Skip to main content

Author Archives: zealth

Older posts
Newer posts

Why Should I Upgrade to a New Document Scanner?

Posted on by

Have you had your document scanners for a few years (or more)? If so, then you’ve probably wondered if it’s the right time to upgrade your equipment.

If your scanners are lagging, developing weird quirks, or requiring more frequent maintenance, then the answer to that is clear. But even if there aren’t any major problems it could still be a good idea to future proof your company and processes by investing in some new scanners.

Here are a few reasons why you should upgrade your document scanners.

Reasons to Upgrade Your Document Scanner

The reasons to upgrade your scanner aren’t entirely dissimilar from the reasons you would purchase a new smartphone or car.

1. Old Scanners May Be Incompatible with New Software

It’s very likely that older scanners are not Windows 10 compatible and are no longer being supported. Keeping older scanners means that you need to continually invest time and training in discontinued software. It also means expensive consultations or repair time if your scanner stops communicating with that older software.

2. Get the Latest Technology and Software

Just like most electronics, new scanners come with the latest software. This software makes it easier to program jobs for your scanners and produce higher quality images.

Additionally, scanner manufacturers are shipping scanners with features like on-board image processing. This means that the scanner will do a lot of the heavy lifting on processing your scanned documents and it lessens the strain on your PC.

3. Can Take Advantage of Trade-in Deals

Many production scanner manufacturers have a trade-in value or rebate for your current scanner that you can apply to the cost of a new one. Just ask about these when you’re looking to upgrade!

4. Make Scanning Legal-Sized Documents a Breeze

If you scan a large quantity of legal documents or papers that are larger than the standard A4 (8.5” x 11”) size, upgrading to a high volume document scanner with a 12” feeder will significantly cut down on scanning time. It will also give you a higher quality image.

5. Scan More Paper for a Lower Cost

Kodak i5650 Document ScannerNewer scanners are generally faster than older models. By increasing your scanning speed, you can save on labor costs. Over time, labor costs far exceed the cost of your document scanners.

6. New Scanners May Cost Less Than Maintaining Your Old Scanners

Just like owning a car, there’s a point where maintaining an old scanner is more expensive than purchasing a new one. Additionally, most new document scanners include a warranty of some length.

For example: many desktop scanners (like ones that are great for a home office) come with a 3-year warranty. Why pay for maintenance on those when you can have a brand-new model with an included warranty?

Reasons to Upgrade Your Document Scanner with Datamation

Not only are there many reasons to upgrade your scanners, but there are some great reasons why you should upgrade with Datamation.

1. Datamation Is a Top Preferred Reseller

Kodak S2070 Document ScannerWe have a longstanding partnership with the top scanner brands like Kodak Alaris. Between our relationships with manufacturers and the amount of companies we’ve helped with their scanner needs, we’re proud to hold the title of Preferred Reseller.

As a Preferred Reseller, we have access to pricing that is not available elsewhere.

2. We Offer Lease and Rent to Own Programs

If you need a scanner for a few projects and don’t anticipate needing it full-time after that, we can rent you a scanner for the length of your project.

Additionally, if you do want a scanner full-time and don’t quite have the room in your budget for the total price upfront, we offer rent-to-own programs to let you pay for your equipment in installment payments.

3. Datamation Is a One-Stop Shop for All Things Desktop and Production Scanners

Once you have your scanners, you will need to clean them frequently and replace worn down parts so that they last for years. Datamation sells parts, accessories, and cleaning supplies to keep your scanners running efficiently. No need to shop around – just give us a call.

4. We’re More Than Just an Office Equipment Store

When you upgrade your scanner or buy a new one from Datamation, it isn’t just a single transaction and it’s over. We are partners with our clients and will always be there for you when you have questions.

Not sure what kind of scanner you need? Call us. Unsure what the best output specifications are? We’ll help you decide. We won’t just deliver your scanner and never interact with you again.

If you’re thinking about upgrading your scanner, give our document scanner selector tool a try! You can filter by brand, price, and more! Now is also the time to also revisit your needs so that you’re buying the right scanner for your business.

Have any more questions? Give us a call (630) 321-0601 or contact us!

6145

publish

2020-11-10 06:00:03

upgrade-new-document-scanner

7 Things to Know Before Buying a Document Scanner

Posted on by

So you’ve decided that you want to buy a document scanner and start scanning the paper files in your office to reap the many benefits of going paperless. But there are so many document scanners to choose from that it’s hard to know where to start.

Now, you could dive right in and use our document scanner search filters to start narrowing down your choices. But first we’d recommend reviewing these seven things to help you determine exactly what kind of document scanner is going to be the right fit.

1. Determine Your Needs Before You Start Shopping

As with most purchases, it’s critical that you consider your needs and requirements before buying a document scanner.

Here are some factors that you should consider:

  • How many pages per day do you need to scan?
  • Are there peak periods for your scanning? You’ll need a scanner that can handle these peak periods.
  • How many hours per day do you have available to scan records? Are you hiring someone to scan? Will scanning be a new task assigned to current staff? How will staff be trained on these scanners?
  • Do you need individual scanners for every person, or can a department share one localized scanner?
  • Will you be scanning oversized pages?
  • Will you be scanning many color pages?
  • Do you have many two-sided (duplex) pages?
  • Do you need to scan records at a high resolution?
  • Where do the scanned documents need to go? These could be a document management system, server folder, cloud storage, etc.
  • Do you have pages/items that need to be scanned on a flatbed because they will not go through a paper transport?
  • Do you have a PC, MAC, or Linux?
  • Do you need a scanner attached to a network? If so, do you have IT personnel to support it?

Knowing exactly what you need will make the rest of the buying process easy.

2. Don’t Buy a Scanner That Doesn’t Actually Meet Your Requirements

Here’s one of the most important things to know about purchasing a desktop scanner: the daily duty cycles published by the scanner manufacturers are way too high. You might be able to physically scan 4,000 pages per day on a desktop scanner, but you’ll need to be prepared to be at the office all night scanning.

Make sure that you buy a unit that can scan all of your necessary documents in 3-4 hours per day or less. You might feel that you’re buying more than you need, but over time, the labor cost of scanning is much higher than the purchase price of the scanner. A fast, more durable scanner completes your work is less time, which frees up you or your employees to perform other, better work.

3. Feed and Speeds Can Be Deceiving

This is an extension of point number two, but we really want you to understand how scanners are marketed. Yes, a scanner brochure, or even a product page on our website, may say that the scanner can scan 5,000 pages per day. And that’s true, but only if you have 12+ hours to scan every day.

