Document Imaging: Go Basic or Go Big

Not sure if you've noticed, but document imaging, as a topic, is being talked about more and more, both in business publications and niche sites covering specific industries. The increasing hype is due in part, no doubt, to the Obama Administration's focus on electronic medical records.

The hype is further due, no doubt, to the fact that a document imaging solution can make a real impact on the ability of an organization to cope with--indeed, thrive on--the harsh reality called "Information Overload."

Before attempting to implement a document scanning or imaging solution, however, it's necessary to consider how much time and money you're willing to put into the effort.

There are, for document imaging first-timers, two options: go basic or go big.

The basic document imaging solution focuses on scanning loads of documents and bringing them online in an organized fashion, i.e. putting things in appropriate digital folders.

Going big entails a total rethinking of the way documents are managed. Far from "just scanning," big projects involve new technology and processes, such as SharePoint installation, records management, distributed capture, and security procedures. A larger project like this may need outside document imaging consultants to effectively implement.

Hooking up with a good document imaging service in the basic stage may help your company see the big possibilities down the road.