Multi-function Systems

Did you know, on average companies have to hire an additional employee for every 12 filing cabinets simply to maintain organization. This is just the beginning of what it costs to manage paper documents in an increasingly digital world. Whether you are looking for a way to improve personal or professional productivity, capture and distribute paper-based information amongst workgroups, departments, and small businesses, or even blend multiple business applications from networked printers/copiers or scanners, Document Scanning Solutions can securely transform paper documents into business value.

Paperwork is paper that works… Document scanning solutions turn everyday tasks into routine processes that take less time, involve fewer steps, and allow employees to accomplish more. Enabling document scanning services stop the inefficiency inherent in paper files and achieve greater productivity, better information management, and lower overhead expense-a benefit to any bottom line. continue reading...

If you’re in the market for a color laser printer for the first time, you are in for some surprises and a few shocks. Color laser printers have come a long way in function and reliability and are now offered by a large number of companies. Laser printers can be all-in-one machines and be as industrial-strong as any company would need them to be. They can also be more moderately priced for the smaller companies and even less expensive for home, business, or personal use.

When comparing color laser printers you need to consider many aspects in order to ensure the best purchase for your needs. Excellent refurbished printers are available at remarkable savings and many will include a warranty that will give peace of mind concerning the cost. Any color laser printer comparison needs to consider those as well. Some laser printers are capable of label making, shredding, gluing pages, collating, stapling and will easily serve the printing needs of one computer or an entire department. A color laser printer comparison needs to consider the ink the printer will use, because toner and cartridges can get very expensive. continue reading...

With so many brands and types to choose from, finding the perfect printer for your needs can be daunting.  It’s important to assess your printing needs before buying.

First, decide whether you need an inkjet or laser printer. An inkjet printer can provide decent print quality in documents and photographs, but are not usually professional grade.  Generally, laser printers are faster and more precise than inkjets.  A laser printer is a better choice if you regularly print photographs, documents that contain graphics, or if you print in high volume.

Another point to consider is whether you need a printer that is multifunctional. Many printers are now all-in ones or Multifunction Printers. They scan, fax, copy and print documents. Multifunction Printers can either be inkjet or laser and the cost of the machine reflects the number and functions the machine provides. continue reading...

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) has made great progress in the fight for paperless offices. It’s become a staple component in just about any document management software.

So what is OCR? Wikipedia offers this definition: “…the mechanical or electronic translation of images of handwritten, typewritten or printed text (usually captured by a scanner) into machine-editable text.” (2008)

Fundamentally, a computer reads the document and creates a library of searchable information. This type of application allows an EDM solution the opportunity to build a database of text, making the search for usable information within and across documents much easier.

While many argue the accuracy levels for OCR engines can reach 98 or 99 percent, small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) may find this hard to achieve with most commercially-available software. Many variables can affect the accuracy levels of output, ranging from document condition to readability.

Where problems can begin to occur is when OCR is not applied to the text contained within the scanned document, but used to lift index values themselves (e.g. customer name, number, etc.). This becomes dangerous if there are no quality assurances or stop-loss measures in place. If that is the case, it becomes likely a document will be misplaced due to a character being off here or there. continue reading...

Distributed capture has evolved with today’s business processes to incorporate paper-based information into digital workflows. Document imaging technology gives businesses the advantage to increase the amount and quality of information included in critical business systems. The integration of multifunction peripherals (MFP) have made document scanning available for the average office worker.

Whether a business wants to utilize a new distributed capture system or making improvements to its existing system, there are four key ways to ensure scanning processes are optimized to meet business needs.

Work with Your Existing Office Infrastructure.
With today’s emphasis on reducing environmental impact and cutting economic costs, it has never been more important to utilize existing IT investments in new ways. Businesses can significantly increase the value of existing systems by eliminating the need for paper-based workflows and file cabinet document storage. continue reading...

Among many businesses it is typical for print costs to consume almost 3% of total revenue in a given year. For many organizations, printing costs are nearly equivalent to the amount spent on research and development each year!

Businesses need to begin looking at the high costs of uncontrolled print services. They need to address how to cut costs while continuing to grow, manage and create opportunity. Within many businesses, hardcopy costs remain uncontrolled and unchecked, regardless of industry. continue reading...

The average office worker spends up to half of their workday searching for simple information! No wonder it’s hard to increase production. A digital document storage system will not only increase worker productivity, but also reduce company costs.

Lost documents create ripples of inefficiency throughout any organization. Although small and medium sized organizations are often hit harder than large corporations, the effect is devastating across the board. In paper-based environments, digital document storage is a great alternative. These systems provide an easy-to-use, secure document storage alternative to ultimately boost productivity and reduce operating expenses. continue reading...

In 1975 a Business Week article discussed how the personal computer revolution would ultimately lead to a paperless office.  In 2009, thirty-four years later, the information contained in paper form has changed, but businesses are increasingly inundated with paper records.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports:

· The average office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year.

· Each employee in a typical business office generates 1.5 lbs of waste paper per day.

· Reducing paper production by a ton saves the equivalent of 4,100 kWh of energy and 7,000 gallons of water.

Every aspect of the paper storage process adversely impacts a business’ budget and the environment as a whole.  These financial drawbacks of paper storage include the purchase of paper, personnel resources spent filing and finding documents, increase of square footage for physical file storage and recovery from flood or fire damage. continue reading...

In today’s society everyone strives to become the boss whether it’s the manager, president or CEO. People tend to discount the little people like the secretary, assistant and file clerk. These employees are essential for making sure every-day tasks are completed smoothly and efficiently, yet businesses insist on making life harder for them by keeping with a paper-based office.

Take for example a department assistant at a state university. He or she organizes everything from adjunct teacher files, instructor contracts, course schedules, money orders and background checks. For each type of document there are separate filing storage cabinets.

Also take into consideration the issue of employee manuals. Every task required for a job is provided in the inconvenient form of a 4-inch binder categorized haphazardly in a conglomerate of miscellaneous information. continue reading...

When you have one or more groups in an enterprise, utilizing a document management system will provide storage, easy access and control of large information caches.

As workgroups grow larger, the data in the system continues to grow with it. In document management systems, different sets of data are stored in different styles and fonts. Document management solution companies work on systems so anyone within a workgroup can access information.

Good document management software is judged by the accuracy, simplicity and availability of the information access methods. Most systems have a login that will not allow people without proper authentication to view the data. If the data is stolen, the system should be able to restore the lost document without losing format or information. continue reading...