Most of these duty cycles are based on an artificially perfect environment with perfect paper (no fading, no tears, no dog-eared pages, etc.). So if you run thousands of pages (which probably are not in perfect condition) through a desktop scanner all day, every day, the scanner will eventually not be as reliable. Your time is valuable, so pick a scanner that will cut down on scanning time.

4. Evaluate the Software in Addition to the Hardware

Every document scanner comes with software that runs the scanner. However, all scanning software is not created equal. Some comes packed with features you may never intend to use, and some may not have enough features to do everything you need.

Make sure you evaluate the scanning software so that it meets your needs and that it’s easy to use. Software to the scanner is like a transmission to a car; the software governs how you change settings and runs the scanner. You don’t want to be unhappy with your scanner because the software frustrates you!

5. Don’t Depend on a Copier/Multi-Function Printer

scanner services consumables maintenanceWe hear this a lot: “I don’t need a scanner because I just use our copier.” And if the only thing you’ll be scanning is a page or two a week and the image quality doesn’t matter, then you can rely on your copier.

But if you need to scan a decent amount of paper every week, having a desktop scanner will save you time. Instead of getting up multiple times per day to run a document through the copier, you can stay at your desk and have your scanned file in seconds.

Additionally, a scanner will give you a much better image. A scanner scans a document using thresholds, algorithms, and filters. This provides high-quality images that accurately represent the original. Copiers simply duplicate pages. They create blacked-out areas where there is shading and do not provide a preview of each image for review.

If you are scanning private information or sensitive documents, you should also consider investing in a scanner. Images scanned on a workstation document scanner have superior security as they are not stored on the hard drive of the copier.

6. Don’t Forget the Service Contract and/or Warranty

Many desktop scanners come with 3- to 5-year warranties. Larger production scanners require you to purchase a service contract once the initial (generally 3 months) warranty runs out.

So, when doing your research, don’t forget to account for the cost of a service contract. You’ll appreciate having it as many service agreements include a 4-hour response time which minimizes your downtime.

Additionally, know who will service your scanner and the process for having it serviced. Research the following:

  • Do you have to send in the scanner for repair or replacement?
  • Will a field technician come to your office to repair the unit?
  • Is the technician from the scanner company or a third party?
  • What is the availability and lead time on parts?
  • For optimal uptime, should you acquire an extra scanner in the event one needs repair?

Finally, when ordering your scanner, make sure that you ask about consumables and cleaning kits so that you can keep your scanner working in top condition.

7. Consider Outsourcing Part of Your Work

Are you looking at buying a document scanner because you have a backlog of work to be scanned? Then you should consider outsourcing part or all of it to document scanning company (also called a scanning conversion bureau).

Using a scanning company means that you don’t have to invest in a production scanner that may be underutilized when your backlog is gone. It also eliminates the burden of scanning and enables you to focus on key aspects of your job.

Once the backlog is gone, you can simply purchase smaller desktop scanners to scan any ongoing work.

Related resource: Should You Outsource Document Scanning or Do It In-House?

Wrapping it up…

Once you go through these different research steps, you should be well on your way to determining the best document scanner for your needs.

But if this is all still a little murky, don’t hesitate to give us a call and ask our opinion! We’re happy to recommend several scanners that will meet your needs and there’s absolutely no cost to you to do this. We use production scanners every day as part of our scanning services, along with multiple different types of desktop scanners for our own paperwork, so we know a thing or two about scanning.

Additionally, we can provide:

  • Demonstrations and recommendations on the different software for the scanner(s) you may be interested in
  • Installation assistance after you receive your scanner
  • Training on the use of the scanner optimized on how you will be using it
  • Options for warranties, extended warranties, and service contracts
  • Quotes to do backlog scanning by our conversion bureau

We know that some of these scanners are serious investments, so we want to make sure that you’re getting exactly what you need, and that the scanner will run smoothly for a very long time.

Give our scanner selector tool a try and then us a call at (630) 321-0601 or contact us. We’re here to help!

6049

publish

2020-09-10 06:00:38

buying-document-scanner

How to Get Started with Document Management and Scanning

Posted on by

Many offices have the goal of achieving the paperless office. However, going paperless is a seriously intricate task, with many paths and solutions. Where do you start? What do you need?

As we have helped hundreds of clients start their paperless journey, we wanted to share the steps you need to take to move towards streamlined document management.

While we have numbered the steps for simplicity, you will want to keep all of these things in mind throughout the process.

Step 1: Outsource Your Document Scanning to a Trusted Partner

document scanning equipmentConverting the paper you already have into digital files must be one of your first steps. And the reason that we recommend it as the first step is because a seasoned document management and scanning company will be a great partner in helping you go paperless. Not only do they have the experience in scanning your files, but a good company will also be up to date on document management software and strategies.

Outsourcing your scanning allows you to immediately gain office space and/or stop paying monthly storage fees for boxes.

After selecting that scanning partner, they will work with you to determine the right document management strategy for your business. Once you understand proper scanning procedures, you and your document management partner can determine your future state. Is this something you would prefer to take in-house with your own scanners, continue to outsource, or take a blended approach?

Step 2: Transform Your Paper Forms into Digital Intake

fill out eforms anywhere document managementWhile you’re having your current paper documents scanned, you’re also going to want to think about how to eliminate the creation of new paper documents.

Instead of printing and mailing, many documents can be delivered via email or secure share as PDF files. This is the easiest change to make as it requires only a simple process change.

Next, much of your paperwork can probably be converted to electronic forms. Consider building forms for processes that require a lot of paper but rarely change in content, like HR onboarding.

If your business works with outside vendors, or you are a public body that answers to citizens, you should build an online portal. With an online portal, your partners and customers can self-serve or use a form to make a request.

Step 3: Choose Your Document Management Software

laptop document management systemYou should be researching document management software along with your scanning and electronic forms. After all, you’ll need to know where you’re going to store electronic files, in what format, and how they can be accessed.

At first, a simple folder structure on a network or shared drive may be a sufficient archive. But as you work with active digital files, you will need more flexibility and features.

Document Management Solutions

You will need to determine what kind of system is best for your organization. For businesses that want to have complete control over their software and hardware, you’ll want to invest in an on-premises solution. This does require significant hardware and personnel to manage appropriately.

