Top Considerations in Vendor Selection

Records Scanning in OntarioRecords Scanning in Ontario

Through records scanning in Ontario, organizations can convert their paper documents into digital files. As you can expect, digital formats provide a wide range of benefits over physical records. Users throughout the company can access documents easily and readily. In addition, digital files protect information that otherwise could be lost or damaged in its physical form.

Although the advantages of records scanning in Ontario may seem obvious, you still need to carefully conduct the vendor selection process. To ensure you make the right decision, you should organize your efforts and develop a formal framework for your vendor evaluation.

Start by Analyzing Your Needs

If you’ve ever purchased anything from a professional salesperson, you’ll remember him or her taking the time to understand your situation and the needs their solution must address. Then, they match an appropriate solution to your requirements. You should use the same thought process.

First, think about the records you need to scan. How will you use the scanned information? How many people and how often will the documents be accessed? The solution you need will differ if, for example, you want to just store your digital files or have them integrated within your organization’s document management system.

If your records are going to be regularly accessed, you need to consider how they will be retrieved. To make retrieval seamless and fast, documents must be properly indexed after they’re scanned. The indexing part of the process can determine whether your records scanning in Ontario is successful.

Given the importance placed on indexing, you should consider a vendor with ample experience in both records scanning and indexing. You may find the vendors’ indexing capability will have an impact on your final selection decision.

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Determine the Scope of Your Project

Once you know how records scanning in Ontario will address your document needs, you should identify your project parameters. In other words, you need to provide information to vendors about your project so you can get appropriate pricing, service and the right final solution.

You should start with your timeline. How fast will you need the project completed? If your turnaround is tight, you need to be sure prospective vendors can meet your deadline.

What’s the extent of your conversion project? In other words, how many documents do you need converted and how will they need to be indexed? A well qualified vendor who’s done ample records scanning in Ontario will help inventory your documents and provide an easy conversion process for you from start to finish.

Preparing for Records Scanning in Ontario

A good vendor will have an established process for preparing your records for scanning. They’ll also perform a test to ensure information integrity and accuracy during scanning and indexing. You need to make sure during your evaluation that each vendor knows how to work with your specific records. The physical documents must not only be prepared in the proper manner, but must be returned to you organized and undamaged.

In many respects, document preparation is the most important part of records scanning in Ontario. It’s better for you and your vendor to spend the time and effort upfront to properly prepare your documents for scanning. Otherwise, you risk having issues after the scanning project is complete.

Completing the Project

During your vendor evaluation, you should have considered the scanning and indexing technologies used by each vendor. This information should provide you will a comfort level that you have made the right decision and the project will be tailored to your specific requirements.

In addition, the vendor’s technology and internal processes must address quality control issues. For example, you want to be assured each record will be scanned and nothing is missed.

Another important consideration in selecting the right vendor for records scanning in Ontario is whether or not they perform the work in-house. If the vendor outsources any of your project, you need to know that upfront so you can evaluate this scenario carefully. In addition, outsourcing increases security risks and the potential for mistakes. The fewer people handling your important records, the better.

Records scanning in Ontario can make a huge difference in how your organization operates. You can increase your efficiency, productivity while cutting operational costs. Plus, you’ll be preserving your company’s critical information assets.

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Value comes into play when you’re calculating the various trade-offs associated with wide format scanners. A lower priced scanner may be manufactured with lower quality parts. In this case, your costs you less to buy the scanner. But, you might end up paying more over time because of repair and replacement of parts.

When you make your purchase decision for Records Scanning in Ontario, it boils down to weighing several factors that are important to you and your application. When you determine what’s most important, you can then begin evaluating different vendors and models to get the right fit.

Kevin D'Arcy is VP of Sales and Marketing for MES Hybrid Document Systems, Ontario's leading document scanning and document management supplier. For more information about Records Scanning in Ontario, visit http://www.mesltd.ca/.