Many businesses and organisations have mountains of documents that need to be archived in a user-friendly way. The thought of digitising these can seem overwhelming but it’s well worth the effort. Whether you do your scanning in-house or outsource, there are huge benefits to digitising your documents from ease of access to freeing up much needed office space.
Document scanning is the ideal solution for businesses that need to access files on a regular basis where the digital copy is sufficient. If you’re responsible for records management, are you considering whether to continue to do your scanning in-house or if outsourcing might be a good option?
We’ve compiled a guide looking at scanning in-house versus outsourcing, read on to find out more.
Staffing
Scanning in-house:
It’s great to be able to utilise your in-house staff for a scanning project, this could save any additional costs involved in hiring a temp. They also have a good knowledge of the business and will understand how to index your digital files.
Have you thought about how much time this would take away from their day job? Do you have enough in-house staff to do the project in the timeframe required? Do they know how to operate the scanning equipment and software? Scanning in-house will work really well for your business if you can tick all the boxes.
Outsourcing scanning:
One of the biggest advantages of outsourcing your scanning is the amount of time you’ll save. At Archive-Vault we take care of everything for you, so that your staff can focus on other tasks as the extra job will be taken off their hands. We’ll collect any documents that need to be scanned from your premises, or if they are in storage with us, retrieve the files and put them in a secure holding area to prepare for scanning. We’ll meet agreed deadlines to ensure your archiving project is completed on time.
If you outsource, you don’t need to factor in the cost of staff training. We’ve been professionally trained at Kodak to use our latest scanning equipment. We stay up to date with our training to provide the best service to our clients.
Data
Scanning in-house:
If you’re going to do your scanning you will keep your data in-house which is a major plus for some organisations. Your staff will be familiar with the data and the referencing.
Scanning in-house will also mean reduced data sharing and will save transporting your data off-site.
Outsourcing scanning:
When you outsource to a specialist records management business like Archive-Vault your data will be in safe hands. We understand that documents can contain sensitive information and carry out all our scanning services in line with Data Protection Regulations.
All our team members are vetted and we’re registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Your documents will be scanned confidentially, ensuring compliance throughout the whole process. All digital data will be formatted and returned to you via encrypted USB or hard drive.
Hybrid working
Scanning in-house:
With so many people now hybrid working, organisations have set up new systems and procedures to enable staff to work effectively from home. Staff scanning small quantities of paperwork at home or doing the bulk of any scanning on office days could be the right option for your business. Can your staff easily transport paperwork to and from the office? Are you confident that Data Protection Regulations will be met?
Outsourcing scanning:
If you outsource your scanning to a professional service provider, they can collect your paperwork saving your staff time. At Archive-Vault we transport your documents to and from our purpose-built facility in our secure vehicles ensuring your data is safe and secure. We like to make things as easy as possible for our clients.
Equipment
Scanning in-house:
If you have a big in-house scanning project you might need to purchase your equipment. Investing in technology is always a good move as you’ll add assets to your business.
The scanning equipment can be used for other projects and day-to-day work. Could you create a dedicated scanning job role in the business?
Outsourcing scanning:
Outsourcing your scanning means that you don’t need to buy technology for the job and incur regular servicing costs or hire a dedicated employee to do the work. You can use the funds for other projects. We’ll scan your documents using state-of-the-art scanning equipment and have recently invested in a Kodak Scanner.
Using an external service provider could mean that you can take advantage of scanning services not available to you in-house. At Archive-Vault, in addition to our standard Document Scanning, we offer a Scan on Demand service and Large Format Scanning. Large format scanning is ideal for drawings, maps, posters and other documents up to size A0. All scanning work is completed in our purpose-built fire and flood proof facility just outside Norwich city centre.
Space
Scanning in-house:
If you’ve an archiving project and have the right equipment and the space to do it then scanning in-house is ideal. Do you have enough room to lay the documents out on surfaces and to do the quality control checks after scanning? If you’re using a dedicated room like a conference room can you use it for the duration of the project? If the answer is yes, then scanning in-house is the right option for your business.
Outsourcing scanning:
Outsourcing your scanning will free up office space reserved for the job. Here at Archive Vault, we have dedicated areas for scanning and can accommodate your scanning needs whatever the volume of paperwork. Great care and attention to detail is needed to ensure documents are free from anything that will not go through the scanner, such as paper clips, staples and creases. All the documents we scan undergo a stringent quality check before indexing is carried out and they are converted into a readable PDF for easy searching.
Indexing
Scanning in-house:
Scanning in-house is a great option for your business if you have effective indexing procedures in place. Your experienced staff members will have an in-depth knowledge of your business and understand how to scan and then file the digital documents in a user friendly way.
Outsourcing:
Archive-Vault will transform your hard copy documents into an electronic inventory using hi-tech scanning equipment. Working with you, we can develop the best processes for your scanning and archiving. We take the time to understand your needs and what you want to get out of the scanning project. The result is a consistent approach to scanning and indexing your documents
Costs
Scanning in-house:
Cost is always a major consideration. Some businesses choose to do scanning in-house to keep costs down. It’s great if your staff can do the job to a high standard. Have you considered the cost implications of using in-house staff and taking them away from their current work? If you hire a temp for a big scanning project you’ll need to take into account the recruitment agency fees and any training expenditure. There’s also the cost of scanning equipment. These could all be worthwhile investments for your business.
Outsourcing scanning:
When you factor in the cost of equipment, training and staff, if this is not right for your business then outsourcing could be a better option. As a small family run business, we understand the financial challenges businesses face. Our scan as you go service is ideal for businesses with a smaller budget that would benefit from spreading the cost of scanning over a period of time. We collect your documents for scanning and store them in our secure facility until the project is complete. We then scan your documents monthly on a pre-agreed percentage basis. Your business is charged monthly rather than being invoiced for one upfront cost.
Outsource your scanning to Archive-Vault
When you outsource to an expert scanning service such as Archive-Vault, you can rest assured that any scanning jobs will be done to a high standard and then indexed to your exact specifications.
Our expert team scan documents for a wide range of sectors across East Anglia and beyond. Archive-Vault clients include accountants, construction companies, solicitors, NHS trusts and universities. Join the other businesses and organisations that choose us as their preferred scanning partner.
At Archive-Vault, we provide bespoke records management solutions. Let’s talk about your records. Contact us.
