Document Imaging

Document Imaging


Definition of Document Imaging


Document imaging is the processing of converting paper documents into digital images. This involves scanning physical documents using specialized scanners and converting them into digital formats such as PDF, JPEG, or TIFF. Once the documents have been scanned and converted, they can be stored, accessed, and shared electronically. Document imaging makes managing, storing, and retrieving documents easier, as digital images can be indexed, searched, and sorted more easily than paper documents.


Benefits of Document Imaging


Digitizing paper documents allows easy access to information anytime. This eliminates the need for physical storage and allows documents to be accessed and shared more easily. Document imaging can save a lot of physical space in an office or storage area, eliminating the need for filing cabinets, boxes, and other storage solutions. In a disaster, like a fire or a flood, digital documents are much easier to recover than physical documents. Document imaging provides a backup of important information that can be stored securely and accessed remotely. 


Digital documents can be accessed and shared more quickly and efficiently than physical documents, saving time and money for organizations. They can be encrypted and password-protected to ensure they are secure, which is especially important for sensitive information, such as financial or medical records. 


Document imaging can help organizations comply with various regulations and standards related to document retention and storage. Industries with high volumes of paper, like healthcare, legal, finance, and government, can help to streamline document management processes and improve overall efficiency.

Most Common Documents Being Scanned

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Invoices

Streamline accounts payable process, reduce paper usage, and improve processing.


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Contracts

Easy access and searchability and helps ensure all parties can access the latest version.

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Employee Records

Allows for more easy and secure storage, searchability, and access of employee related records.

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Legal Documents

Can help to improve access, searchability, and collaboration among legal teams.


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Healthcare Records

Allows for secure and efficient storage and access to patient information.


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Customer Records

Helps to improve customer service and enables more efficient and accurate record-keeping.


Industries With High Volumes Of Paper


  • Healthcare: Medical records, insurance claims, and other healthcare-related documents are often still in paper format.
  • Legal: Court filings, contracts, and other legal documents are often still printed on paper.
  • Finance: Banking, accounting, and other financial industries generate many paper documents such as invoices, statements, and receipts.
  • Government: Government agencies often have extensive archives of paper documents, including land deeds, permits, and other official records.
  • Education: Schools and universities often rely on paper documents for student records, transcripts, and other administrative tasks.
  • Real Estate: Real estate transactions often require many paper documents, including contracts, deeds, and other legal paperwork.
  • Insurance: Insurance companies generate many paper documents, including policy agreements, claims forms, and other paperwork.


Any industry that deals with legal or official documents, or generates a large amount of paperwork as part of its business processes, is likely to have a high volume of paper documents.


Challenges Of Document Scanning

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Document Preparation

Before scanning, documents may need to be sorted, organized, and prepared.

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Image Quality

Scanning low-quality documents or using a scanner not set up correctly can result in poor image quality.

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Large Volume

Scanning large volumes of documents can be time-consuming and challenging to manage.



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Data Accuracy

Scanning can introduce errors, particularly when documents are damaged or are of low quality. OCR software can help mitigate this issue.


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Security & Privacy

Scanned documents may contain sensitive or confidential information, so proper security measures must be in place against unauthorized access.

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Cost

The cost of scanning equipment, software, and personnel can be a significant investment. Outsourcing to a scanning service bureau may come at a cost.

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