As everyone knows, and yes it's become an annoying cliche, the American economy is experiencing problems and businesses are looking for ways to cut costs.
New spending initiatives of any kind are facing severe scrutiny and document imaging is no exception. However, companies are well-advised to think about what competitors may be doing while the economy sleeps.
Paper and ink aren't free, and suffer limitations that digital images don't. Document imaging isn't going away anytime soon, and here's a summary of why.
There some killer deals available on document imaging services because everyone is fighting for business. Moreover, just as a man proves his mettle in the difficult moments, not the easy ones, companies that make the right moves now should dominate when the economy improves.
Revolutionize the way your company handles documents now, when you have the time, and you'll be set up for years to come.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Third Party Document Imaging Services: The Third Way
Especially in an uncertain economic environment, it's not always wise to go all in right from the outset. Rather, some caution is required, and an incremental approach.
Third party document imaging services allow businesses to take that approach and make it work without sacrificing important goals.
It's not expensive, for example, to purchase a regular-sized document scanner of modest quality. However, such a machine may not meet the needs of a company that wants a more complex document imaging solution, complete with, say, high resolution scanning of large documents and a shareable database of imaged files.
Such a company then seems to face the choice of either investing a good sum of money up front to buy a bigger, better scanner, or giving up on the project entirely and "wating until next year."
Third-party document imaging services offer a third way.
Have your cake--large format scanning no problem, shareable database included--at a manageable, per project cost.
It's a nice option to have.
Third party document imaging services allow businesses to take that approach and make it work without sacrificing important goals.
It's not expensive, for example, to purchase a regular-sized document scanner of modest quality. However, such a machine may not meet the needs of a company that wants a more complex document imaging solution, complete with, say, high resolution scanning of large documents and a shareable database of imaged files.
Such a company then seems to face the choice of either investing a good sum of money up front to buy a bigger, better scanner, or giving up on the project entirely and "wating until next year."
Third-party document imaging services offer a third way.
Have your cake--large format scanning no problem, shareable database included--at a manageable, per project cost.
It's a nice option to have.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Wasting Paper and Feeling Guilty Is Not Fun
It's quite possible that certain parts of the current green movement are a scam. Buying "carbon credits," for example, seems dubiuos when the people selling the idea are the people selling the credits.
Wasting paper, however, does in fact kill trees. And trees do in fact help the earth flourish and human beings with it. In that sense, document imaging has a moral component.
There is nothing less fun, as a halfway concerned citizen, than watching whole stacks of paper just sit there and symbolize dead trees.
And then knowing that more and more trees must be felled in order to feed the beast.
Document imaging enables individuals and companies to use less paper and, thus, save trees. It's an especially nice benefit when you consider the other benefits offered by document imaging technology, such as disaster recovery and shareability regardless of geography.
Getting in the habit of doing things digitally rather than on paper can contribute to more trees and a healthier planet for everyone.
Wasting paper, however, does in fact kill trees. And trees do in fact help the earth flourish and human beings with it. In that sense, document imaging has a moral component.
There is nothing less fun, as a halfway concerned citizen, than watching whole stacks of paper just sit there and symbolize dead trees.
And then knowing that more and more trees must be felled in order to feed the beast.
Document imaging enables individuals and companies to use less paper and, thus, save trees. It's an especially nice benefit when you consider the other benefits offered by document imaging technology, such as disaster recovery and shareability regardless of geography.
Getting in the habit of doing things digitally rather than on paper can contribute to more trees and a healthier planet for everyone.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Cartridge Replacement Got You Down? Give Document Imaging a Try
Human beings and printers, from time immemorial (or at least since printers were invented), have suffered from a tumultuous relationship. Printers sometimes don't work the way human being want them to, and human beings sometimes don't work the way printers want them to.
One of the greatest things about document imaging is the ability to overcome this antipathy-filled history between human and printer.
In short, you two can stop wanting to smash each other now.
Even simple document imaging solutions can help you work smarter and cheaper, relying less on printers and paper and more on digital files, easy to move, easy to manipulate.
-- Send eFaxes instead of paper faxes
-- Don't buy so many expensive ink cartridge refills
-- Share documents within the company virtually and paperlessly
Invoicing, for instance, is often the first candidate for document imaging. A signature is necessary on that paper, but the paper itself can get lost.