If you still want to have control over your software but don’t want to have the burden of physical hardware, consider a hosted content management solution. A cloud hosted solution allows for a third-party company (possibly your document management partner) to maintain and upgrade your content management.

For the latest updates and lowest maintenance, consider a cloud subscription. This software is a set monthly rate that doesn’t require an investment in software, hardware, or personnel. Like the hosted option, a cloud subscription means that you can access your files from anywhere. This is key for distributed teams, multiple offices, or remote workers.

There are many options and features with document management, which is why we recommend connecting with a document management expert. A good partner will be able to work with you to discuss immediate needs and how you’d like to grow, and then determine the best system for you. If you didn’t connect with a document management and scanning company in step one, this is the time to look for one.

Step 4: Take it to the Next Level with Automation

workflow feature document managementThis step, unlike the first three, can be put off until later. But eventually, you will want to take full advantage of your electronic files and streamline your processes with automation. Workflow and robotic process automation can move files, process invoices, and eliminate repetitive tasks. They help your business run smarter and let your employee focus on better work.

Most document management software has automation options, either at the base level or for an additional cost. Make sure that you talk with your document management company or a consultant about your options and what kinds of process automation they recommend.

While you can’t change your company overnight, these steps will get you well on your way to achieving a paperless, efficient office. Make your plan, find a good partner, research your options, and make gradual changes.

Thinking about moving from paper to digital files and processes? Don’t hesitate to contact us or call (630) 321-0601.

Comments or questions on this article? Find us on LinkedIn or Twitter.

This post is part of the Datamation Guide to Document Scanning.

5737

publish

2020-08-04 06:00:29

get-started-document-management-scanning

How to Choose a Document Scanning Company

Posted on by

So you’ve decided to, or are thinking about, outsourcing scanning to convert a bunch of your backfiles. Excellent! Now the question becomes: where do you start when selecting a document scanning company?

To answer this question, read on to learn about everything you should know and ask when vetting a company to scan your documents.

Pro tip: scanning and imaging can be used interchangeably.

1. Document Scanning Technology

document scanning equipmentThe first thing you will need to understand are the basics of scanning/imaging technology and software. A good vendor will help you with this as it’s pretty simple, though not a process that most people know about!

Having a loose idea of technology will make understanding the full scope of your project much easier.

2. Company Goals

Next, you should look at your organization’s priorities, goals, and objectives. Some of these include:

  • What is the retention schedule of the documents? Or, how long do these documents need to be kept?
  • How many people/users need to access these records?
  • How are records stored, provided, and backed up?
  • Is training and orientation necessary?
  • Should you run a test to benchmark the process?
  • How long will the conversion take?
  • Can I access these records when they are at the service provider?
  • Will the security and privacy requirements of these records be maintained?
  • What special requirements need to be discussed?

Knowing the answers to these questions will allow your scanning partner to recommend the best solution for your company culture and budget, along with ensuring that everyone is on the same page for the scanning project.

3. Selecting a Document Scanning Company

You should evaluate at least two service providers. Trustworthy companies are easy to find via the internet through a search, an online directory like Yelp, or trade organization websites. Visit the business’ website to make sure that they are a reputable business. Read online reviews if there are any. Check out their social media accounts to see if they’re active.

If you have a good relationship with other companies your size or in your industry, reach out to them to see if they have used a scanning company before, and if so, if they would recommend them.

4. Touring the Facilities

tour the document scanning companyIt is highly recommended that you tour the company’s facility as this is a true reflection of the quality, process, and management of that provider. You’re going to want to know who is handling your records, so you can, in-person, gauge the expertise and attitude of key staff.

Please note: only request a tour if permissible by local health guidelines. If not available, see number seven and ask for additional references. Watch any company videos that include their processes. Call the company and ask to speak to the Production Manager.

While you tour the facility, the following should be evaluated:

  • How is the production run?
  • What equipment is being used and why?
  • What is the general appearance of the facility on the inside as well as the outside?
  • How is the general employee work environment?
  • Are clients’ jobs are handled with care they deserve?
  • Remember to ask if the company makes use of the latest national and industry standards.

If you are not able to physically visit the location, make sure that you ask about the production process and for customer references.

5. Expertise and Experience

A document scanning company should employ scanning specialists who are trained, certified, and have had several years of experience. Find out how long the employees have been with the company. This will reveal the level of experience and expertise in the company. It should have trained operators, along with qualified supervisors, for everything it does. Its staff should be knowledgeable enough to aid with any problems or issues that arise.

If the company provides professional services and/or offers consulting services, its staff consultants should be experienced in in systems design and be formally trained and certified in the imaging and document management software used in that company.

You should also meet with one of the principals of the company. The management of a good scanning company should be closely involved with the operation and customers. Most owners and c-level executives are seriously passionate about document management and love to talk about it!

6. Cost and Location

As with all things, you get what you pay for. And as such, beware of companies that offer extremely low prices for their services. This can be a sign that the company is desperate for business and may be financially unstable. It also may be a sign that the company is cutting corners on processing to undercut its competition.

On the other hand, they shouldn’t overcharge you either. Document scanning services do take many hours of labor, but you should be quoted a fair market rate based on the nature of your work. All charges should be clearly stated on the agreement so that there are no surprises on the final bill.

Ideally, the company will be located somewhat close to you so that transportation costs and turnaround time are reasonable.

7. Reputation and Financial Strength

reviews and reputationThe service company should provide some references of current clients. You should contact these references to validate the firm’s reputation. The company will most likely give the names of satisfied customers, so try to ask some pointed questions such as “What did you not like about the services provided by the company?”

You should ask questions about the company’s financial strength as this also dictates a well-managed company. When measuring financial strength, one good indication is the company’s longevity. If the company has been in existence for over five years, it is probably being run reasonably well from a financial standpoint.

8. Reliability and Turnaround

Measuring quality and turnaround can be easily determined through a simple pilot test. Send a representative sample (a box of paper documents or a roll of microfilm) with actual documents of varying quality. The varying quality is important because you’ll want to see if the company can properly scan files of both good and poor quality.

When doing this, keep the following in mind:

  • How quickly does the company turn this sample around? If it finishes in a couple of days or under a week, then it was a priority and is a good reflection of the prospective vendor.
  • Does the provider have the necessary capacity to process your work in the event of some equipment downtime or other challenges? Software, hardware, networks, and labor are all areas that can cause downtime. Ask the vendor about this to ensure they can meet your turnaround requirements. Check when their peak loads are and whether they can handle increased volumes during these times.

