The obvious answer for many companies is to scan paper documents to produce a digital version. Find out more now!
Imagine being compelled to rummage through filing cabinets in quest of an old folder containing a critical document that you need to settle a customer query.
Finding such information within a filed paper document can be time-consuming, frustrating, and slow. Scanning old papers and storing them in an electronic database, on the other hand, can make document management easier and more efficient for your company.
The obvious answer for many businesses is to scan paper records in order to produce a digital version. Modern scanning is a very advanced technology and provides much more than just a scan of physical data. In fact, intelligent software, like OCR, can copy text or handwritten data and make it searchable and editable.
Additionally, document scanning can be used for invoicing, image processing, collaboration, and tagging – and it’s very reliable. At Crown Records Management, for instance, we have a 99.8 percent success rate.
Here are the top five reasons why you should look to scan physical records:
1. QUICKER TO FIND FILES AND MANAGE DATA – AND TO BE GDPR/CCPA COMPLIANT
GDPR and CCPA give EU and U.S. citizens respectively the right to ask for their personal data to be edited, deleted and ported. How are you going to achieve that if the data is on paper in boxes and unsearchable? Scanning makes it quicker to find files and easier to manage data.
2. IT SAVES SPACE – AND MONEY
Using prime office real estate to store business records is costly. Scanning your documents frees up office space so it can be used to generate more revenue for companies. Thousands of files can be stored on a single server rather than taking up space in bulky file cabinet.
3. IT IMPROVES DATA SECURITY AND AIDS AUDIT COMPLIANCE
Protecting hard copy information is difficult at best. Scanned documents can be encrypted, password protected, and securely stored in the cloud. You can assign access levels to specific users and track all file activity.
Compliance is a reality for most businesses. Document scanning makes it easier for your company to fulfil its legal and regulatory obligations. Digital files can be organised, indexed and produced quickly to meet the demands of even the strictest auditor.
4. IT ENCOURAGES BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE
If you have customers in more than one region, it’s hard to provide consistent customer service. Instead of having to print and mail bills, invoices statements and other items, document scanning lets you get important information to your clients much faster.
5. IT REDUCES PAPER CLUTTER – AND HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT
Clutter kills productivity, but paper clutter doesn’t have to be the norm in the office when physical data is scanned. It can benefit the environment, too. According to the Paperless Project, the average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper every year. That’s a lot of trees!
Furthermore, paper documents are especially vulnerable to fires, floods, and natural disasters. Document scanning offers enhanced disaster recovery for your business.
For more information on how we can assist you, check out our services here.
