How should you convert your documents?

April 29, 2013

Many businesses in paper-heavy industries have begun making the transition to a paperless or at least partly digital office. For some, employing help from a document scanning service can help cut back on time and money that otherwise would be needed to do the project in house. Bulk scanning services have scanners that can perform the task quickly and with high quality images, so individual businesses don't need to purchase this equipment or hire document professionals. However, there are multiple types of strategies for a business looking to convert their files. 

Bud Porter-Roth wrote an article for AIIM about the different types of methods. 

For businesses with a high volume of paper that all needs to be converted, a full backfile process means that a document scanning service will scan all documents in one project. This process is best for businesses with many vital documents that are crucial for operation. This also includes future documents that a company will receive.

In contrast, partial backfile means that a bulk scanning service would still convert a high volume of papers in one project, but may not do so with every paper a company has. Instead, a company may choose the documents most needed or necessary to have electronically – such as between certain dates or particular projects. 

A "day forward" strategy means that only as documents come in are they scanned. This is typically done in house, and for businesses that consistently receive paper documents.

Lastly, an on-demand method means that documents are scanned only as they are needed in an electronic version. Similar to "day forward," this process is typically done in house, and for businesses that don't rely on digital documents as often as those trying to go completely paperless. 

For the most part, many businesses employ a combination of strategies. For example, businesses that are looking for electronic documents but will continue to receive paper ones, a bulk scanning service can handle the backfile, while new documents are scanned in a day-forward approach. 

Tab Service Company is a Chicago based company with over 53 years of experience as a data processing service provider.  We provide business with outsourcing solutions for document scanning services, data entry services and mailing/lettershop services.  As a SOC2-approved service organization, we apply industry-best practices to our approach with clients.