So you’ve decided to start scanning your paper documents. You bought your scanners, devised a plan and now here you are faced with piles of documents just waiting to be scanned. The first thought you (or your staff member) might have is, “How am I going to get all of this done?”
The key to a quick and easy scanning process might surprise you. The better prepared your documents are before you start scanning, the more effective and efficient the scanning process will be.
Here are some tips on how to properly handle and prepare your documents before even turning on the scanner.
1. Go through each document and remove any staples, paper clips, tape or any other material that is securing the sheets together. Making sure that these pages are separate is important to ensure that all your papers are successfully scanned and there are no paper jams during the process.
2. If there is a smaller piece of paper that needs to be scanned, it needs to be taped to a full sheet of paper. Items such as plane tickets, receipts business cards, and other similar items should be taped straight and evenly in the middle of a sheet of paper. Make sure that these items are only taped to one side of the sheet of paper; it is easy to forget to scan both sides and the paper can be heavy with items contained on both sides.
3. Make sure that all the documents you plan to scan are straightened out and laying flat. The reason for this is obvious; any information that is under a fold is at risk of not being scanned. Be sure to double check that all information is visible, and that any bent corners are straightened out as much as possible.
4. Put the documents in the order you want them scanned. This will guarantee that the job is getting done the way you want it, especially if someone else is doing the scanning for you. It also ensures less re-organization once the documents are digital.
Having a plan to prepare your documents before you scan will help save you and your organization valuable time. To learn about more ways to save time, follow Biel’s on Twitter!