http://www.digiscribe.info/Thoughts, industry insights and information about how document scanning services, workflow automation and document management services help companies, non-profit organizations and medical offices improve efficiency and reduce costs.human resources compliance Solutions workflow automation accounts payable Office Automation mailroom services healthcaremedical record scanning HIPAA document management software Document Management hospitalityefficiency document scanning services customer service Document Scanning non-profit office automation e-formssecurity paper destruction Industry News & Insightshospitalitydocument scanning services Digitech Systems Software & Productscompliance efficiency FileBoundHIPAA cloud document management software human resourcesdocument management software book scanning servicesSOC 2 Type 2 securitydata entry large format scanning servicesmovingFileBoundtechnical supporttechnologyaccounts payable disaster recoveryDocument Management workflow automationlarge format scanning servicesdisaster recoveryBetter Business Bureau (BBB) technical support urn:uuid:35ff3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/are-your-human-resource-processes-compliant human resources compliance Solutions From employee application to termination, massive amounts of paperwork must be managed in accordance with regulatory guidelines.Fri, 17 Jul 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]8d453de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/regulatory-compliance.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Compliance whiteboard" title="Ensure regulatory compliance" /></span>From employee application to termination, massive amounts of paperwork must be managed in accordance with regulatory guidelines. If not, your company may be exposed to regulatory fines and potential lawsuits.</p> <h2>Stop Worrying About Compliance</h2> <p>Human resource managers have enough to worry about without the added stress of making sure the department is in compliance to avoid regulatory fines. The right processes and tools can help ensure your <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources" title="human resource solutions">human resource (HR) documents</a>&nbsp;are created, processed, stored, accessed and purged in a compliant manner. But where do you start?</p> <p>Digiscribe and National Financial Partners Corporation (NFP) are co-presenting a webinar on how your HR department can minimize liability risk, improve efficiencies and ensure proper employee file management with <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">automated workflow processes</a>&nbsp;and document management software.</p> <p>Call us at (888) 294-1965 or fill out the contact form on this page to learn more about your HR processes can be more compliant.</p>urn:uuid:be9d3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/streamline-accounts-payable-with-automation-software workflow automation accounts payable Office Automation Automation software is radically transforming accounting and finance departments, resulting in streamlined workflows, increased efficiency and a stronger bottom line.Tue, 19 May 2015 13:07:20 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]939d3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/big-and-small-robots.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Big and small robots" title="Streamline your AP department with accounting robots" /></span>Automation software is radically transforming accounting and finance departments. A recent Wall Street Journal article <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-bookkeeper-is-a-robot-1430776272" title="The New Bookkeeper Is a Robot" target="_blank">highlights companies like Verizon, GameStop, Pilot Travel and others who have automated accounting processes</a>&nbsp;that once required hundreds of people. This has resulted in streamlined workflows, increased efficiency and a stronger bottom line.</p> <p>Automation software, or &ldquo;robots&rdquo; as they&rsquo;re called in the WSJ article, <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable" title="accounts payable automation">automates invoice processing</a>&nbsp;and countless other tasks that are manual, prone to errors and traditionally paper- based.</p> <p>It saves thousands of workforce hours, slashes expenses, improves efficiency and reduces strain on an overextended workforce.</p> <h2>Small and midsized companies can benefit too</h2> <p>While the Wall Street Journal article focuses on automation robots in large firms, small and midsized companies can now experience the same benefits of automation software to improve their operations, including:</p> <ul> <li>Reduced costs</li> <li><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">Streamlined and automated workflows</a></li> <li>Improved efficiency</li> <li>Enhanced productivity</li> <li>Accelerated processing speeds</li> <li>Reallocation of employees to more crucial, revenue-generating roles</li> </ul> <p>Invoice automation software is tailored to meet your business processes and can be integrated with your line-of-business or ERP software to maximize efficiency. Processes that used to be manual are taken over by cutting-edge software. Instead of being slow, inefficient and costly, your critical business processes are completed in less time and more efficiently.</p> <p>Digital documents, information and tasks are automatically transmitted from one person to another for a streamlined system. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services" title="mailroom scanning services">Outsourcing your mailroom</a>&nbsp;and having a trusted document scanning partner receive and digitize your invoices for automated workflow further maximizes efficiency and reduces costs.</p> <h2>Use savings to generate revenue</h2> <p>An additional benefit of robot accounting is freeing up your valuable employees. Instead of being occupied with tasks that can be done by software, capable team members can be reallocated to crucial spots that are hard to fill, boosting productivity, improving morale and accomplishing more with the same number of employees.