The time has come to say goodbye to your traditional paper processes and hello to faster, more efficient digital document workflows.

The goal is simple: convert paper documents into a digital format. But the process, not so much. With so many moving parts involved, document digitisation can be a daunting task. Nonetheless, it’s usually associated with positive changes as your business moves onto something better.

Fortunately, while a document digitisation project isn’t necessarily a walk in the park, there are some ways to reduce the amount of work, and ultimately make the process go just a bit smoother than it might otherwise. Try our top document scanning and document management tips for yourself and discover productive ways to improve the migration.

Gather your team

A document digitisation project can’t take off unless you have identified the people who are going to be moving this effort along. Who will be doing all the scanning and who will oversee the process? The best people for the job are employees who are already familiar with the technology involved and those with lighter workloads, including interns.

Determine what documents need to be electronically migrated

A digitisation journey demands a thorough assessment of the documents that need to be scanned. There will be a significant amount of paper records irrelevant to the business that was created over the years. Moving these documents during the migration will be a waste of time and storage. Once you have identified the paper assets that will go into your digital archive, consider a phased migration, scanning the most important documents first. 

Choose the right multifunction printer

The scanning technology you use can often make or break the project, so it’s important to get it right. The more effort you put into finding a reliable high-performing multifunction printer device with excellent features ahead of time, the less hassle you’ll have when the project starts. Make sure you do it with a printer that is capable of high volume document scanning and can easily capture, convert and distribute scanned information in your document management system or cloud based services. 

Identify the best document management solution

The choice of your document management solution is also a major part of your planning. So do your homework and do the research on the tool you’re going to use. An ideal tool will be one that provides functionalities such as advanced PDF creation and handling tools, seamless cloud access, and data security.  

Be ready for new security challenges

When you migrate to the cloud, you will have new security challenges. Check that the cloud system you use utilises antivirus programs, encryption controls, and other features that help keep your documents safe as they move back and forth online. An access policy for confidential documents is also needed as an additional security measure. By controlling access to each document, you increase the security of the information and decrease liability in case of theft or a breach.

Decide what to do with paperwork 

Once the digitisation has been completed, the next step is to decide what to do with the physical records. Certain documents might need to be stored offsite and retained. For others, you may need to hire a document destruction service or use a shredder to ensure that any critical or personal information is properly disposed of.

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Final word on document digitisation

Document digitisation isn’t something you can figure out as you go. These projects are famous for straining time and resources if not done correctly. Luckily, there’s a way to avoid any headaches. With these tips, you’ll have a plan and do everything you can to make it easy on your team.