9. Quality

One of the most important factors to determine about a scanning bureau is whether it guarantees the quality of its work. This is easy to tell based on the results of that sample of work from the last step. To cover yourself, you can put an escape clause in the agreement to allow you to take your work to another company of the quality is unsatisfactory.

10. Privacy, Security, and Integrity of Data

data security privacy integrityYou should find out how many people will be handling the material and put privacy agreements in place as needed. In addition, protective storage should be provided in the company’s facilities. Obviously you’re going to want to make sure that your records are protected from loss or damage while they are processed. The company should have the ability to store your records in a locked cage when not being worked on.

There should also be a means of adequately and securely disposing of your records if you do not want the physical files back. Find out what options there are for the disposition of your records.

Finally, the company should have a security and fire alarm system as well as be thoroughly insured with policies covering errors and omission, liability and cyber insurance.

One Last Thing

Here’s the last thing to keep in mind: after selecting a company, you are not cleared of responsibility. The records are yours and the ultimate responsibility of the quality of these records is yours, as well as the system you use to manage these records.

If you’re not entirely sure how you want to manage your records going forward or just want some advice, a good service provider should be able to walk you through multiple solutions.

In summary, a good document scanning company can provide you all the benefits of imaging while freeing you of capital investments and labor. In addition, a good scanning company can provide a complete solution or provide the scanned records in a format ready for your document management or imaging system.

Naturally, we’d love to work with you on converting your physical documents and film into high quality digital files. If you’re interested in starting a scanning project, give us a call at (630) 321-0601 or contact us!

This post is part of the Datamation Guide to Document Scanning.

4359

publish

2020-05-20 06:00:59

choose-document-scanning-company

Take Working from Home to the Next Level with These Tips

Posted on by

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 43% of Americans were already working from home with some frequency. During the pandemic many people worked from home. And now even as offices open back up, many employees still want to work from home part of the week.

If your company was in the midst of a digital transformation, it probably wasn’t a difficult transition to start working from home. You were already using tools and software hand-picked by your IT and/or leadership teams.

But for many, there was a scramble to get things up and running just for the sake of business continuity. And that’s okay – anything that keeps business moving while we’re dealing with uncertainty is good!

But as working from home (at least part of the time) becomes the new normal, we need better and smarter ways to work, along with the right tools.

Below are some tips for how you can take your remote work to the next level.

Better Home Office Furniture and Equipment

One of the first things many of us learned is that our current computer chair wasn’t designed for an 8 hour-plus workday.

Or maybe you’ve realized that your lighting is sub-optimal, or your desk is just not cutting it for your focus. And if you’re going to be working from home for a while (or just working from home more often), it’s wise to invest in better office furniture.

It’s also time to ensure that you have all the proper equipment to do your job. This could mean getting a second monitor or picking up a document scanner.

Here are some resources for you to start:

Optimize Department Communication

Once you’ve settled into routines and determined how you work best from home, it’s time to figure out how to make your team work like a well-oiled machine.

First, establish which communication channels you want to use for information, according to importance. For example: if you have an urgent customer need, you’ll want to call or chat with your team member to work through the problem. But if you have an idea about a potential new software feature, you may just want to leave a note on project management software.

Management should decide if you need office-approved chat or conferencing software. Is it okay for departments to find their own ways to communicate? Or is it better to have a standard channel like Slack or Google Chat?

Also, decide how often you need to check in with each other. Do you need daily meetings? Weekly? Reevaluate this often so you don’t get on calls you don’t need, or worse, miss calls you should have held.

Try these guides for establishing best practices for communication:

Collaborate Smarter with Document Management Software

laptop document management systemWhen sharing documents among your coworkers, you’re probably just emailing them back and forth or tossing them up on Dropbox. And for a simple collaboration or document share, you don’t need much more than that.

But if you and your colleagues work with a significant number of documents and data, you’ll need a system that can work harder for you. Document management software allows for remote collaboration and document self-service, all while being housed in a highly secure cloud environment. Good systems also have audit trails and document history, easily integrate with the software you use every day, and allow for advanced features like workflow. They can take any document-based task to the next level.

To learn more about document management software, check out these resources:

Make Sure You’re Using the Right Software

And while we’re covering software, IT and leadership teams should eventually evaluate every program their company is using. Unless you were actively working to set up remote employees, you may have not given too much thought about programs to enable a remote workforce. You might have picked your video conference software for working with external clients. Or you just downloaded Zoom because it’s at the top of every list. (Not to throw shade at Zoom – but do be aware there could be security risks.)

It may feel like overkill to evaluate every single piece of software right now. And while we can only hope that the current situation is temporary, the trend of remote work is likely to grow. Putting in the research now will make permanent work from home situations a lot easier.

Here are a few places to start:

  • G2: the largest online tech marketplace with real, unbiased user reviews. Start your research here, check out the software websites for particular features, and then cross reference reviews from some of these sites. They also have a nice blog post about the five work from home apps you need for great remote work.
  • The Essential Remote Work Tools You Need to Get Things Done: an extensive resource with all tools broken up by tasks – project management, writing, conferencing, etc. There’s a nice collection of other tools you may not have considered at the bottom of the article.
  • The Remote Worker’s Toolkit: The 15 Tools You Need to Work Remotely: this guide is a collection of articles, each of which is an excellent round up of top-notch tools for working from home.

Like most things, efficiency in working from home is a constantly evolving process. Making little tweaks right now can really pay off in the future. Standardizing your business processes and software now will make for easier future situations and policies.

Additionally, it’s up to individual workers, along with employers, to make sure that home offices are safe and secure. Anti-virus software is the bare minimum you need for your home office. Employers should also consider two-factor authentication, VPNs, and encryption.

Is there anything else you’ve done that’s taken your work from home efficiency to the next level? Reach out to us on Twitter and LinkedIn and tell us about it. We’ll update this post with your suggestions!

online document management remote work social header

4841

publish

2020-04-16 14:40:28

working-from-home-tips

Keep Business Moving: Online Document Management & Digital Mailroom

Posted on by

In these unprecedented times, it’s essential that people stay safe and healthy, and that all of us keep our businesses moving. That means more Zoom calls, Slack chats, and new software like online document management. We here at Datamation wanted to cover the multiple ways we’re here to help you keep your organization’s data secure and accessible while some or all of your staff works from home.