</p> <p>For example, you can reallocate funds formerly spent on accounting to areas like marketing, data analysis and metric testing, to generate profits and create income streams. The money you currently spend can be reallocated and invested in departments and projects that generate more profit.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us today to fully automate your accounting workflow"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/automate-accounting-workflow.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Contact us today to fully automate your accounting workflow for big savings" title="Automate your company's accounting workflow today" /></a></p>urn:uuid:5c8f3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/healthcare-insurance-compliance workflow automation mailroom services healthcare Solutions Strict healthcare compliance regulations have become rampant, giving policymakers a stranglehold on the healthcare industry. As a result, providers and insurance companies are always on alert, frantic to adhere to an endless list of tough rules and restrictions. Discover the solution.Tue, 12 May 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]828f3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/healthcare-compliance.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Doctor with checkmark" title="Ensure healthcare compliance" /></span>Strict healthcare compliance regulations have become rampant, giving policymakers a stranglehold on the healthcare industry.</p> <p>As a result, providers and insurance companies are always on alert, frantic to adhere to an endless list of tough rules and restrictions. This creates an added workload, longer hours, huge expenses, increased employee stress, the looming threat of fines, penalties and severe repercussions.</p> <h2>Outdated Paper-Based Process</h2> <p>The industry&rsquo;s widespread use of old-fashioned paper documents and outdated postal services makes processing requests and responding to grievances cumbersome, inefficient, time-consuming and expensive. Responses take longer than permitted, with damaging repercussions.</p> <p>One common example of a compliance challenge plaguing healthcare insurance companies is the 48 hour response timeframe for approval requests and grievances, which if not adhered to, can bring crippling penalties. Companies need to receive, open, unfold, sort and process each document, and get it delivered to the appropriate person responsible for taking action.</p> <p>It may take days before requests are even read, let alone responded to. Paper hard copies can be misplaced, disposed of or arrive in the wrong inbox and not be noticed for weeks.</p> <h2>Outsourced Mailroom Services</h2> <p>Companies turn to Digiscribe for document automation, the ideal solution for compliance issues. Acting as a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services" title="mailroom scanning services">full-service outsourced mailroom</a>, Digiscribe provides an automated way for companies to process and respond to grievances swiftly, transforming a painstaking, inefficient process, into a simple, streamlined, paperless digital system, modernized for maximum efficiency. The smooth, fast workflow allows companies to be fully compliant and eliminates regulatory headaches and burdens.</p> <p>Your mail is sent to a unique PO Box for scheduled pick-up by Digiscribe, where HIPAA-trained employees <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">convert documents to digital format</a>, index and deliver to the appropriate parties within the mandated time. The documents kick off an automated workflow based on your work rules and management can easily track the process to ensure compliance guidelines are being met. The documents are stored in secure document management software for retrieval, sharing, emailing and access control.</p> <p>Documents are simple to track, never get lost, and can be accessed simultaneously by all relevant parties. This streamlined, efficient process makes response times blazingly fast, and virtually eliminates mistakes and confusion. Most importantly, this system vastly improves companies&rsquo; ability to comply with arduous regulations and restrictive time-constraints.</p> <h2>Stop Worrying About Compliance</h2> <p>See how the <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/success-stories/vnsny-choice" title="Visiting Nurse Service of NY success story">Visiting Nurse Service of NY</a>&nbsp;used Digiscribe&rsquo;s services to simplify their grievance-response execution process and heavily improve their compliance record.</p> <p>Use Digiscribe as your mailroom. We&rsquo;ll open your mail, convert it to digital, index it and pass it on in a user-friendly format. Track documents, save money, avoid hefty compliance fines and eliminate the threat of losing your license with zero paper and zero hassle.</p> <p>Ready to use Digiscribe as your personal full-service mailroom, saving money and eliminating compliance headaches? Contact Digiscribe today at (888) 294-1965 or fill out the contact form on this page.</p> <p>We look forward to hearing from you!</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to streamline your workflow &amp; eliminate compliance problems"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/eliminate-compliance-problems.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Streamline your workflow and eliminate compliance problems with document scanning and management" title="Eliminate compliance issues by streamlining workflow" /></a></p>urn:uuid:888d3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/reclaim-medical-practice-space medical record scanning HIPAA healthcare document management software Solutions Document Management Despite the adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) systems, medical practices still face serious space constraints due to the storage of physical patient files. With professional document scanning and management services, your medical practice can stop leaking revenue into rooms full of unnecessary paper.Tue, 05 May 2015 13:48:39 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]c98e3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/holding-medical-records.