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Three decades ago, BusinessWeek coined the term "paperless office," and looked ahead to a time when office workers could create, store, retrieve, and share documents electronically. That day has come; in search of efficient data management, more and more businesses are relying on document imaging services to go electronic.

Benefits of Document Imaging and Scanning Services

Electronic records feature more reliable data storage and management. In an information-driven economy, quick and secure access to records is a significant competitive advantage for businesses and consumers alike. Some of the most notable benefits include:

• Data Retrieval. Digital documents permit high-level data management; users retrieve specific information using automated search commands, as well as collect and consolidate data from multiple documents. Electronic documents save time spent filing, searching, retrieving, and transporting paper files.
• Data Reporting. Reporting software can extract and present key metrics, allowing business users to leverage data assets. As one scanning service provider observes, "When information is freed from the physical limitations of paper and converted into an electronic format, it becomes a more valuable strategic resource."
• Storage. Scanned documents eliminate the cost and storage space of on-site filing cabinets. Stored on a company server, an electronic file repository takes up minimal virtual space and no physical space.
• Security. File encryption and access privileges make electronic documents less susceptible to security breaches.
• File Sharing. Scanned files ensure that everyone involved in a project is on the same page--literally.
• Distribution. Electronic documents can be duplicated and distributed with the click of a mouse.
• Prevent Data Loss. Paper documents are vulnerable to damage, loss, and misfiling. Business consultants Cooper & Lybrand estimate that 7.5 percent of paper documents get lost, and an additional 3 percent are misfiled. Document imaging saves the data in digital format on a company's server, with redundant backups on hard drives, online data storage sites, and physical media such as DVDs.
• Save Resources. Besides a reduced dependence on paper resources, electronic files reduce the need for printing, photocopying, fax, and even mail delivery.

Choosing a Document Scanning Service

Document scanning services manage the process of imaging a company's paper files. Some offer on-site scanning services, while others ask clients to ship paper files off-site. The main factors to consider when selecting a document imaging service include:

• Cost
• Quality
• Speed
• Services

When choosing a document imaging service, cost is often not the most important factor. A high quality, accurate, and well-indexed electronic file database may cost more up front, but has the potential to save a business thousands of dollars in productivity gains.

Scanning Services

A document imaging company's services distinguish it from competitors. Scanning service providers may specialize in:

• scanning highly sensitive material
• scanning medical records
• indexing scanned files
• comprehensive or selective scanning

Finding the right vendor depends on a business' document usage. Service providers offer comprehensive scanning of archived files, selective scanning of high-use files, or "forward scanning" of documents created after a certain date.

Document management has come a long way since George Pake, Xerox's 1975 research director, predicted that users would access documents by "pressing a button" on a keyboard hooked up to a TV display terminal sitting on a desk. Empowered by powerful scanning technology, today's document imaging services can scan and index millions of files, bringing businesses one step closer to a paperless future.

About the Author: Dr. Clare Kaufman is a freelance writer who covers business and education topics.