Document Scanning vs Digital Transformation: What’s the Difference?



Professionals generate and manage a high volume of records on a regular basis. No matter the industry or the department, every business creates hard copy and electronic documents that are vital to business operations. Data and information are the lifeblood of every company’s internal and external dealings, so it’s important to assess how we’re managing data, evaluate how much space it’s consuming, how much it’s costing us, how long we should keep it, and more.

Two processes that help organizations harness information, make it more accessible, more secure, and more cost effective are document scanning and digital transformation. While these two processes often go together, there are distinct business objectives involved with each. An organization’s information management strategy and goals for managing data in the future can determine whether a business chooses offsite document scanning services or a digital transformation plan.

What is document scanning?

 A document scanning service, or a document imaging service as some call it, refers to the process of digitizing hard copy records by scanning them using industrial-grade, high quality document scanning equipment, to convert the paper files into readable and searchable electronic documents. The document scanner captures images from the hard copy record and converts it to a digital copy that can be accessed from the convenience of a desktop or mobile device.

Document scanning offers numerous benefits to businesses who want to harness data and information electronically, improve manual workflows, and transition to a digital document management strategy. Business can expect the best document scanning services to provide:

    • A secure offsite document scanning facility that is HIPAA compliant
    • Document preparation and scanning services followed by secure digital delivery of records
    • Guaranteed quality control measured to ensure every scanned document is readable and clear
    • Standard options for accessing your electronic records, including SFTP, or electronic document storage software
A document scanning service empowers your business access information faster, and it decreases the risk of a lost or misplaced file. Offices save on overhead costs and reduce the amount of space that is typically taken up by storing paper records in-house. Document scanning is an important and necessary component of any digital transformation strategy. As businesses continue to adopt new processes that increase efficiency and reduce cost, document scanning should be a top priority. 
 

What is Digital Transformation?

Once your documents are scanned, digital transformation is about how you choose to harness that data moving forward to make your business more efficient, more automated, and more successful.

A digital transformation strategy takes the electronic records you’ve created and integrates that data and technology into all areas of the business — including operations, human resources, and accounting — so you can leverage your data to work smarter, not harder.  It ultimately changes the way your business operates by challenging “the way we’ve always done things” mentality. 
 
Now more than ever, digital transformation is an important component of any company’s future. It’s the process over time of converting and harnessing electronic data, creating a vision, and executing a plan.
 

Automating internal operations with workflow automation software is a key component that distinguishes digital transformation from document scanning alone. It’s about how you use that information once it’s been digitized. And while that can look different for every company, one thing is certain – the business landscape is changing, and companies will need to adapt and evolve with digital transformation or fall behind.

In summary, here are some key components of a digital transformation strategy:

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