Digitizing documents is the way business is done today. The volume of paper has become unmanageable, and properly scanned and saved files are much easier to retrieve when needed. Depending on the size of your business you may want to purchase a scanner or hire a scanning service to manage the process. Compared to handling paper copies, it is more efficient and safer to scan and store documents digitally.
A highly functional portable scanner can be purchased for close to two thousand dollars. Since the machine is portable, the employee performing the scanning can do other administrative tasks such as taking calls and entering data. This plan will only be adequate for a very small business. Most businesses will need to hire a service to scan their paper files.
Scanning will consume a lot of staff time on a continual basis. This is another reason to outsource the job. When reviewing the choices of the services for hire, it is critical to verify that the service is HIPAA, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and PCI, Payment Card Industry, certified. Without this certification you could be exposing your business to costly penalties and even lawsuits.
In some cases the personnel of a service will do the scanning at your place of business. Most of them prefer to have their clients ship the boxed files to the service site. Even though the first option offers more security, it may not be feasible if your business is not able to accommodate another work station. Ironically, once the process has been completed and the file cabinets are gone, there probably will be room for an additional station.
A naming protocol for the scanned files must be established. When the process is over, what you have are virtual file cabinets. Unless paper copies are properly named and saved they will not be easily retrievable. If you are hiring a service, it is critical that the naming protocols be established before any scanning occurs.
The company you hire for scanning will store the files in a cloud back up. It is important that redundancy back up systems also be put into place. The process of backing up must be automated. If it requires human intervention, it will not be reliable. The service you hire will have the hardware, software and technical expertise to manage the back up systems. The initial scanning is a big accomplishment, but the process of maintenance will continue.
Most often companies will have paper files shredded. This service must also be HIPAA and PCI certified to protect your business. It is costly and inefficient to store paper files. If possible, shredding is preferable. Your employees may need training to learn how to access scanned files.
A highly functional portable scanner can be purchased for close to two thousand dollars. Since the machine is portable, the employee performing the scanning can do other administrative tasks such as taking calls and entering data. This plan will only be adequate for a very small business. Most businesses will need to hire a service to scan their paper files.
Scanning will consume a lot of staff time on a continual basis. This is another reason to outsource the job. When reviewing the choices of the services for hire, it is critical to verify that the service is HIPAA, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and PCI, Payment Card Industry, certified. Without this certification you could be exposing your business to costly penalties and even lawsuits.
In some cases the personnel of a service will do the scanning at your place of business. Most of them prefer to have their clients ship the boxed files to the service site. Even though the first option offers more security, it may not be feasible if your business is not able to accommodate another work station. Ironically, once the process has been completed and the file cabinets are gone, there probably will be room for an additional station.
A naming protocol for the scanned files must be established. When the process is over, what you have are virtual file cabinets. Unless paper copies are properly named and saved they will not be easily retrievable. If you are hiring a service, it is critical that the naming protocols be established before any scanning occurs.
The company you hire for scanning will store the files in a cloud back up. It is important that redundancy back up systems also be put into place. The process of backing up must be automated. If it requires human intervention, it will not be reliable. The service you hire will have the hardware, software and technical expertise to manage the back up systems. The initial scanning is a big accomplishment, but the process of maintenance will continue.
Most often companies will have paper files shredded. This service must also be HIPAA and PCI certified to protect your business. It is costly and inefficient to store paper files. If possible, shredding is preferable. Your employees may need training to learn how to access scanned files.
About the Author:
Loris F. Anders is an office management specialist focused on optimizing workflow processes in document management. If you would like to learn more about Government Document Cloud Management he suggests you click here to learn more.
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