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Doctor holding medical records" title="Digitize your medical records" /></span>Despite the adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) systems, medical practices still face serious space constraints due to the storage of physical patient files. And in a medical practice, space is money&mdash;meaning every square foot occupied by physical records represents thousands in wasted resources. Shelves upon shelves of cumbersome files are siphoning resources that might otherwise be allocated to increasing efficiency, prioritizing patient care and improving employee happiness.</p> <h2>Reclaim space and resources with document scanning</h2> <p>Thanks to professional document scanning and management services, your medical practice can stop leaking revenue into rooms full of unnecessary paper.</p> <p>How?</p> <p>First, patient records are scanned and uploaded to a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">secure, cloud-based document management system</a>. HIPAA compliant document management software ensures that all patient information is safely stored and easily accessible from any computer. Now, medical staff can quickly and reliably retrieve any information required, when required&mdash;without wading through heaps of paper to get there.</p> <h3>Document scanning and HIPAA compliance</h3> <p>When selecting a professional document scanning and management company, be sure to confirm that the document management software you choose can be integrated with your existing EMR system. This integration allows healthcare professionals to access any scanned patient record from within the EMR system with the tap of a shortcut key&mdash;no need to waste time juggling between multiple programs.</p> <p>Finally, it is important to ensure that you outsource <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/medical-record-scanning" title="medical record scanning">scanning your patient files</a>&nbsp;to a HIPAA compliant document scanning company, meaning that document scanning is carried out in accordance with HIPAA guidelines by HIPAA-trained professionals. Once all patient files have been scanned, your paper files are securely stored in a HIPAA compliant system rather than taking up valuable practice space.</p> <h2>Benefits of reclaimed space</h2> <p>Once your practice is free of paper records, you can convert old file-room resource sinks into brand new revenue-generating spaces!</p> <h3>More space = increased profit</h3> <p>Did your patient files occupy an entire room of office space? </p> <p>If so, removing those files might free up a new exam room or consultation room. By eliminating paper records, your practice can produce new revenue in additional patient visits every day. Moreover, added patient scheduling results in increased flexibility and availability of care&mdash;top priority for any medical practice.</p> <h3>More space = better workflow</h3> <p>Were your practice&rsquo;s hallways, nursing stations, or check-in and checkout stations stacked with boxes and unusable file cabinets?</p> <p>If so, removing those obstacles can improve the overall feel of your practice, providing a sense of calm for both employees and patients in place of previous clutter. This improved mood combined with clear paths and open areas can improve employee efficiency as well.</p> <h3>More space = higher productivity</h3> <p>Did your patient files occupy a sizeable open area? </p> <p>If so, removing those files might free up space for an employee break room. Employees who are happier and more relaxed thanks to an improved work environment&mdash;even through something as simple as a break room&mdash;will repay your investment several times over in increased productivity.</p> <h2>Additional benefits of paperless records</h2> <h3>Increased efficiency</h3> <p>With paper records, simple human filing errors can result in hours of time wasted at your practice every single day. Records are easily misplaced, requiring file room staff&mdash;and sometimes even medical professionals!&mdash;to dig through recent patient charts for the necessary information before the next patient can be seen.</p> <p>When medical records are scanned and stored by <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>, it is no longer necessary for employees to spend hours searching for misplaced documents. Any scanned file can be pulled up at the touch of a key; doctors and staff can spend their time on patient care rather than wild-document chases.</p> <h3>Patient security and HIPAA compliance</h3> <p>With paper records, anyone could potentially gain access to your patients&rsquo; sensitive information. In even the most well maintained practices, patient files are often left lying around. Charts that are set down on a desk for a few minutes, for example, can easily find themselves in the wrong hands&mdash;whether or not this is done intentionally.</p> <p>With secure cloud-based record storage, though, all patient files can be &ldquo;locked,&rdquo; with access allowed only to certain medical professionals or staff. You can even track scanned records to determine who has accessed them and for what purpose&mdash;a new level of peace of mind for both patients and healthcare providers.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">Document scanning</a>&nbsp;combined with EMR-integrated document management software allows your medical practice to save valuable space and, as a result, to save valuable resources. Ultimately, this means that your healthcare providers and staff are able to devote more time to ensuring quality of patient care.</p> <p>To learn more about how you can use document scanning and document management software to reclaim office space with paperless medical records and EMR integration, please call us at (888) 294-1965. You can also send us a message using the contact form on this page.