Once document invoicing has come to invoicing, the results customarily become clear, and the idea becomes to use document imaging in a wider capacity.
Any questions, ask away.
One of the greatest things about document imaging is the ability to overcome this antipathy-filled history between human and printer.
In short, you two can stop wanting to smash each other now.
Even simple document imaging solutions can help you work smarter and cheaper, relying less on printers and paper and more on digital files, easy to move, easy to manipulate.
-- Send eFaxes instead of paper faxes
-- Don't buy so many expensive ink cartridge refills
-- Share documents within the company virtually and paperlessly
Invoicing, for instance, is often the first candidate for document imaging. A signature is necessary on that paper, but the paper itself can get lost.
Once document invoicing has come to invoicing, the results customarily become clear, and the idea becomes to use document imaging in a wider capacity.
Any questions, ask away.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Spring Cleaning -- Early, Via Document Imaging
Among the most common of New Year's resolutions is "to be more organized." But as the rite of spring cleaning indicates, this resolution is rarely fulfilled easily and quickly.
It takes time to get organized.
It also takes skill and methodology.
If you're a business owner, one method you need to be aware of is document imaging. While "turning paper into gold " may be a bit of a strong way to put it, document imaging really does have the potential to revolutionize your organization.
Imagine sticking all those messy piles of paper into a machine and out come a collection of neatly digital files. Now know that that's reality: it can be done.
Consider hiring a record management service, though, to make organizing all it can be. Scanned documents must be filed appropriately in order to be easily and quickly retrievable.
Especially if this effort at organization is long overdue, contracting with a pro to work out a good system is a strong option.
It takes time to get organized.
It also takes skill and methodology.
If you're a business owner, one method you need to be aware of is document imaging. While "turning paper into gold " may be a bit of a strong way to put it, document imaging really does have the potential to revolutionize your organization.
Imagine sticking all those messy piles of paper into a machine and out come a collection of neatly digital files. Now know that that's reality: it can be done.
Consider hiring a record management service, though, to make organizing all it can be. Scanned documents must be filed appropriately in order to be easily and quickly retrievable.
Especially if this effort at organization is long overdue, contracting with a pro to work out a good system is a strong option.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Document Imaging: Professional vs. Amatuer
When running any business, but especially a small business and especially during trying economic times, it's important to know how to things yourself.
However, the do-it-yourself approach can be limiting. In the case of document imaging, almost all businesses now possess the rudimentary tools necessary to scan documents from paper into digital format.
And sometimes that simple task is all that is needed.
Sometimes, though, something more ambitious has been planned, along the lines of an Enterprise Content Management system. This is when it may be worthwhile to hire a professional document imaging service.
Such services can prove their worth by not only making paper documents digital, but by helping to plot schemes of organization, once those documents are in the computer. After all, if moving paper to computer means you can't find anything ever again, what's the use?
If you need to not only scan documents but organize them by the bunches, a pro may be worth the price.
However, the do-it-yourself approach can be limiting. In the case of document imaging, almost all businesses now possess the rudimentary tools necessary to scan documents from paper into digital format.
And sometimes that simple task is all that is needed.
Sometimes, though, something more ambitious has been planned, along the lines of an Enterprise Content Management system. This is when it may be worthwhile to hire a professional document imaging service.
Such services can prove their worth by not only making paper documents digital, but by helping to plot schemes of organization, once those documents are in the computer. After all, if moving paper to computer means you can't find anything ever again, what's the use?
If you need to not only scan documents but organize them by the bunches, a pro may be worth the price.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Document Imaging: Lawyers Love It
We have often referred to AIIM as an important information resource for the document imaging industry and its clients. Their "Wednesday Webinars," where you can watch video of many document imaging-related topics, are unique and highly informative.
Tomorrow's webinar, titled "A Road Map to Litigation Readiness," provides a superb example of how much document scanning and document imaging has contributed to the practice of law.
As anyone who has ever hired a lawyer knows, they're expensive and charge hourly. The "discovery process" can be particularly costly and time-intensive.
Discovery is when all the evidence must be gathered together. In the past, that meant interviewing witnesses and maybe reading a letter or ten. Today, though, that means collecting email, voicemail, documents from other states and countries, even text messages.