Online Document Management Software

document management remote workWith the influx of employees needing to work remotely, organizations need ways to stay connected and productive, and keep business processes moving. Datamation has always offered free 30-day access to leading cloud-based document management software for US-based companies, which we will continue to offer and support. With this trial, you and your employees can access and work on key documents from wherever you are.

Online document management software is secure, accessible, and collaborative. Using software like this ensures that you don’t have duplicate documents, everyone has access to the data they need when they need it, and employees can collaborate on documents and processes just as they would face-to-face. Documents and data are stored on a secure cloud server with multiple layers of security. The software is easily scalable to organizations of all sizes.

We’re proponents of document management software for everyone, but we especially recommend it for highly-regulated industries and any company/department that is audited often. These systems have built-in audit trails, so you always have a record of who accessed what.

Do you work in highly-regulated industry (like healthcare or finance) that still relies heavily on faxing? You may want to look into HIPAA-compliant cloud digital faxing solutions.

Emergency Mail Scanning and Digital Mailrooms

Even though offices are temporarily closed, we know how critical it is that you still receive and process your mail. Datamation can be your mailroom while your workers are at home.

We can collect or receive your mail, prep it, scan it, and then deliver it electronically to a central repository. We can also place it into workflow that will deliver it directly to the recipient or department. Depending on the type of document management software you have, we may even be able to upload it directly to your system.

Document Scanning Services

If you’re finding it difficult to get things done because your processes are mostly on paper and locked away in a filing cabinet, we can help you digitize your documents.

We’ll work with you to determine which documents are critical and how to prioritize scanning them. Then you can ship them to us, or we’ll do a low-contact pickup and bring them to our secure, SOC 2 Type 2 audited facility. After that, our HIPAA trained staff will scan, index, QC, and deliver the electronic files.

Desktop Scanners

Or, if you rather scan documents yourself, Datamation is a leading reseller of high quality, affordable, desktop scanners.

Some of our favorite scanners cost between $350 and $600 and don’t take up much room on a desk. They are easy to install and come with intuitive scanning software included. Your employees, whether remote or social distancing, can be up and running on their own scanners in less than an hour. Read our post about the best document scanners for remote work.

 

We can also help with any kind of paperless initiative you have. Maybe you want to create a public portal or forms for your customers. Or maybe you want to integrate your ERP with an online document management system for maximum productivity.

When it comes to your business information, we’re here to help. Contact us today.

4716

publish

2020-04-03 15:04:38

business-online-document-management-digital-mailrooms

9 of the Most Exciting Things from Laserfiche Empower 2020

Posted on by

This year, three of us from Datamation headed out to Long Beach, CA for the 2020 Laserfiche Empower conference. Not only were we delighted to escape the cold for a bit (we’re based just outside of Chicago), but it was an excellent opportunity to learn more about Laserfiche, their products, and just why customers love it so much.

We went to classes, keynote speeches, labs, and various presentations to find out as much as we could about how people use Laserfiche and upcoming Laserfiche products. A lot of information was shared, but here are the 9 of the most exciting things from the conference.

Please note: some of these features have already launched on Laserfiche Cloud. Some are still being developed but should be released soon.

laserfiche empower 2020 sign

1. New Feature: Direct Share

Available now on cloud and coming soon to on-premise systems, Direct Share allows you to share content from your Laserfiche repository with people outside of your organization. So instead of having to download a file and attach it to an email, or download the file and put it on an FTP site, you can enter the end user’s email and the system will send them a link to download it. It’s perfect for all files, but especially those that are too big for email.

Other Direct Share features:

  • Document stays in your repository
  • You set an expiration date for the access link
  • Every interaction is noted in an audit trail
  • You set a password for the content
  • Long, alphanumeric URLs are individually generated so people can’t just stumble across the document
  • Administrators can see exactly what content has been shared and downloaded

2. More Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

As businesses generate and intake more data, everyone is going to need more assistance to keep track of it. That’s why Laserfiche is focusing on using more machine learning and artificial intelligence in its products.

Some of things ML & AI can help with:

  • Clean up repositories by finding duplicate files or moving documents into correct folders
  • Intelligent content tagging
  • Find and redact sensitive data
  • Enhance search by including concepts, synonyms, and picture recognition
  • Immediately route invoices

And speaking of invoices, that brings us to our next feature.

3. New Feature: Smart Invoice Capture

Laserfiche product managers told us that one of the first things they wanted to use machine learning for was processing invoices. However, as anyone who works in accounts payable knows, all invoices are drastically different.

Laserfiche’s machine learning will read the different kinds of invoices and pull out the invoice number, amount due, and other key information without zonal OCR or manual data entry.

The company is hoping to launch the product in the next few months, but you can give it a try right here. And as they told us at Laserfiche Empower, if you upload a sample invoice now, it’s much more likely that Laserfiche will be able to read your invoices when it officially launches.

laserfiche empower 2020 melissa henley

4. Laserfiche Helps with Contract Lifecycle Management

Knowing that contract lifecycle management keeps growing in complexity and that mismanagement of contracts can be very costly, Laserfiche wants to be a solution.

By using Laserfiche to manage your contracts, you can:

  • Use electronic signatures that integrate directly with Laserfiche
  • Don’t have to print out hundreds of pieces of paper
  • Save time by sending contracts with Direct Share
  • Automate and monitor every step of the lifecycle

You can learn more about managing contracts here.

5. New Solution: Laserfiche Vault

Laserfiche Vault is perfect for an industry like finance, where it’s imperative that you store documents for a set time and they must be in a non-rewritable, non-erasable format that meets WORM (Write Once, Read Many) requirements. Basically, once you put a document in your Laserfiche Vault, you can’t edit it at all until it meets its retention period and is purged.

Laserfiche Vault is only on cloud, but it’s simple to set up. It only takes two clicks to change a repository to Laserfiche Vault. Again, as anything inside Laserfiche Vault is unchangeable, it’s recommended that you set up a brand-new repository. You wouldn’t want the documents you use every day to suddenly be inaccessible!

A cloud-based system means that once your files are uploaded, they’re backed up in data centers across the world. So even if one data center has a problem, you won’t lose your important documents.

Other features of Laserfiche Vault:

  • Simplify compliance, even with the most stringent regulatory requirements
  • Designed specifically for audits
  • Laserfiche can act as a designated third party to handle requests from the SEC

laserfiche empower 2020 laserfiche vault presentation

6. New Feature: Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Laserfiche Cloud recently launched RPA (also known as “bots”), but we really got to see them in action at Empower. We attended a demo where we watched the product manager create a bot to transfer data from one system into Laserfiche to assist in an HR onboarding process.

