Information or records are a prime resource in any organization and these documents need to be preserved safely. They contain data that is necessary for the smooth functioning and efficiency of the organization. To avoid paper clutter in the office and to ensure a more competent and streamlined functioning, businesses could consider converting existing as well as earlier paper records into electronic formats. Document scanning and conversion is the way to go and this can be easily achieved with the support of a good data entry company.
In an office environment various departments function, which are paper-intensive like
- Accounting
- Records Management
- Human Resources
- Legal
- Customer service
- Sales or Marketing
- Communications
- Operations
To know more about the fundamental needs of digitization in the organization a study was conducted across the globe among small, medium and global businesses by PFU Limited, a Fujitsu Company. Individuals from 180 organizations participated in the study and the findings are as follows.
75% of participants said that their organizations have considered purchasing a scanning solution. The rest of them had not implemented any scanning solutions and this was due to the following reasons:
- Some organizations felt that there are other priorities
- Other organizations felt that the scanning solutions were very expensive or this process was too complex.
Filing of Documents
Typically, businesses may store their documents for six months to three years or more according to their importance.
The system of archiving paper documents vary from organization to organization. The documents can be stored in the following locations.
- Personal work space or desk
- Storage in central location of an organization
- Departmental filing cabinets
- Off- site storage
The stored documents of an organization can be categorized into various sections that need to be scanned with utmost accuracy.
- Structured information
- Handwritten information
- Color images and graphics
- Two- sided documents
- Signatures
- Bound documents
Types of Documents
Organizations use various documents to communicate, transact and analyze its productivity. These documents act as a proof for organizational dealings. They may vary from brief emails to legal agreements. Some of the documents are prepared by employees and some by other professionals outside the company. The different types of documents include:
- Invoices
- Forms
- Receipts
- Brochures
- Customer correspondence
- Handwritten notes
- Fax copies
- Business cards
- Hard cards
- Hand drawings
- Work orders
- Financial records
- Medical / Patient records
- Technical documentation
- Resumes
Why Digitize?
Less Storage Space
By digitizing the documents in an organization, they can reduce their storage space and also save time and money. In the study mentioned earlier, 77% of the participants said that their office space could be utilized more efficiently if they changed their documents into electronic format.
Quick Retrieval
All the documents in an organization are important, so it is necessary to ensure that no document is lost. From the study it was seen that employees find difficulty in searching the files in a departmental or centralized location, which was time consuming and also resulted in loss of productive time. Digitization could ensure quick access and retrieval of the required documents.
Companies that scan their documents can improve their productivity and also avoid unnecessary cost. With the help of a reliable document scanning company businesses can achieve their organizational goals and also enhance their efficiency.
