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The only thing more overwhelming than the massive stacks of unorganized documents is the idea of having to digitize them. You’ve probably heard about document digitization’s many benefits and efficiencies, but starting the process can feel overwhelming.
The good news is that document digitization doesn’t require much to get started—all you need is a scanner and some sort of database. We’ll walk you through what kind of content to digitize first.
Digitizing documents is an important part of digital transformation in your organization because the benefits are immediate. As soon as the documents are digitized, they’re instantly more searchable, secure, and shareable.
Some of the other benefits of document digitization offers (that paper copies simply don’t) include the following:
Streamlined workflows
Centralized record management
Enhanced data security
Cost-effective cloud storage
Real-time collaboration
Automated backup and disaster recovery
Regulatory compliance
Reduced paper use and smaller carbon footprint
Version control
As your company moves through digital transformation, the ultimate goal is for every type of document to be eventually digitized. But to get started, consider which benefits matter most to your company; that can help you determine which documents to digitize first.
To start tackling this task, we recommend prioritizing these documents:
You can’t run a business without money being paid appropriately, so invoices are clearly a priority. Digitizing invoices helps you track what you owe and how much others owe you. Getting your finances in order and having clear records is one of the greatest benefits of digitized documents.
Start by scanning your invoices into your system. The character recognition should automatically be able to recognize the numbers and even do some basic calculations for you. Once you digitize existing invoices, you can also use software to send and receive invoices so they’re all digital going forward. This minimizes the chance of errors and helps you pay—and get paid—faster.
With digitized contracts, you can get eSignatures for faster approvals. Begin by scanning all physical contracts into your digitization software, then send out a digital version of the contract to everyone who may need access to it. This will give you clear visibility for tracking the progress of the document.
When digitizing reports, it helps to have a company-wide naming system in place that helps organize them, especially because there are so many different kinds of reports across departments. Many digitization softwares will have metadata you can add to make reports more easily searchable; the metadata and naming structures should be systematized before you start scanning the reports. When reports are digitized, make sure teams have constant access to them. This helps you identify trends and monitor any changes from periodic reports.
When digitizing policies, be sure that all policies are up-to-date and are shared with the appropriate groups. Digitization is helpful for policies because anytime there’s a change or update, you can easily amend the document and distribute the new policy faster than you could with physical copies.
Privacy is one of the biggest concerns with employee records. Physical copies are easily lost or put into the wrong hands. When digitizing employee records, double-check permissions and data security. Start with all current employees first, then add in your backlog of past employees. As you’re inputting new records, you also have the chance to analyze pay structures and organize title hierarchies.
Prioritize digitizing proposals so you can communicate quickly with clients. Start by sorting proposals by project. Proposals can become invalid quickly if you don’t accept them, so start by scanning the most urgent ones first. If you want to make any negotiations or changes, most digitization software comes with version control so you’re always referring to the most recent information.
Tax documents are among the most important types of documents to digitize because you’ll need to reference them often for revenue trends, write-offs, and—of course—next year’s taxes. Start with the most recent tax documents, then work your way back through older documents.
You’ll never need another filing cabinet once you’ve tried Vasion’s document digitization solution. With OCR and ICR capabilities and simple drag-and-drop form builders, our software makes it easy to upload, name, organize, and securely share documents. Once your document is uploaded, our solution offers several options: you can convert PDFs into fillable forms, gather eSignatures, and publish documents on intranets and apps.
With Vasion, you can eliminate manila folders once and for all. Schedule a free demo today to see how organized we can make your documents.