Digitization has become synonymous to smart businesses. With the internet ruling the world, the way individuals and organizations access and utilize the information has changed forever. It would not be an understatement that businesses managing their information with physical records need to step up to stay in the fast-paced digital playfield. Digitization of the critical records is the sure-shot strategy to gain an edge in the digital business landscape.

In this post, we will tell you about the steps involved in Digitization of Records and How digitization benefits organizations.

Let us get started!

Steps involved in Digitization of Business Records

Digitization of records is a process that requires precision and demands few key processes to be followed in a sequence to put everything in the right order. A business can assign an internal Records Management team to do so or even hire a RMS Vendor for a much professional and time-saving execution. Below are the key-steps involved in digitization of an organization’s records;

Identification of Records to be digitized

This is much crucial than it might sound. An enterprise must identify the physical records that need to be digitized. They must first be sorted by various departments. For instance, Legal, HR, Finances, etc. Then, the different documents must be segregated under different categories as per the date, importance, etc. They can even be segregated into black & white and colored categories for faster processing.

Records Preparation

Before your team can begin scanning the records, they must be clean-No binding, paper clips, pins, or reminder notes on their surface must be present. While your team can undertake this step with ease, a professional Records Digitization Service vendor will save a lot of time.

Scanning

Scanning is the key part of the digitization process. Nowadays, there are many apps and software available for scanning the documents. One can use optical recognition apps that convert the documents directly into PDFs . However, one must also keep in mind that these options are not suitable for high-volume printing. Office-grade multi-function printers and scanners often get jammed or malfunction under heavy workload. Moreover, each document has to be diligently named. Hence, it is best to consult and RMS Vendor for scanning your records. They use high-capacity scanners and specialize in volumetric digitization of documents.

File Format

This one would totally depend upon the volume of your records and the level of accuracy you are aiming. You can save your records in image formats like .jpeg, .img, etc. or in the PDF format or both. OCR or Optical Character Recognition software is used to digitize poorly printed and handwritten documents, but can be inaccurate at times and is suitable only for low-volume work. Professional RMS vendors recommend sticking to the PDF format only.

Storage

There is a plethora of storage media to securely contain your digitized records. From flash drives, DVDs, external hard-drives, video libraries, etc. to cloud storage and internal servers, multiple options are there at your disposal. However, your best investment would be an Electronic Document Management System or EDMS. An EDMS allows you to manage your digital files on the go with access control and protection of sensitive records from intruders and viruses. You must choose the storage system and access interface depending upon how frequently you need access to your records.

Benefits of Digitized Records for Organizations

Digitization offers multiple benefits to the enterprises from a Legal, Productivity, Strategic, Tactical and Efficient Bottom line standpoint. Following are the benefits that an enterprise can reap post Digitization of its entire records;

• No transcription errors
• Enhanced Digital Workflow processes
• Better accessibility to information
• Faster record retrieval through title tags and meta-description
• Single source of truth for any litigation, audit or compliance support
• Strategic move for Big Data handling
• Risk mitigation from unwarranted exploitation of records through malicious activities
• Risk mitigation from Governance & Compliance penalties
• Declutter office space
• Save time, storage space and productivity plunges due to lost files
• Overall improved business productivity and reduced overhead costs

If you have been thinking of digitizing your organization’s most critical records, now is the time. Keep the above benefits in mind. Until next time!