Records

Written by Gregory V. Chapman on February 05, 2020

Most businesses are fast moving into a digitalized space that can enhance their overall productivity and efficiency. Thus digital files are taking the place of paper documentation. Scanning and digitizing documents significantly reduces the amount of time your workers go through several file cabinets to locate one document. Besides this, it saves cost and a ton of other great benefits.

So what is scanning, and how can you digitize a scanned document?

Digital scanning is capturing digital images of any paper file. The process of scanning and digitizing these files is pretty straightforward. Once you have all the hard copies of your records sorted out, use a scanner to capture the paper documents.

The type of scanner you will use may be determined by the type of document scanning you require. When you have scanned the document, select your preferred digital storage format, and save. You would also need to get document management software to help manage and track all your scanned documents. When you complete your scanning and digitization process, you can begin to get these benefits discussed below:

Increased Searchability Speed 

Paper records can be challenging to sort and manage. Imagine searching for a document you filed over two years ago in your filing cabinet. It would probably feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. A report from the Gartner Group states that the average employee spends over 400 hours yearly when searching for hardcopy documents.

When you have your documents securely digitized, the search functionality is way better, because you get your file in a matter of seconds. When your digital files are well organized and managed correctly, it is even faster to search for them using relevant keywords.

Prevent loss and Access Documents Remotely 

For organizations that work remotely or individuals who are always on the go, flexibility is of the utmost importance. Carrying around all your files could lead to you losing or damaging some vital documents. Such loss or damage can be prevented by digitization since all files are no longer physical.

Furthermore, you might be in an important meeting and then realize you forget a document you need at home or the office. Thus, this is when digitizing your documents could come in very handy. Wherever you go, you have access to your files on your mobile device and also provide access to share business documents with others.

Reclaimed Physical Space

If you are thinking of decluttering your space, then scanning and digitizing your hard files is the way to go. All those boxes eating up space at the back of your wardrobe, basement, or office hallways, cabinets, etc. can be tidied up into a small digital format. Imagine fitting 30 filing cabinets into a little USB flash.

When you digitize paper documents and free up spaces occupied by filing cabinets, the immediate result is that your office space opens up. It will also open up more space to expand your team and grow business in ways you didn't know were possible.

Cost-Efficient and Increases Productivity

Another benefit of digitizing your paper documents is that the cost of printing, photocopying, or paper purchase id reduced drastically. You cut down on the price of storage space and maintenance. And most importantly, the hours an employee might spend searching for a document in a disorganized file cabinet is saved and used for more critical tasks.

Additionally, saving your documents in digital formats has an impact on communication, collaboration, and automation, which are essential aspects of your business. Digital scanning has a direct effect on productivity because it saves employees a lot of time wasted to find, process, and pass information. A digitized office environment can significantly improve your staff's productivity and help you save time and money.

Increase Security

There are several ways your physical documents can be at risk. Be it natural disasters (such as flooding), human error (such as misplacing or soiling vital records), and natural wear and tear. Physical files are vulnerable and can be beyond your storage control.

Scanning your paper documents enables you to back them up multiple times, in your gadgets, in the cloud, or other document management systems. It assures you that your data is preserved for a long time to come.

Go Green with a Paperless Office

Of course, we all know that paper is made out of forest trees. Therefore, the continuous use of paper documents and bulky filing cabinets makes it challenging to have an eco-friendlier workspace. When you digitize your records, you foster an environment that uses less paper, and secure shredding for proper disposal of paper cuts down significantly.

Imagine the number of papers writing review services websites such as Writing Judge will use if they stored the millions of essays they write and review in hardcopy. Additionally, digitization of your document storage means you use less toxic printer ink and cut down on the mailing processes that increase your carbon footprint. 

Improves Project Collaborations

Most business processes are moving towards collaboration in their internal and external work environments. Collaborating on a project that cannot be accessed digitally can make the process slow and inefficient. For instance, if a project team member changes to a document that needs approval from all team members, a paper document will take forever to move from desk to desk. It will, therefore, hinder the optimization of productivity.

There's also the possibility that not all team members will get to see the new version, and as such, they will keep working based on an outdated version and have to redo the work when they realize the error. However, if you digitize your collaborative projects, all team members can have real-time access to the document simultaneously. Hence the work moves faster, and productivity is optimized.

Your team's efficiency can be significantly improved using electronic documents and communications. It gives room for everyone to be on the same page, offer feedback and ideas with ease. Less time is wasted, while productivity and collaboration increase. 

Enhanced Customer Service

If you run a business, you also understand the need to give your customers the information they request urgently. When you have all your documents scanned, your employees have quick and easy access to information, allowing them to give the customer timely feedback on any request.

For instance, if a client of a writing services review website, Best Writers Online urgently requires their paper being resent to them, imagine all the time they will have to wait if the papers were filed in a cabinet rather than in electronic files. As a result, this goes a long way toward enhancing your service levels and increasing customer satisfaction, referrals, and retention.

Conclusion

After reading this article, I hope we have been able to convince you about the benefits of using Document Scanning Services for Digitizing Your Records.

Bio: Gregory is passionate about researching new technologies in both mobile, web and WordPress. Gregory in love with stories and facts, so Gregory always tries to get the best of both worlds.