Document imaging technology has made this process more manageable. Lawyers can search among documents with the click of a mouse, and share with colleagues with another click of the mouse.
In that sense, document imaging has rendered those expensive hours more worth it.
If you're a lawyer or know one and you like what you hear, compare prices quotes from document imaging vendors here.
Tomorrow's webinar, titled "A Road Map to Litigation Readiness," provides a superb example of how much document scanning and document imaging has contributed to the practice of law.
As anyone who has ever hired a lawyer knows, they're expensive and charge hourly. The "discovery process" can be particularly costly and time-intensive.
Discovery is when all the evidence must be gathered together. In the past, that meant interviewing witnesses and maybe reading a letter or ten. Today, though, that means collecting email, voicemail, documents from other states and countries, even text messages.
Document imaging technology has made this process more manageable. Lawyers can search among documents with the click of a mouse, and share with colleagues with another click of the mouse.
In that sense, document imaging has rendered those expensive hours more worth it.
If you're a lawyer or know one and you like what you hear, compare prices quotes from document imaging vendors here.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Large Format Document Scanning: Not a Big Deal
Similar to people, not every document fits into the space allotted to it by the common machinery of the business world. Large format document scanning is a good example of this fact.
Large documents, such as blueprints or photographs, are often important documents, and benefit from being backed up and/or manipulated and/or shared in digital form. But you can't just slap a large document on the regular-sized scanner and hope for the best.
The result would be a mess. Thus the rise of large format scanning.
This is one time when outsourced document imaging services are able to offer outstanding value. Document imaging services already have the big scanners, and they're ready for the big jobs. Especially if you develop an ongoing relationship with a service, you can get great prices, too.
Comparing prices from multiple vendors can be a good place to start, if you're looking for that kind of relationship.
Large documents, such as blueprints or photographs, are often important documents, and benefit from being backed up and/or manipulated and/or shared in digital form. But you can't just slap a large document on the regular-sized scanner and hope for the best.
The result would be a mess. Thus the rise of large format scanning.
This is one time when outsourced document imaging services are able to offer outstanding value. Document imaging services already have the big scanners, and they're ready for the big jobs. Especially if you develop an ongoing relationship with a service, you can get great prices, too.
Comparing prices from multiple vendors can be a good place to start, if you're looking for that kind of relationship.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Document Imaging for Busy Businesspeople
Running a business is difficult because there are so many moving parts. There's always something to worry about, but most likely ten or 12 things.
In the case of document imaging, sometimes the resistance to implementing solutions is the fear of losing control of these moving parts--specifically, of not being able to find important papers, once they're in the computer.
But document scanning and imaging, when done right, can actually reduce stress and increase organization. The key phrase is "when done right."
To that end, here are a few document imaging factors to keep in mind:
1. Add searchability
Let's be honest. Most businesses do not have paper filed all ducks in the row-style. With a pertinent document imaging solution, you can make documents searchable.
2. Backup, backup, backup
God forbid a fire, flood, or other natural disaster were to strike your business. With document imaging, you have instant backups, maybe even multiple backups, of all those important files. Without document imaging, with everything on paper, you could have a serious problem on your hands.
3. View document imaging as part of the whole
Document imaging must be integrated into the entire business in order to be fully succcessful. The good news is, it can be. When evaluating different document imaging solutions, make sure to ask about interopability between systems, both hardware and software.
Stuff works better when stuff works together.
In the case of document imaging, sometimes the resistance to implementing solutions is the fear of losing control of these moving parts--specifically, of not being able to find important papers, once they're in the computer.
But document scanning and imaging, when done right, can actually reduce stress and increase organization. The key phrase is "when done right."
To that end, here are a few document imaging factors to keep in mind:
1. Add searchability
Let's be honest. Most businesses do not have paper filed all ducks in the row-style. With a pertinent document imaging solution, you can make documents searchable.
2. Backup, backup, backup
God forbid a fire, flood, or other natural disaster were to strike your business. With document imaging, you have instant backups, maybe even multiple backups, of all those important files. Without document imaging, with everything on paper, you could have a serious problem on your hands.
3. View document imaging as part of the whole
Document imaging must be integrated into the entire business in order to be fully succcessful. The good news is, it can be. When evaluating different document imaging solutions, make sure to ask about interopability between systems, both hardware and software.
