If you are accustomed to an office setting, whether that be a home office or not, you may be familiar with the hassle that can come with storing and sharing documents. While printing documents can be beneficial, it is usually wise to have an electronic version as well as a paper version.

If you have some old paperwork that is not on a computer, a scanner may help you organize that paperwork and perhaps eliminate the need to keep the old papers on hand. Here are some benefits of having a scanner:

1. Less space - Paperwork takes up a lot of space--it demands filing cabinets, desk drawers, and folders. With a scanner, you may be able to cut down on some of that space.
2. Less likely to lose important documents - If you do not have an electronic backup of your documents, you could lose the information forever should they get lost or taken on accident. With a scan, you have that information available should anything happen to the physical copies.
3. Easy to find - Searching for something on a computer is much simpler than searching through file cabinets for the right document. This can save quite of bit of time!
4. Easy to share - You can send a document to multiple emails or keep it on your computer. The file can be spread anywhere you need it to go without the hassle of using mail or printing more copies of the file.
5. Improved security - Computers can be password protected, whereas physical files are not. Even if they are under lock and key, keys can get lost. With scans of your files, you are less likely to have any information stolen.
6. Disaster backup - Even if it isn’t likely, it’s always good to be prepared for the worst. An electrical fire could cause a business to lose all of their documents. Computers can be regularly backed up and information can be shared over the cloud to make sure all items can be accessed in the future, from any device.

So you’ve decided a scanner is perfect for your business? Great! We can help. Here are some things to consider before you buy your scanner:

• How much will you be scanning? If you need to scan hundreds of items a day, you may want to invest in a scanner that can go through more pages per minute (ppm). If you will only use the scanner once or twice a day, you can get away with a slower and less expensive scanner.
• What are you scanning? You could be scanning books, photos, documents, magazines, or whatever else you need! You may want a scanner with a higher resolution if you will be scanning photos. Talk to us about what you want to use your scanner for and we can help you make the best choice.
• Do you need the scanner to move? Scanners can come in all sizes, so be sure you know if you want it to stay in one place or if you want to be able to bring it with you in your laptop bag.

After you answer these questions, come see us! We look forward to discussing your scanner needs with you and helping you make the best selection for your business.