In recent weeks I’ve been inundated with queries about one of our most useful services for streamlining the office: Document Imaging. You may know imaging as “the way that your office will go paperless,” and have heard me refer to it in many of our recent blogs. I am going back to the basics here to define it.
What is Document Imaging?
Document Imaging is the process of turning both electronic and hard copies of critical company documents into a manageable, intelligent, and interactive digital format. There are many kinds of Document Imaging, and it goes by many different names: imaging, document imaging, and electronic imaging. Document Imaging is not the same as Document Scanning.
This technology ranges from very simple to very complex – allowing users to input metadata, index documents, and even recognize characters within documents so that they become “searchable” without having been physically transcribed.
A good Document Imaging service should include:
Scanning – physically going through all of your critical documents and cleaning up the appearance in preparation for digital imaging. This includes staple/paperclip removal and assessment of the quality/age of the paper being used.
Multi-step Quality Control Checks – after each procedure, a system of checks and balances must be used to ensure that each step is completed impeccably.
Data Entry – for documents that are not up to par, some data must be entered manually to supplement the hard copy data. Also, information such as dates, times, and back up data for each file is included so that even hard copy records can be traced back to their original source.
Indexing/Coding – input of metadata makes it possible to discover other background information on each document, making documents even more searchable.
Automatic Data Capture – a method of identifying and immediately entering data directly into the computer system, without human involvement.
Text Conversion/Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – OCR technology recognizes text, making it possible to sort and file invoices with invoices and even automating email alerts when certain types of documents are recognized.
Repository management – a component that performs integrity checks and guarantees the preservation of documents and information stored in the system.
The results:
Security, quality, and a streamlined office. Every document becomes text searchable. Information is stored and backed up in a highly secured online system. Employees are no longer wasting time searching through files or duplicates – every file and its latest update are easily discovered in a comprehensive, logical, user-friendly system.
To learn about more benefits of Document Imaging, read our latest blog on the Paperless Office>>