So, you’ve decided to go digital.  For many organisations this starts with the desire to “go paperless”, scanning existing documents and digitising manual paper-based business processes. For many the first thought is to go out and buy a scanner, depending on the project your best solution may just be to rent one.

Before we delve further into the buying or renting a scanner it is important to look at the main business driver behind your digitisation initiative and what is actually involved in digitising your documents.

The first questions you need to ask is, “Do I really need to scan my existing documents at all? What value will it bring to my business?” For many the expense and effort may not be justified if you hardly ever access your paper records during the course of your daily activities. 

However, if your existing paper records and the information they contain are of value then what better way to access them if you can instantly search the digital file and find what you need, when you need it.  For some organisations the main benefit of digitising documents could be as simple as saving on storage costs or managing risk by having a digital backup.

Moving forward, the benefits of day-to-day scanning can help organisations get rid of the paper sooner or simply converting paper-based processes to digital can get rid of the paper all together.  Whatever your main business driver, going digital for many organisations brings improvements in overall operational efficiency and accuracy.

Let’s look at back scanning your historical documents

As mentioned, back scanning projects need careful analysis to determine if they are genuine value for money, considering retention and access requirements, re-use and ongoing business value of the records concerned.

There are several considerations besides cost when deciding to digitise in-house or outsource to a service provider:

1. Can we afford to not have access to our documents if we outsource?
2. What security and privacy issues do we need to consider if we outsource?
3. What will be the quality of the document registration if we outsource to an organisation not intimate with our data?
4. How do we check/rectify the quality of the digitisation, metadata, naming conventions?
5. How do we get the digital documents into our repository when we get them back?

Additionally, if you do decide on the in-house approach, then how do you acquire the necessary scanning hardware and software to digitise your documents, as well as developing the expertise to make your project run smoothly?

Why buy a scanner?

For many business owners looking at going digital the hefty price tag on a document scanner can be hard to justify. The alternative of purchasing a cheaper scanner is always risky as the equipment in many cases is just not cut out to handle the job. Additionally, the scanner, no matter how good it is does not guarantee your project success. 

Traditional equipment rental/lease agreements can also be an issue in that you end up paying more than the purchase price over the term of the rental. Even if the monthly costs are tax deductable, if the equipment is not suitable or you no longer need it, you are stuck with it for the full term.

Questions to ask to make your scanning project successful

At EzeScan we strive to make the hard job of document capture easy!  Experience has shown us that the secret to a successful scanning project is in the planning.

1. You need clear objectives
   
   • What needs to be scanned?
   • Where are the electronic documents to be stored?
   • What are your metadata requirements/naming conventions, so you can find them again?
   • What time frame are you considering?
2. You need good resources.  Staff that have a vested interest in doing the job well.  In some instances, multiple resources to segment the workflow and responsibilities.
3. Suitable environment, with preparation spaces and workstation facilities.
4. The most suitable scanning device. Capacity, speed, reliability.
5. Intelligent capture software. To satisfy your digitisation standards and limit the amount of data entry.
6. Support. To install, configure to your requirements and train your staff.
7. Fast service. Get back to work as fast as possible when you have a problem.
8. Flexibility. If you need to change anything, the process needs to be easy.
9. Flexible procurement options. Buy, rent, lease or EzeScan Hot Swap!

Why rent?

For many organisations renting equipment is easier to manage financially. There is no large upfront capital outlay, and can sometimes be easier to get executive approval. Your bite size payments are an operational expense (OPEX) vs a large capital expense (CAPEX).

Why own the equipment if you only need to use it? If you buy it, at the end of 3 or 5 years its retained value is likely to be between 10%-15% of the purchase price. If no one wants to buy it off you its real value is $0.00. When you rent it, you don’t have to worry about it’s worth after you finish with it. You simply return it.

What is EzeScan Hot Swap?

EzeScan’s 'Hot Swap' scanner rental is a cost-effective alternative to purchasing and substantially lower in cost to traditional rental finance. Whether you need to scan invoices, purchase orders, medical records, employee files, contracts, or anything else, we can provide you with the best fit equipment to digitise these paper records - and then simply return the equipment when you are done.

“Being able to hire scanners from EzeScan for the duration of the back-scanning project and benefit from their support in configuring the software has been a great advantage” - Coal Services Records Manager Stephen Parkes

EzeScan offers a wide range of quality high speed document scanners with scanning software available to buy, rent, lease or “Hot Swap” anywhere in Australia.

When you don’t know where to start?  EzeScan Hot Swap scanner/software rental makes starting your project easy. With 1-2 days of setup services we can get your project up and running quickly.

Your organisation does not have to worry about warranty issues with support included and if on the rare occasion you have a problem, our ‘Hot Swap’ means a no hassle replacement, with fast delivery of a replacement unit.

For more information or to find out what scanners we have to rent visit our website: https://www.ezescan.com.au/products/scanner-rentals