The best part? All three of us walked away from that class ready to go program a bot. The bots don’t require any coding, so even non-technical employees can program them.

Robotic Process Automation is used to automate repetitive tasks, integrate legacy applications that may not have an API, and minimize data entry errors. As the product manager put it, it’s the right tool to close any automation gaps in your workflow.

If you want to learn more about RPA, make sure that you check out our blog post: The Beginner’s Guide to Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

7. New Feature: Customize Laserfiche Forms Without CSS

If you’ve been using Laserfiche Forms, then you know that while a form is simple to build, you could only put fields in a straight line. If you wanted to customize anything about the look or feel, you had to use CSS, get a developer, or ask your Solution Provider.

Soon you’ll be able to reposition form fields with easy drag and drop. You can place multiple fields on one line and then resize how large you want the boxes to be.

As a bonus, you can also use this layout editor to change the location and placement of fields on the metadata pane within the repository.

laserfiche empower 2020 guy kawasaki

8. New End-to-End Industry Solutions

Historically, organizations tailored their Laserfiche software specifically to their needs: you start with the basic document management and add on other products.

As a Laserfiche Solution Provider, we still believe that’s the best way to get the perfect system for your business (and of course we’d be happy to help craft that with you!). However, there is a lot of functionality within Laserfiche and it can be a little overwhelming to start. This is especially true if you want to get your system up and running as quickly as you can.

The solution? A bundle of Laserfiche products and features selected specifically for your industry. With tens of thousands of installations, Laserfiche knows which tools and business processes organizations within the same industry tend to use.

These solutions mean easier pricing, simpler installation, and powerful functionality at launch.

9. Laserfiche Aspire

Laserfiche Aspire is the one-stop-shop for anything related to learning and training for Laserfiche. To access it, go to the Laserfiche support site, hover over the word Learn, and then click Aspire. If you haven’t access certification courses before, you will be prompted to make an account. You do need to be a Laserfiche customer to access these resources.

This site has everything from 3-4-minute quick tip videos to robust Laserfiche certification courses. Like your favorite streaming service, Aspire has content grouped into “Featured,” “Most Popular,” and “Inspired by Your Subjects.” The platform uses machine learning to analyze which courses and videos you’ve already completed to suggest what content you’ll like next.

Laserfiche Aspire consolidates formalized learning content and guides. If you’re looking for support, make sure that you contact your Solution Provider or visit Laserfiche Answers.

This wasn’t even close to everything discussed at Empower. We learned a lot and we’re excited to work with our customers on even better ways to automate their business processes.

Did you attend Laserfiche Empower? If so, do you agree with us? If not, which are you most excited about? Reach out to us on LinkedIn or Twitter to let us know!

If you’d like to learn more about Laserfiche, don’t hesitate to contact us or give us a call at (630) 321-0601.

4694

publish

2020-03-05 14:41:12

laserfiche-empower-2020

Make a Document Management Plan for Your Office Relocation!

Posted on by

There are dozens of things to think about once you decide to move offices: furniture, color scheme, the impact on employees…dozens of things that need to be thought of and planned for when you relocate. As much as we hate to do it, let us add one more thing to your plate: document management plan. Not only does the information on your paper files need to go with you to your new office, but ideally it should also be accessible during the relocation process.

Moving is the perfect time to fully think about your current document management and how you can streamline it going forward. Consider these six things while deciding what’s going to be best for your organization.

1. Do you have a complete understanding of your current document situation?

Before making any improvements, you’re going to need to have a full understanding of your current documents. Take an inventory of all your current business documents. Make sure that you touch base with all departments within your company as there are operational documents, HR files, accounts payable, tax documents, invoices, security logs, etc. and you want to have everything accounted for.

Once you’ve spoken with the different departments in your office, create a master list of your documents and their current location. Don’t worry if you don’t have specifics – even a generalized list of types will be a huge help in future planning.

2. How are your documents organized?

You can research the answer to this question either during or after you ask about the different documents being stored in your office. But basically, you should have a sense of what everyone is doing with their documents. Has each department come up with their own unique filing system? Is everything stored in a central location? Is there a consistent process for how paperwork is managed?

Ask the employees who work with the documents what they think about the current process. Is it easy to find what they need? Is there anything they would like to change?

3. Are all the documents you have necessary?

benefit fund paperwork filesThis isn’t always the easiest question to answer. Some documents have specified retention periods due to local and federal laws or compliance guidelines. In addition to that, it’s likely that your organization has created some of their own retention rules.

However, it’s also possible that because retention guidelines can be intricate and confusing, someone somewhere along the line just decided that you’re going to keep everything. And while that may seem great for potential audits, that’s not so great for your storage space.

This is a good time to review and enforce document retention guidelines so you’re not spending the money to transfer paper that you don’t need. This is also the time to consider if you rather digitize your paper, microfilm, and/or oversized documents. No matter what, it’s going to be great to start over in your new space with a streamlined document management approach.

4. How much space do you want to devote to physical document storage in your new office?

This goes along with point three, but sometimes it’s easy to underestimate how much room those boxes and filing cabinets are going to take up. Being strict with your retention guidelines will help, but not eliminate, your paper files.

Estimate how much paper you accumulate in a six-month period and multiply based on the appropriate retention period. Will you have the room for that paper? Can you visualize where your storage will be in the new office?

Again, you may want to consider digitizing your files. This allows you to bring all of your information over to the new office but without the paper. Then to keep paper files under control, you can convert some paper forms to electronic and/or purchase a scanner to convert files yourself.

5. How sensitive/critical are your documents? Do you have any compliance issues?

When you’re planning your move, you’ll want to make sure that you have access to important files that you could need at a moment’s notice. Consider this as you’re boxing up files for the move.

Even more important, make sure that you make physical or digital copies of anything you’ll absolutely need when you move. Even with the best office relocation plan, accidents happen and documents can go missing. This can be a disaster for your clients or a potential audit.

Consider having an electronic backup of all, or at least of your in-use files, so that you have access if something happens to your paper copies.

6. How much of your resources can you commit to maintaining your paper files?

Even once you understand the current state of your documents and smooth out any compliance risks, you still need to think about if the resources dedicated to paper records is worth it. If you’re thinking about moving all of your records, it’s going to require a bunch of space in the new office and personnel to sort, assess, refile, unpack, and repack the files.

