Given today’s economy, it is more important than ever to maximize value and minimize cost. Many organizations are seeking solutions where they “only pay for what they need”. Seeking the lowest price is not always the best option. Choosing the lowest cost solution, that does not meet the need, is money wasted, and overspending is just as wasteful. There are many cost factors when it comes to digitizing documents. eBizDocs works with each customer to verify all needs are satisfied and no unnecessary expenses get imposed.

Over the past several years, advancements in data capture technologies, stricter records management requirements and the governmental goal of achieving the coveted “paperless office” have driven businesses and agencies to seek more efficient ways of handling their information.

The good news is that from a day-forward perspective, many already deployed modern content and records management systems. With enough user education and planning, these organizations can keep digital information in digital form. For Government agencies, this means creating a foundation for compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records management deadlines defined in the M-19-21 memorandum.

The bad news is digital records are only part of the equation. The elephant in the room is the continued ubiquity of paper. There are many reasons for the continued existence of paper. Some are cultural; people just don’t like to change. Some are historical; when paper records were created many years ago, no one thought that they would someday need to be digitized.

The reality is many businesses and government agencies have a mind-boggling number of boxes of permanent and non-permanent records in paper form that need digitization. When it comes to an organization’s scanning, conversion, and digitization projects, one thing is clear– there is a lot of confusion about the “right” price to pay for digitizing documents.

In determining the “right” price for a back-file digitization project, several aspects must be considered. A typical file box contains 2,500 pages and a business, government agency may have hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of these boxes. In other words, millions and millions of documents requiring digitization. Trying to digitize this accumulated history with internal resources while simultaneously moving forward with new systems is a recipe for disaster, especially during the COVID-19. Speed is key, as is getting rid of paper storage facilities and digitizing records to meet any number of compliance requirements.

Organizations should focus precious internal IT resources on the future and on making new systems automate the day-forward task of records/document management. Against this daunting challenge, if ever there was a task that calls for outsourcing, it’s back-file scanning, capture, and digitization.

But how much should you pay for this task? Industry prices easily range from 5 cents to 30 cents per page, and everything in between. So, what is the “right” price for your circumstances?

The “right” price for capture, scanning, and digitization needs to match against the requirements of the task. One place to start is with the requirements laid out by NARA. While targeted for the government agency audience, many aspects are applicable to commercial businesses. The Federal Records Management Council (FRMC) White Paper on Digitization Cost Benefit Analysis lays out the benefits, risks, and challenges of moving from a paper-based process of records preservation to digital format.

The white paper covers several topics and includes a complete list of items to consider as part of evaluating a digitization provider. Some of the key items include:

  • Can the provider support all stages of the digitization process from initial planning through implementation?
  • Has the provider adequately detailed the workflows within their solution?
  • What chain-of-custody controls does the provider implement to protect records throughout the digitization process, starting from pick-up/handling of physical records through scanning and eventual return or final disposition?
  • Does the provider offer document preparation, compliant storage, secured transportation and/or destruction services to appropriately handle the physical source materials?
  • How does the provider track and monitor records as they progress through the digitization process?
  • What steps does the provider take to ensure accuracy and quality assurance metrics meet the customer’s needs?
  • What scanning features/capabilities does the provider offer (e.g., high resolution, OCR, wide-format document, book scanning, fragile/historical records)?
  • Does the provider offer digitization services for other record formats (e.g., microfilm, microfiche)?
  • What IT compliance requirements or certification does the provider meet, e.g. SOC2 Type II?
  • Can the provider produce past performance references for successfully completed digitization projects?

Given the stated range of up to 30 cents per page, if you settle for a provider promising a less than 8-10 cents per page price, you probably will regret your decision because you won’t get full answers to the above questions. If you agree to a 30 cents per page price tag, you will most likely be over-buying (unless the documents are particularly problematic).

There are multiple factors that can impact the price of your digitization project. Some things to consider include:

  • The age, condition, and quality of the material to be digitized
  • The volume of material to be processed
  • The amount of document prep and re-prep needed
  • The number of indexes and where they can be found in the material
  • The time frame to complete the project
  • Types of media other than paper (microfilm, microfiche, CD’s VHS, audio tapes, bound books, magazines, blueprints)

eBizDocs offers an upfront assessment of your document needs and welcomes the opportunity of providing a quote tailored to your requirements, ensuring you only pay for what you need.

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About eBizDocs

eBizDocs is a premier digital transformation provider focused on helping you put INFORMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. Offerings include paper and microfilm conversion, content capture and document management solutions, scanner sales and service, and process consultation. eBizDocs is SOC2 Type II certified and serves private and public-sector organizations. The company has been in business for over 20 years and is a preferred source contractor for NYS entities. To learn how eBizDocs can help transform your operation, visit eBizDocs.com