Stuff works better when stuff works together.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Document Imaging as a Team Effort
Many document imaging services offer very affordable pricing, but for the small business, a "do-it-yourself" approach is the preferred method of action.
There is, fortunately, a third way: a hybrid approach where the small business person does the upfront scanning (a.k.a. "the easy part") and the document imaging services provider takes care of the rest.
"The rest" might include:
-- Tagging the documents / creating a file naming convention
-- Making the documents shareable (for instance, implementing Microsoft SharePoint)
-- Mapping a backup server in case anything goes down
Understand that document imaging services are in the "value-added" business. So if a small business owner is willing to personally scan filing cabinets full of documents into digital format, that's fine. There is still more value to be added from that point.
In fact, truly impactful document imaging solutions begin with getting all the docs into digital format. They don't end there.
Also consider using a vendor comparison website to receive quotes from multiple document imaging providers, and then choose the one that fits your budget and project needs.
There is, fortunately, a third way: a hybrid approach where the small business person does the upfront scanning (a.k.a. "the easy part") and the document imaging services provider takes care of the rest.
"The rest" might include:
-- Tagging the documents / creating a file naming convention
-- Making the documents shareable (for instance, implementing Microsoft SharePoint)
-- Mapping a backup server in case anything goes down
Understand that document imaging services are in the "value-added" business. So if a small business owner is willing to personally scan filing cabinets full of documents into digital format, that's fine. There is still more value to be added from that point.
In fact, truly impactful document imaging solutions begin with getting all the docs into digital format. They don't end there.
Also consider using a vendor comparison website to receive quotes from multiple document imaging providers, and then choose the one that fits your budget and project needs.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Feeling Boxed In Without a Document Imaging Solution
A story that's a bit personal, but still about document imaging:
I work at a tax preparation firm that's been in business since 1965. My partner, the senior member of our team, doesn't like to throw stuff away.
In the tax business, that's a virtue; there's always a client who may need some obscure paper from 1988, and it makes us look good to have those "on file," as they say.
Recently, however, we moved offices, and it became apparent to us that our reliance on paper was perhaps becoming a problem. We now have upwards of 40 boxes piled high in the back of our new, smaller office, and the mess is not only an eyesore, it's impossible to find anything.
I'm going to call a document imaging services company and see how much it would cost to reduce all those boxes to four or five CDs. Other organizations have benefited. So can we.
I'll insist, though, on three prerequisites before choosing a vendor:
1. Documents must remain secure (remember, these papers contain social security numbers and other sensitive info).
2. How, once the documents are digitized, am I going to find them? How exactly, too, don't just give me a "general run down."
3. Provide me with two names and phone numbers from prior clients.
If I can find a document imaging service that gives me those three things, I'm going to sign up.
I'm sick of looking at all these boxes. They're ugly.
I work at a tax preparation firm that's been in business since 1965. My partner, the senior member of our team, doesn't like to throw stuff away.
In the tax business, that's a virtue; there's always a client who may need some obscure paper from 1988, and it makes us look good to have those "on file," as they say.
Recently, however, we moved offices, and it became apparent to us that our reliance on paper was perhaps becoming a problem. We now have upwards of 40 boxes piled high in the back of our new, smaller office, and the mess is not only an eyesore, it's impossible to find anything.
I'm going to call a document imaging services company and see how much it would cost to reduce all those boxes to four or five CDs. Other organizations have benefited. So can we.
I'll insist, though, on three prerequisites before choosing a vendor:
1. Documents must remain secure (remember, these papers contain social security numbers and other sensitive info).
2. How, once the documents are digitized, am I going to find them? How exactly, too, don't just give me a "general run down."
3. Provide me with two names and phone numbers from prior clients.
If I can find a document imaging service that gives me those three things, I'm going to sign up.
I'm sick of looking at all these boxes. They're ugly.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Document Imaging: It's Government Work
As we've blogged about before, repeatedly, President-Elect Barack Obama's stated commitment to make all healthcare records electronic presents a unique opportunity for the document imaging industry, in terms of immediate, steady work but also as a means of proving that "going paperless" is possible and good even with sensitive documents.
But Obama is not alone in his thinking. In fact, the goverment, famous for stacking piles of papers on top of piles of papers, has been using document imaging technology frequently over the past decade.