Just think about what you can use that space for and what better tasks your employees could be doing.

Once you think through these six points you’ll be well on your way to streamlining how your business handles records.

office relocation checklist

For more on relocating offices, including a printable checklist, download our free guide!

Have any questions about a document management plan? Want to give us feedback on this post? Reach out to us on Twitter or LinkedIn!

This post is part of the Datamation Guide to Office Relocation.

2266

publish

2019-11-12 06:00:34

document-management-office-relocation

Which File Format Should I Use for Scanned Documents?

Posted on by

So you’ve decided take your office paperless and are going to scan your documents or outsource the project. That’s great! There are lots of things to consider, but one item on the checklist should be which file format you’re going to use to store your scanned documents.

Let’s cover the most common types of file formats used in document scanning and which one may be best for your company.

As a disclaimer: we know that different file formats are good for different uses. This blog post and our opinions reflect our observation and usage from over 25 years in the industry.

PDF: Portable Document Format

PDF files are one of the most common file formats for scanned documents (and just about any kind of electronic document). Adobe designed the format so metadata, which is descriptive information about the file, could be captured from any application. Best of all, most computer users are familiar with the format and how to use them.

PDF is a great choice for your documents because they have built-in optical character recognition (OCR) technology, which means that they can be text searchable. For example, an instruction manual can be searched for specific text or phrases.

Have a relatively small volume of files? Those can be easily and conveniently stored in a PDF format. In fact, most desktop scanners come with software that will enable you to scan, name, and save a file in PDF format.

When to Use PDF:

  • If you’re going to scan your documents and just store them on your server or a hard drive
  • You only need to scan a low volume of files per day
  • If you plan to print any documents
  • Your company requires storing archived documents as PDF/A (see below)
  • You don’t use document management software
  • You don’t have a large volume of files

Pro tip: if you are scanning your documents just to have as an archive, and you don’t plan to edit them or access them often, you may want to save them in a PDF/A format. The PDF/A was created specifically for archiving. The format includes a “profile,” which means that it also stores data about fonts and colors so that the files can be read for years and years to come, regardless of what kind of software or internet browser is popular in the future.

If you’re an insurance company or benefit fund that needs to retain records for 60+ years, you may want to have both PDF and PDF/A copies for your archives.

PDFs can also be saved as:

  • PDF/E (for engineering and technical documentation archiving)
  • PDF/X (for graphics and printing)

You may also see the PDF options of PDF/UA and PDF/VT. These are standards created for accessibility and variable data printing, respectively.

TIFF: Tagged Image File Format (also seen as TIF)

TIFF files are the other most common file format for scanned documents. These are image files that hold a lot of detail. TIFF files also can compress very well and are commonly used to store scanned business records, patient files, student files, and government records.

If you have a large quantity of files to scan, it’s better to scan in a TIFF format. TIFF files can be efficiently compressed to optimize performance and file size. In addition, files scanned in a single-page TIFF format are compliant with health care privacy guidelines. For example, if you open a 400-page large patient file that is all contained in one PDF file, then you have most likely violated privacy guidelines. Also, the PDF file will be large, take more time to open, and be more susceptible to hackers and other unwanted parties.

As TIFF files can be comprised of single pages, it’s easy to add and subtract pages of documents. For example, if you’re working on an employee’s HR file, it’s easier to add to that file with TIFF images.

When it comes to scanning, one of the reasons that TIFF files are favored over PDFs is because a TIFF file is a true picture of the original document. That true picture preserves the integrity of the document whereas a PDF can be manipulated.

One of the drawbacks of TIFF files is that if you want them to be text searchable, you’ll also have to store a separate text file. However, if you’re working on these files within a document management system, this entire process is pretty seamless.

When to Use TIFF:

  • When you’re working with files that need to be added to frequently
  • If you primarily work with 200+ page documents
  • If you frequently use or plan to implement a document management system
  • When you have a large amount of files to convert to digital
  • If you plan to annotate or edit your documents after scanning them
  • When you’re working with files that must meet certain compliance standards (e.g. HIPAA)

JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group (also seen as JPG)

document scanning equipmentJPEGs are one of the most common image file formats for digital photography and web images, but not usually the best choice for your scanned documents. As images are resized or modified, the quality and data can be lost.

However, if you are scanning something like an archive of old posters or something graphics-heavy, JPEGs might be a great format.

Also, if you are using a content management system to hold all of your files and data, JPGs are perfect for storing logos, marketing assets, backups of website images, and printable collateral.

PNG: Portable Network Graphics

PNGs, like JPEGs, are great for web graphics. Like a JPEG, you may want to use this format for marketing materials and website image backups.

However, as they have a lower resolution than both TIFFs and PDFs, we also don’t recommend the format for scanned documents.

GIF, BMP, DOCX, and Other File Formats

We love a good GIF as much as the next person, but with fewer colors and a lower file quality, they aren’t a good file type for your documents.

BMP is an older file format that’s mostly been replaced by TIFF. You should only consider BMP if your ERP is an old, legacy system. And even then, it’d be better to initially scan as TIFF, make a backup, and then convert a duplicate set of TIFF files to BMP.

DOCX, PPTX, and other Microsoft Office files are good for living documents that require collaboration or updates. They’re not recommended for a historical or archived document that you don’t want changed, or files with personal information.

Again, if you’re going to be using an enterprise content management system for your files, you can store any kind of file in there without concern. Older scanned documents, new digital-born documents, pictures, audio files, and so much more can all be stored in one location.

Should I Use PDF or TIFF for My Scanned Documents?

If you’re still on the fence, take a look at our comparison chart:

Ultimately, the file format you use for document imaging isn’t going to make or break your digital transformation. Consider how your digital files will be stored and accessed, along with any kind of business standards your organization has. And remember: TIFF files can be converted into PDF files and vice versa.

What’s most important is being able to retrieve an image as quickly as possible when you need it. And that usually comes down to the kind of system you’re using.

Storing My Files in a Content Management System

laptop document management systemAs we mentioned earlier, if you’re using a true content management system for your files, then you can store everything you want in whatever format you want. There’s no need to convert any files unless your business has certain standards for storing documents.

Now here’s a fun fact: many content and document management systems store images in their native format but render (convert) these images to a different format as they are retrieved and viewed. Generally, the user doesn’t even know that this is happening.