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Reclaim your medical office space with document scanning and paperless medical records"><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]e28e3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/reclaim-medical-office-space.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Contact us to reclaim your medical office space" title="Scan medical records to reclaim office space" /></span></a></p>urn:uuid:3c893ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/hospitality-mailroom-scanning-services workflow automation mailroom services hospitality accounts payable Solutions One readily apparent area of improvement for multi-location hospitality companies is accounts payable. With multiple invoices flooding in from many locations, sorting, organizing, and acting on them in a timely manner can become an insurmountable challenge.Tue, 28 Apr 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]7b893ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/map-with-markers.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Map with markers" title="Multi-location businesses" /></span>Multi-location hospitality businesses operate in a uniquely competitive, challenging environment, where fluid demands and razor-thin margins necessitate ever increasing operational efficiency.</p> <p>One readily apparent area of improvement for multi-location hospitality companies is accounts payable. With multiple invoices flooding in from many locations, sorting, organizing, and acting on them in a timely manner can become an insurmountable challenge. There are multiple risks associated with the traditional accounts payable mailroom:</p> <ul> <li>For a multi-location hospitality business, the extra time needed to receive invoices at each location and send them to your AP department for processing can significantly impact the availability of supplies. If, for example, a hotel or restaurant does not stay on top of paying key vendors on time, these vendors will cease distribution, forcing the hotel or restaurant to find another vendor quickly &ndash; which could result in a shortage of inventory and supplies, such as food, beverages, clean linens, etc.</li> <li>The logistics of processing all of the incoming documents can swell out of control, causing your company to lag behind the competition. </li> <li>A paper-based system makes it difficult to receive, distribute, process, control and track invoices.</li> <li>Risk of human error is ever-present, as employees have to sort through hundreds or thousands of individual invoices.</li> </ul> <h2>Solve the problem with mailroom scanning services</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services" title="mailroom scanning services">Outsourcing your AP mailroom</a>&nbsp;eliminates the above challenges in one fell swoop. Every incoming invoice becomes a digital document which arrives at your AP office within one business day, eliminating paper and slashing associated costs by thousands of dollars each year.</p> <p>Here&rsquo;s how it works:</p> <ul> <li>We receive all of your company&rsquo;s mail (for all business locations) via a dedicated P.O. Box daily</li> <li>All incoming mail is opened and scanned, with rigorous quality control for all images</li> <li><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">Images are converted into digitized documents</a>, and indexed according to your identification needs</li> <li>Your accounts payable office receives all of its documents electronically within 24 hours for processing</li> <li>From there, invoices can be forwarded into an <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">automatic workflow</a>&nbsp;(more on this shortly), and distributed for review and approval</li> </ul> <h2>Benefits of paperless accounts payable include...</h2> <h3>Save time</h3> <p>Receiving invoices in multiple locations and forwarding them to your central accounts payable office can take anywhere from a couple of days to a week. In the fast-paced hospitality industry, hinging your business on a cumbersome process can cause your competitive edge to erode.</p> <p>Outsourcing your accounts payable mailroom lets you cut down on the time expenditure and removes a major hurdle early in the review process. Everything goes to the same P.O. Box, and is then scanned and delivered to you within 24 hours. This expedites document processing significantly.</p> <h3>Reduce human error</h3> <p>A traditional accounts payable process is fertile ground for mistakes and lack of accountability. Paper invoices can be misplaced or sent to the wrong manager for review; and it&rsquo;s easy to fail to act upon them in a timely manner. Errors like these can add up, causing the level of service to suffer, along with the company&rsquo;s bottom line.</p> <p>Scanning and workflow automation removes the likelihood of review errors, adds a layer of accountability into the process, and prevents documents from being lost or misplaced as they travel from person to person.</p> <h3>Gain a competitive edge</h3> <p>Improving invoice processing makes payments faster, and ensures your hospitality business is always stocked up with the inventory and supplies you need to deliver the highest-quality services across all of your locations. Eliminating paper document processing and storage frees up space, funds, and man hours to invest in more demanding areas.</p> <p>Most importantly, a paperless system of managing accounts payable helps you track and monitor your financial records across all locations. This results in additional insights into how your hospitality business operates, and helps the entire company run with increased transparency and accountability.</p> <p>All of the above leads to cementing your position in the hospitality industry, where smart resource management can make all the difference when it comes to maintaining a thriving business.