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Document
Imaging is the process of converting business
paper documents to digital images that are fully
indexed, stored, and retrievable from your company's
computer network or via the Internet.
At PaperSolve, we can transform your over-crowded
file cabinets and off-site storage facilities
to fully indexed, easily retrievable images that
can be viewed on your computer screen from a desktop
computer or your intranet or Internet connection.
With a document imaging system your business will
no longer waste precious time searching for lost
or misplaced files.
Your newly digitized files will have print, fax,
e-mail capabilities, and can be accessed within
seconds from any PC.
Every organization generates large amounts of
paper and electronic documents. We have all developed
our own ways to store important files, yet things
continue to be misplaced. Everyone knows the frustration
of not being able to find a file when we need
it most. Traditional methods of storing paper
and electronic records require a great deal of
effort to manage, distribute and find those documents.
As the number of files grows, the time and effort
required to manage them also increases.
Document imaging revolutionizes the archival
of information and provides the means to rapidly
retrieve and share all the documents in your system.
Document imaging builds on the strong points
of paper documents: Files are scanned or electronically
converted into a high-resolution photocopy of
the paper and stored on a hard drive or optical
disk. Electronic “index fields” can attach information
to a document such as author, reference number
or date created. Files can still be viewed, printed,
shared and stored, but imaging adds an enormous
advantage by giving documents active content.
Document imaging
systems, characterized by simple document storage
and retrieval applications, are finding a welcome
home in many organizations. In general, document
and records management systems make improvements
in operational efficiencies while requiring little,
if any, organizational change. These image-based
systems replace paper-based document and records
management systems, resulting in faster retrieval,
easier distribution of documents, simultaneous
review and annotation of a document from multiple
locations, and reduced filing and retrieval errors.
In almost all cases, the requirements for clerical
staff are also greatly reduced. The benefits of
these types of imaging systems are predictable
and implementation challenges are minimal.
In many instances,
document imaging systems are used to alleviate
a specific problem or set of problems, such as
the rising cost of managing office documents or
the inability of an organization to be sufficiently
responsive. Answering "yes" to any of
the following questions suggests that an organization
may well be able to take advantage of these low-cost
document and image management systems.
- Does the organization retain and actively refer to large
numbers of documents?
- Is the value of a missing document very high?
- Is the records management aspect of the process or application
manually intensive and cumbersome?
- Do documents undergo multiple revisions, causing revision
control problems?
- Are the documents reviewed by multiple users or in multiple
locations?
- Are high costs involved in the storing or archiving of
documents?
- Is document security a major concern?
- Is
permanent, unerasable storage of documents required
for business, legal, or regulatory purposes?
In general, document
imaging systems address tactical issues where
the impact of the system is limited in scope and
relatively little organizational change is required.
Usually, this amounts to imaging systems that
reduce, replace, or simply avoid specific operating
costs.
These costs
typically include:
- File cabinets
- Expendable filing materials (paper, folders, dividers,
tabs)
- Office space allocated to paper storage
- Microfilm-related materials and equipment
- Clerical expenses associated with filing and retrieving
Often, the manual
process being replaced includes expenses that
will be eliminated. That savings alone can substantially
defray the costs of an electronic imaging system.
Other benefits are the assurance that documents
will not be misplaced and the cost savings associated
with not having to replace or do without such
documents.
Improvements
in document and records management efficiency
can free resources and dramatically reduce the
time to execute office procedures. These improvements
include:
- Faster document retrieval
- Faster and more flexible identification of pertinent
documents
- Simultaneous review of documents by several people, possibly
in several different locations
- Fewer filing and retrieval errors
Imaging systems
supporting the storage and retrieval of documents
not only dramatically decrease the procedure execution
time and improve responsiveness; they also lower
the cost of managing documents.
In high-volume,
"back-room" imaging applications --
such as processing incoming purchase orders, invoices,
credit-card charges and remittances, insurance
claims, bank transmittals, subscription renewals,
weigh bills, credit applications, or securities
transactions -- these time savings can result
in an enormous cash value. In addition, shortening
the processing time can improve cash flow from
reduced float or increased accounts receivable
collections. Improved operations can also be leveraged
to increase the business volume or to improve
customer service response time.
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