Saving history one scan at a time

The traditional image of an organization’s archive is a dusty basement room, lit with a single dim light-bulb and lined floor to ceiling with shelves groaning with paper – cardboard boxes full of folders, snowdrifts of yellowing typewritten pages falling to the floor, photocopies fading in the light, unreadable file labels. Storing documents in an archive like this can only be described as clutter – an inefficient use of space and an almost hopeless challenge when someone needs to locate a specific document or file.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

What do enterprises need to do, to effectively handle the ever-growing mass of documentation they generate? Two things – put in place a document archiving system and use modern scanning technology to digitally archive vital documents and information fast, efficiently and productively. documents to be retained for a given period of years. Failure to do so can result in serious fines or even, believe it or not, prison sentences.

It is clear, then, that a document archiving system that holds, protects, integrates and indexes all of a company’s documents in acentral, secure location is an essential component of modern business practice.

How can businesses digitise their paper records and add them to their digital document management system efficiently? What are the solutions available that can best meet the scanning and digitisation needs of the business?

To carry out document scanning, many businesses choose a Multi-Function Printer (MFP). After all, a single machine that can print, copy, scan and fax must be a bargain, right? The answer is - not necessarily.