Document scanning and archiving

Scanning paper records into a digital archive frees the space they occupy, protects them from loss, and makes them searchable. A good archive is more than a folder of PDFs, though: it's documents stored in a format that will still open decades from now, indexed so they can be found, and kept for exactly as long as they need to be.

Building an archive that lasts

• Use an archival format. PDF/A is the ISO standard for long-term storage of documents. Make files searchable with OCR so their text can be found; see PDF archive scanning.
• Index consistently. Decide the index fields, such as name, account, date and document type, before scanning starts, and apply them the same way to every document; see document scanning and indexing.
• Set retention rules. Know how long each type of record must be kept, and what can be destroyed after scanning; see records management consulting.
• Store it safely. Keep the archive in a document management system or managed storage, with access control and backups; see affordable document management.

Scanning the backfile

Existing paper can be scanned in house, with a high-volume scanner and SimpleIndex to index and file each document, or outsourced to a scanning service.

We can assess your project and refer it. Tell us how many pages you have, what they look like and how they need to be indexed, and we'll tell you whether to outsource or scan in house. If outsourcing is the better choice, we'll refer the job to a trusted scanning partner suited to its size, security needs and location. Ask for an assessment or call 865-637-8986.

See also outsourcing document scanning.