Most companies work with a mix of paper and digital media, and scanners are the only way to bridge the gap. Choosing a scanner that works for your business requires careful research, but it’s well worth the time spent. Before you purchase your next model, here’s everything you should know about office scanners.
How To Know When It’s Time To Upgrade
Like all technology, scanners age at a quick rate. If you notice any of the following signs, it’s time to upgrade.
Your Scanner Is Old
Older models lack the efficiency-improving features that today’s offer. Additionally, models other than six years tend to be slow and finicky. If you’re frustrated by what your scanner can’t do, it’s time to get a new one.
The Volume of Documents Increases
Scanners can only process documents so fast, so if you don’t have a high volume model, you’ll have to spend more time digitizing pages. High-volume scanners can quickly process huge loads of paper, making them ideal for law firms and other organizations that need to upload text to the cloud.
Your Current Digitization Process Is Slow
Newer models offer optical character recognition, software that turns graphic images into text copies. OCR automates a large portion of the digitization process, allowing you to upload more documents faster.
How a New Model Can Influence Your Office
Businesses of any size can reap the benefits of efficient scanners. In addition to freeing up employees for more involved tasks, new models provide the following benefits.
More Efficient Storage
Paper takes up a lot of space, and finding what you want in a filing cabinet is tedious. Digitizing lets you store documents on a cloud server, freeing up your office for other uses. Additionally, employees can access cloud servers from anywhere, allowing them to work remotely or on location with a client.
Quick Communication
What happens when a client or business partner needs a document? With paper, you have to deliver the files physically. In contrast, you can attach a digitized copy to an email, ensuring instantaneous delivery.
How To Find the Top Scanners
There are hundreds of options, so how can you choose the one that suits your needs? The answer is to figure out what type you need, then look at specific models. To get started, here are five of the best categories for office use:
- Overhead: Overhead models can digitize without touching the material, allowing you to scan delicate pages.
- Departmental: You can process thousands of pages a day with a heavy-duty departmental scanner.
- Mobile: If you need to scan documents on the go, choose a lightweight mobile model.
- Production: Businesses that digitize as part of daily operations should consider a production scanner, as it can handle over 100,000 pages a day.
- Desktop: Desktop models are an excellent option for small businesses, as they take up little space and offer automatic cloud connection.
With the right scanner, you can finish office tasks at high speed. That means more time to devote to problem-solving and innovative endeavors. Thus equipped, your business has new room to grow.