There are multiple reasons for this:

  • By being stored natively, the original file/image is more secure.
  • The viewed/rendered image is now a working copy of the original image. It’s used for a very specialized purpose and safe from hackers and other unwanted sources.
  • Displaying an image in a common format enables the viewer to have more functionality. The viewer window can now easily email, annotate, reorder images, add or delete pages from a file, redact, lock, create a new version, print, integrate to an application, sign, download, perform routing, and carry out workflows.

In conclusion: the format of your files should be considered, but the choice is ultimately which format is best for your company, software, compliance and regulations, and the types and volume of documents to be scanned.

Essentially, don’t worry! A successful digitization project does not come down to whether you scan to PDF or TIFF files.

If you have any questions or comments on this article, reach out to us on LinkedIn or Twitter. If you’d like an expert opinion for your scanning project, don’t hesitate to contact us or give us a call at (630) 321-0601.

This post is part of the Datamation Guide to Document Scanning.

4636

publish

2019-11-05 06:00:56

file-format-scanned-documents-pdf-tiff

The Benefits of Accounts Payable Automation

Posted on by

Even if you have your accounts payable processes down to a fine science, mistakes can still happen. That’s just the nature of mostly paper-based processes. And if you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Did we pay that?” and unable to confirm that in less than a minute, then you should consider automating your AP processes. Eliminating mistakes and having immediate knowledge of your invoice status are just some of the benefits you can realize with accounts payable automation.

Read on for the rest of the benefits of automating your AP processes.

1. Significant Cost Savings

ap automation save costs on suppliesCost savings comes first because the savings are truly substantial. When you automate your accounts payable processes, you’ll see significant cost savings across the department.

Some examples are:

  • Less money spent on mailing invoices for approval
  • No costs to print or copy documents
  • Less money spent on office supplies
  • Free up your staff to work on other projects
  • Take advantage of early payment discounts

We’ve even heard from a client who had someone in their AP department retire, and because of how much was automated, they didn’t need to replace them. Not only did that save them in payroll, but also any costs associated with hiring and onboarding.

2. Eliminate Manual Data Entry Errors

No matter how skilled your AP employees are, there’s always the possibility of manual data entry error. We can’t help it! We’re human! But by automating your AP processes, you can eliminate costly data entry errors.

When you add documents to your software, the software automatically grabs important information and indexes it. An automatic workflow kicks off as soon as the invoice is confirmed and goes right to the designated approver. Once the process is over and everything is paid, your records are stored securely in your ERP and document management systems.

3. Better Vendor Relationships

ap automation better vendor relationshipsNo matter how great your vendors are, they’re going to get annoyed if you continually pay them late.

But when you implement AP automation, one of the benefits is that you can ensure that your vendors are paid on time, or early, every time. This will strengthen your relationship and that can lead to:

  • Early payment discounts
  • Product or service discounts
  • Industry insights you’re unaware of
  • Early access to new products or services
  • More customization to your specific needs
  • Referrals of your business to others

Once you get comfortable with your automated AP software, there are some that even allow for a vendor portal. Your vendors could log in and see the status of their invoices, which will eliminate many of the calls and emails.

If you don’t want to give vendors that kind of access, at least you’ll be able to give them the information quickly by just checking your system.

4. Immediate Approval Workflow

Ah, approvals. How much time in your day do you lose to chasing down approvals either in-person or by email?

One of the benefits of accounts payable automation is that you can create workflows that will immediately send off the invoice to an approver. And if the approver takes a while to approve? Follow up emails can be programmed to send with a reminder.

If you have multiple approvers, you can build the workflow to send to every single one. And if one of your approvers doesn’t approve the invoice? No problem. The workflow will send the document back to the AP department to handle whatever needs to be fixed.

Best of all, that entire document history is saved within your system, so you’ll know exactly who approved which invoice and when.

5. Easier 2-Way and 3-Way Matching

ap automation 2 3 way matchingWe don’t need to tell you why 2- and 3-way matching is important in accounts payable. What we can tell you is that automating makes this process much easier and take far less time.

You can do this by following these simple steps:

  • Add your documents to your document management software either by scanning paper or uploading PDFs
  • The system pulls the information from the documents (or you can manually enter it into index fields)
  • Do a simple search or run workflow to group the related documents together by the PO number

That’s it! Your days of getting up to pull documents from the filing cabinet and cross-referencing them by hand are over. The only time a human hand touches the invoice is if you scan it into your system.

This is also helpful if you have an audit – just pull up the related documents via a simple search! More on that later.

6. Quickly Identify and Solve Exception Processing

Another one of the benefits of accounts payable automation is that it will immediately identify invoices that don’t match the purchase order.

Once the invoice is brought into the system, based on rules you set up, it will try and match itself to the accompanying PO. Then you will be able to compare the documents and make sure that the amount matches.

If it doesn’t, you’ll have all the information right in front of you when you call the vendor to solve the error.

7. Stress-Free Accounts Payable Audits

Even though they’re important, nobody looks forward to an audit. Combing through files just to find a single document is time consuming for both the employees and the auditor.

With AP automation, audits take much less time and are far less stressful than keeping everything on paper. Here’s how:

  • Putting every invoice, purchase order, receipt, etc. into the system means that you can find any document you need with a simple search
  • Document audit trails show exactly when a document was added, who looked at it and when, who approved the invoice, and when it was marked paid
  • Auditors can spot discrepancies quickly via the dashboard or a search

It’s also highly likely that the last bullet point won’t even happen, but it’s better to know about a problem sooner rather than later.

With AP automation, audits are over in a snap and your department can get back to work.

8. Greater Visibility into Business Finances

When your invoices and purchase orders are all on paper, it’s hard to have a sense of what stage of approval or processing that every invoice is in. That also doesn’t make it easy to know how much money has been paid compared to how much still needs to be sent out.

But with a good AP Automation software, you’ll be able to have instant insight into the status of your invoices.

Some software features an impressive dashboard feature that lets you look at your invoices holistically and see their status, history, and accuracy. Software like Square 9 GlobalSearch lets you group invoices into specialized searches so you can see what’s outstanding and where it is in the approval and payment process.

As you can tell, automating your AP processes will truly give you some powerful benefits and take your department to the next level. With invoices handled quickly and completely when they come in, your employees will have the time to focus on higher level work.

Interested in learning more about how AP automation can help your business? Give us at call at (630) 321-0601 or contact us.

This post is part of the comprehensive Datamation Guide to AP Automation.

4558

publish

2019-09-12 06:00:07

benefits-accounts-payable-automation

Older posts
Newer posts