Here is a good summation of some of the major initiatives.
One of the more interesting efforts has occurred at that bastion of piled paperwork, the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS promotes electronic filing every which way, and more and more people are filing electronically, but some people still prefer to mail their tax return.
Therefore, the IRS has implemented a barcode on certain tax forms that enables the printed information to be scanned directly into digital format.
Who said the government can't innovate?
But Obama is not alone in his thinking. In fact, the goverment, famous for stacking piles of papers on top of piles of papers, has been using document imaging technology frequently over the past decade.
Here is a good summation of some of the major initiatives.
One of the more interesting efforts has occurred at that bastion of piled paperwork, the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS promotes electronic filing every which way, and more and more people are filing electronically, but some people still prefer to mail their tax return.
Therefore, the IRS has implemented a barcode on certain tax forms that enables the printed information to be scanned directly into digital format.
Who said the government can't innovate?
Friday, January 2, 2009
Document Imaging, by Order of the President
Now that the inauguration of Barack Obama is almost here, the substance of his policies are becoming more of an issue than his charm as a speaker.
Perhaps surprisingly, document imaging is an integral part of those policies. President Obama plans to deploy electronic health records nationwide. Document imaging is the starting point for that task, as paper documents are moved into digital form.
John Halamka at The Health Care Blog has an interesting and informed take on this matter. As a healthcare expert and someone who works in the field (check out his credentials, they're impressive), Halamka views Obama's initiatives in terms of the jobs it can create. In that sense, the electronic records effort is a part of the new President's overall economic recovery plan.
Halamka predicts that the electronic records push will create tens of thousands of high-tech jobs.
Other commentators argue that the majority of work sparked by Obama's plan will be on the very front end of the process, the pure document and scanning tasks, rather than the more complex sharing and interoperability area.
Either way, the document imaging industry is looking like an early beneficiary of the events of November 4, 2008.
Perhaps surprisingly, document imaging is an integral part of those policies. President Obama plans to deploy electronic health records nationwide. Document imaging is the starting point for that task, as paper documents are moved into digital form.
John Halamka at The Health Care Blog has an interesting and informed take on this matter. As a healthcare expert and someone who works in the field (check out his credentials, they're impressive), Halamka views Obama's initiatives in terms of the jobs it can create. In that sense, the electronic records effort is a part of the new President's overall economic recovery plan.
Halamka predicts that the electronic records push will create tens of thousands of high-tech jobs.
Other commentators argue that the majority of work sparked by Obama's plan will be on the very front end of the process, the pure document and scanning tasks, rather than the more complex sharing and interoperability area.
Either way, the document imaging industry is looking like an early beneficiary of the events of November 4, 2008.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Document Imaging Classes Are in Session
Happy New Year!
If your plans for 2009 include learning about document imaging, consider looking into some of the classes that are being offered in person and online. This one, over at UCLA, covers a lot of material in a short amount of time--three days. The course content is also available online.
Corporate training courses such as these are a great option because they are grounded in real world business experience. If you are in the process of implementing a document imaging and/or archiving system for your company, these classes offer information you'll use today, tomorrow, and the next day. In sum, they're a good way to answer those document imaging FAQs.
If you are interested in pursuing more technically in-depth document imaging education, there are various organizations that can train you to become CDIA-certified (Certified Document Imaging Architecture). This is appropriate for people who are going to work long-term in the field on the technical side.
If you're looking at document imaging from a business, rather than a technical standpoint, a three day seminar may do the job.
If your plans for 2009 include learning about document imaging, consider looking into some of the classes that are being offered in person and online. This one, over at UCLA, covers a lot of material in a short amount of time--three days. The course content is also available online.
Corporate training courses such as these are a great option because they are grounded in real world business experience. If you are in the process of implementing a document imaging and/or archiving system for your company, these classes offer information you'll use today, tomorrow, and the next day. In sum, they're a good way to answer those document imaging FAQs.
If you are interested in pursuing more technically in-depth document imaging education, there are various organizations that can train you to become CDIA-certified (Certified Document Imaging Architecture). This is appropriate for people who are going to work long-term in the field on the technical side.
If you're looking at document imaging from a business, rather than a technical standpoint, a three day seminar may do the job.
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