The Role of Document Conversion Services in Streamlining Business Operations

Storing documents on paper is such an old and established practice that it seems to come naturally. However, modern technology has presented better solutions, making paper outdated, if not yet obsolete. Keeping large volumes of physical copies of documents now presents numerous challenges ranging from storage to efficiency. This is why most businesses pivot toward electronic record keeping, and that’s where document conversion services come in.

The advantage of these services is that they free up your team from the massive workload and responsibility that comes with scanning an extensive paper document database. With a professional service, you can get the conversion done without burdening your team. Plus, the results will be more reliable, leaving you with a comprehensive, fully digitized database. This article will give you an overview of how document conversion services work and why they’re an excellent choice for your organization.

How Document Conversion Services Function

Imagine having a room full of filing cabinets and wanting to convert all that documentation into digital format. Initially, that might seem like a very complex process. Yet, in practice, it consists of only four steps: preparing the documents, scanning, creating an index, and disposing of the original papers.

Let’s break down the entire process.

Preparing Your Documents

Scanning a few papers is relatively straightforward, but when you need to convert numerous documents, the process calls for a more organized approach. That’s why the documentation must be prepared properly before moving forward.

In fact, if you organize the documents thoroughly, the conversion process should be much easier. To that end, it’s best to take all of the details into account right away to save you unnecessary course corrections once the process is already underway.

For starters, the documents should be grouped by categories. i.e., type or levels of sensitivity. Likewise, the paperwork should be divided into documents that you don’t need to access regularly and those you’ll need even during the conversion. This last point is particularly important because the entire process might last up to several weeks, and you don’t want to halt your business operations during that period.

Ideally, you’d convert the most accessed documents before any others so that you can use them while the less frequently used papers are being categorized and scanned.

Scanning

You may hear some companies or services talk about document digitization or imaging. Essentially, they’re talking about scanning the documents and creating digital versions of the paperwork.

This part of the conversion process starts with a manual inspection. Here, each document is checked for creases, paperclips, staples, or anything else that could cause a low-quality scan. If the problem can’t be removed, the scanning technicians will set aside the document in question until the issue can be resolved.

Once all of the documents are checked, the technicians will design a scanning protocol. This may include creating custom templates and determining the order in which documents will be scanned. It’s essential to set up the stage properly first because the speed of the process ramps up significantly once the actual scanning begins.

The scanning equipment that document conversion services use isn’t consumer but rather professional-grade. These scanners can process upwards of 150 pages every minute, producing high-quality images at 300 dpi. The images will usually be in PDF format, although other output formats like TIF aren’t uncommon.

Creating a Document Index

Of course, creating digital copies of your documents won’t be the end of the conversion process. The files will need to be indexed and categorized for easier retrieval and location. The principle is similar to storing physical documents: you need to organize them by specific information categories and group documents accordingly.

With the physical variant, you’d need to determine particular information manually to group, for instance, documents from the same month or invoices for one client. Then, you’d file those documents together in corresponding folders and filing cabinets.

With digital documents, the same effect is achieved by adding metadata to your files. Metadata contains all relevant information that refers to the document’s content. Once you add this information, the document becomes easier to find and retrieve simply by searching for a specific term. In other words, you don’t have to know the exact title of the document, only what’s it about.

Organizing digital documents is at the core of document conversion services. It’s the step that turns a bunch of scanned papers into an actual database.

Disposing of the Paper

Once your documentation is converted into digital form, you’ll have little use for the paper originals, at least in regular company operations. You’ll need either to store the paper or get rid of it completely. Professional document conversion services can do this complicated work for you as well.

The first option is to find storage for the long term. These solutions are relatively affordable and may be the perfect option for paperwork that isn’t necessary on a regular basis. The only downside here is that the stored papers will be harder to access.

The other option is to destroy the papers by shredding them. If you work with good document conversion services, they’ll likely have this option available as well. Shredding is a better solution than throwing the papers away because this way you won’t leave any sensitive information unprotected.

Why You Should Use Document Conversion Services

Converting your paper documents into digital versions makes many aspects of dealing with documentation easier. Firstly, you gain unhindered access to any document you want at a moment’s notice. All you need to do is search the database using the correct terms.

Next, digital documentation is better organized compared to physical. It can also be shared between employees or different departments with complete ease. In addition, converted documents are safer since you can back them up and ensure a copy is always available.

Finally, document conversion services help you save money and space. Storing physical documents on-site is more expensive and consumes a lot of space. Naturally, these concerns disappear when all your documents are digital.

Upgrade Your Database

When it’s time to progress beyond paper documentation, document conversion services will be just the solution. With a reliable service, you can get important files in order, making your database safer and more practical. IMR Digital can help you achieve all those goals with ease.

Let’s connect! If your business needs document conversion services, send us a message via the chat to learn about the available options.