Four Document Scanning Mistakes Your Business Should Avoid

Hi!👋 Welcome to Advanced Access. This week, four critical document scanning mistakes your organization should avoid. Read on to gain insights into these common mistakes and steps you can take to mitigate or prevent them.

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Document scanning is essential to enhancing organizational productivity and efficiency in today’s digital landscape. With benefits such as improved accessibility, reduced physical storage needs, and heightened security, scanning helps streamline workflows and improve operational effectiveness. However, while scanning offers many advantages, bulk scanning is complex and a significant undertaking. When converting thousands of documents, ineffective management can lead to wasted resources and data security issues.

Here are four of the most common document scanning mistakes, how to mitigate these issues, and the necessary steps to prevent them.

1. Not Thinking Through Your Labeling System

There needs to be a method to the madness when scanning documents; otherwise, your files won’t be accessible. When no clear labeling system exists, extensive time and resources are spent digging for files instead of focusing on more productive tasks. A digital document management system is effective only if it allows stakeholders, decision-makers, and employees to access important information when needed.

The labeling system should be tailored to your company’s specific needs and the types of documents you’re scanning. Just as well-managed paper files are systematically stored using helpful categories for future retrieval—such as client name, year, employee ID number, etc.—electronic files must adopt a similar approach with structured, hierarchical metadata indexing. Metadata helps categorize and summarize essential data, while indexing captures relevant metadata during searches, reducing the need for extensive digging.

A disorganized labeling system can have severe consequences for your business, potentially affecting customer relations and leading to fines or litigation if documents aren’t accessible when needed.

2. Keeping Your Records On-Site

For documents you need to retain in physical form, it may seem convenient to store them on-site. However, it can lead to issues if your company doesn’t have the proper security measures to safeguard sensitive information or a business continuity plan should a natural disaster occur. Moving records off-site offers several benefits, including:

• Enhanced security: Records management vendors have strict security systems and measures to protect sensitive data against data breaches.
• Secure compliance: Off-site storage providers are equipped to meet regulatory requirements for document retention and confidentiality, ensuring that businesses comply with legal and industry standards.
• Disaster preparedness: Off-site storage vaults are climate-controlled to maintain the integrity of documents and have fire suppression systems to protect against natural disasters that could occur.
• Increased physical space: By storing records off-site, valuable real estate space is freed up for more productive purposes.
• Cost savings: Moving records off-site offers significant savings compared to maintaining extensive physical storage facilities on-site.

Beyond off-site storage, partnering with a records management company allows you to digitize anything from a single sheet to an entire box of files. Files can then be uploaded directly to the cloud or stored on your computer for immediate access—so you never have to worry about losing an important file again.

3. Running Document Scanning Processes In-House

Bulk scanning is a time-consuming and resource-intensive task that is challenging to manage in-house. As most companies aren’t equipped with the most up-to-date equipment, partnering with a document scanning company is much more cost-effective as it doesn’t require purchasing and maintaining the new systems.

In addition, managing in-house scanning requires hiring and training employees who can operate the equipment and utilize the labeling system. Manual data entry increases the potential of human error without updated scanning software or professional services, which often leads to lost or mislabeled documents and potential security risks from unsecured files.

By moving scanning processes off-site, you can reallocate resources and free up valuable real estate for more strategic use. Plus, you can rest easy knowing your data is secure throughout the scanning process.

4. Not Properly Vetting Your Document Scanning Company

Not all document scanning providers are created equal, so do your research! Your chosen partner should guide you through the entire lifecycle of your document scanning needs and offer various services, including security, storage, retention and destruction schedules, and assistance with maintaining government compliance.

If you’re assessing the reliability of a provider, examining their certifications and affiliations can offer valuable insights into their commitment to industry standards. Some certifications to gauge credibility include:

• NAID®: NAID® is the global trade association for information destruction services. Companies should partner with a NAID AAA Certified provider for the secure destruction of hard copy records, electronic media, and hard drives.
• PRISM Privacy+: PRISM is an international organization for companies in Commercial Information Management Services. The Privacy+ certification signifies adherence to information privacy standards.
• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP): This certification shows a strong commitment to privacy by participating in training, conferences, and networking with other professionals dedicated to ethical practices.

Other notable certifications include SOC 3, SOC 2 Type II, and PCI Compliance. Before signing an agreement, look for these accreditations and affiliations and ask plenty of questions about scanning services, practices, and protocols.

Document Scanning: Setting Up for Success

Embracing document scanning can significantly boost your business’s productivity and provide a competitive edge. However, scanning a large volume of records can be daunting for any business, especially if your company doesn’t have the experience or resources. That’s why partnering with Access to kickstart your digital transformation journey lets you steer clear of document scanning mistakes, pave the way for more successful implementation, and set your business up for long-term success. Our comprehensive digital solutions include:

• Bulk imaging and scanning to create digital copies of your files
• The option to “scan as needed” for a fixed monthly fee
• Records management software for complete control over digitized documents
• Document indexing and classification
• Secure storage for paper records you need to retain

To learn more about Access’ digital transformation services, including Access Unify™, and how you can leverage a strategic approach to scanning, watch the webinar recording of Strategic Digitization: Enhancing Compliance, Accessibility, and Efficiency.

In this webinar, Matthew Bennett , Senior Executive in Business Development and Strategic Information Solutions at Access, explores the complexities of modern digitization and highlights the importance of making informed, strategic decisions.