1. How much will I have to spend to go paperless? Probably not as much as you’d expect (unless you are planning to scan old archived files), which is generally not necessary or recommended). Basically, to get started you need a scanner, software and a fairly new computer. The Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner is widely available for under $500 and comes with basic software.
2. How long will it take to transition to a paperless world? Well, first of all, it’s important to realize that you don’t have to make the switch all at once overnight. If you start with incoming paper only then the transition is cheap, easy and happens gradually. If you absolutely have to convert large amounts of paper files right away then you should bear in mind that speed comes at a cost. And that kind of project is something that would involve hiring a company that specializes in large volume scanning.
3. How many people will I need to hire once I decide to become completely digital? Depending on your business, you might not need to hire anyone. My approach is to show you how to do it yourself and then check to make sure you are comfortable doing it. Scanning takes some getting used to, if you’ve never done it properly (family pictures don’t count!). But once you establish a system and use it for a few weeks it will become second nature.
4. How does my paperless info get backed up? Great question! As part of your new ‘workflow system’ you’ll want to ensure that your digital information is backed up to safe location (i.e. one the same place where the main data is stored). There are several different strategies for doing backups, which depend on how much information you have and how you plan to work with your digital information. There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer here.
5. How can my information be accessed anywhere in the world if I have Internet access? This is easy or tricky depending on how you store your digital data, but generally speaking your overall goal should be to make your data as accessible as possible.
6. Why do you say that it’s easier to find information in digital documents than in paper? First, because digital documents don’t get lost as easily or as often as paper does. But, also, if you convert the scanned paper to digital text (using a process called ‘optical character recognition’ or OCR) then you can search for information just like you do when you use Google to find things on the Internet.
7. How reliable are scanners and how often do they need to be replaced? Scanners are as reliable as printers, but generally need less maintenance since there are no toner cartridges to replace. Every two years you might need to spend $75 to replace the intake rollers, depending on the volume of paper that you scan.
8. What about scanning photographs? The Fujitsu ScanSnap can scan in color and can be used to scan photographs or images (as long as they can be fed into the automatic document feeder). If you want to scan lots of photographs then it might make sense to use Camera store like Lakeside Camera.
9. When is the best time to get started scanning? As soon as possible. The sooner you start to decrease your dependence on paper the sooner you’ll feel the bliss of being digital, and knowing that your information is both safe and easy to find.