Document Scanning - One Off Project

Many Organisations are now contemplating the use of electronic documents where application forms, correspondence and other important documents are held as computer image records, rather than paper. The benefits arising from doing this are considerable, and include speedier access to information, improved customer service, reduced filing costs, enhanced security and space savings. There is a well developed Electronic Document Management (‘EDM’) industry serving this need, and software costs have come down as a result of increasing demand. 

Although the EDM system will remove the dependence on paper once it is up and running, there will still remain hundreds, sometimes thousands of historic paper files, many of which will need to be referred to in parallel with the electronic documents. Also, it is not unusual for there to be statutory retention requirements for these documents, so unless something is done about them, they will still occupy valuable office space, and need to be managed by record keeping staff. The space saving argument that was probably used during the cost justification of EDM is therefore threatened.

The ideal solution is to scan all historic data, as it clears the space and provides almost instant access to historic information. It is also the most costly, but the occupancy, record keeper and efficiency savings will be considerable and quickly realised. A full back-scan of all old paper files also presents the opportunity to correct some of the filing errors that may have occurred over time, by incorporating a file audit with the back scanning process. This will identify where there are missing files, duplicate files and ‘orphans’ with no corresponding record in your IT systems.

Paper records are rarely as well kept and managed as electronic records, although they are equally valuable. For instance we have recently come across a situation in HR records, where it has been impossible to tell whether all the mandatory documentation, such as identity checks, CRB checks, evidence of qualifications and other mandated documents are present. Given recent terrorist threats, this had become identified as a serious shortfall. Another recent Customer’s HR records problem was that Disciplinary records had to be expunged after a period agreed with the Trade Unions, yet this could not be done with their paper filing system.

A back-scanning strategy can be a means to finally put one’s house in order before moving forward.

Document scanning is generally regarded as a simple mechanical activity; however, many back scanning projects fail and many opportunities to correct mis-filing are lost because insufficient thought has gone into the conversion and indexing process. We have produced a white paper on this, presenting some innovative approaches to back scanning, lower cost alternatives and representative costs. Please e-mail info@cavetab.co.uk for one to be sent to you.

For more information, contact us