</p> <h3>Additional benefits with workflow automation</h3> <p>To make the most of outsourced mailroom operations, it&rsquo;s important to consider incorporating workflow automation software for maximum control and accelerated decision-making in every area of your company.</p> <p>Workflow automation adds the following benefits into the mix:</p> <ul> <li>All invoices are routed to the appropriate persons</li> <li>Invoices can be distributed to general managers for approval based on parameters like invoice amount and location</li> <li>The need for manual approval of purchase order based invoices is eliminated</li> </ul> <h2>Learn more</h2> <p>For more information on how mailroom scanning services and workflow automation can help your hospitality business thrive, call us at 888-294-1965. Or contact us using the form on this page.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to outsource your accounts payable mailroom to improve efficiency"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/ap-mailroom-workflow.png?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Outsource your accounts payable mailroom &amp; implement workflow automation to improve efficiency" title="Streamline AP with mailroom scanning &amp; workflow automation" /></a></p>urn:uuid:368a3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/quickly-respond-to-document-requests efficiency document scanning services document management software customer service Document Scanning Document Management One reporter recently wrote about his experience requesting information from the State Department. After a long wait and finally getting a response, he learned that there is a backlog of requests because “the office lacks copy machines that can handle the volume required.” Astonishing, but not surprising to me.Tue, 21 Apr 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]718a3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/request-box.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Request submission box" title="Fulfill document requests quickly" /></span>Many reporters rely on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to request and receive access to information from the federal government. One reporter recently wrote about his experience <a href="http://www.marketplace.org/topics/tech/final-note/oh-want-decent-copier" title="Oh, for the want of a decent copier" target="_blank">requesting information from the State Department</a>. After a long wait and finally getting a response, he learned that there is a backlog of requests because &ldquo;the office lacks copy machines that can handle the volume required.&rdquo; Astonishing, but not surprising to me.</p> <p>With this knowledge in hand, here&rsquo;s a rough idea of what the current process entails after an FOIA request has been received:</p> <ol> <li>State Department staff has to locate and retrieve the physical document or documents requested, hoping they have not been lost or misfiled</li> <li>Staff must make a copy of the documents when a machine is available</li> <li>After being copied, the documents are put into an envelope and mailed to the person who made the request</li> </ol> <p>There has to be a better way to manage this process and fulfill these requests.</p> <h2>Streamline Document Delivery with Digitized Documents</h2> <p>The above scenario wouldn&rsquo;t exist if the government&rsquo;s, or any organization&rsquo;s, documents were <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">scanned</a>, indexed and stored on secure <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>. If that was the case, the process would go like this:</p> <ol> <li>A document request is received and staff can search for the requested document directly from their computer, using a number of search values such as date, document title, document type, etc.</li> <li>Documents are retrieved electronically in seconds and emailed to the person who made the request</li> <li>The document management software tracks all activity showing who accessed the document(s), who it was emailed to and other actions taken, providing an audit trail</li> </ol> <h2>Efficiency &amp; Cost Benefits</h2> <p>The advantages are clear &ndash; employees spend significantly less time searching, copying and mailing documents, and the requested documents are delivered quickly and electronically. As an added benefit, management can set up security parameters to determine who has access to any document, what can be done with that document and easily track any action taken on a document. </p> <p>Managing FOIA and other document requests this way also eliminates costs associated with copying and mailing documents such as copy paper, storage, ink, monthly leases, machine repairs and postage.</p> <p>Isn&rsquo;t it time you streamlined your company&rsquo;s document request process? Contact us by calling the number on the top of this page or by clicking the button below to speak with one of our solution specialists.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to improve your request response time"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/document-requests.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Improve your request response time with document management software" title="How is your customer response time?" /></a></p>urn:uuid:fe5d3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-not-for-profits-leverage-technology workflow automation non-profit document management software Solutions The ubiquity of today’s technology makes it an exciting time for non-profit organizations across the world. Never has it been easier to connect on a global scale, and gain access to cutting edge tools and resources that can help you with all aspects of your mission.Tue, 14 Apr 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]ea5e3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/memberships-awards/mbn.png?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Metropolitan Business Network" title="MBN" /></span>The ubiquity of today&rsquo;s technology makes it an exciting time for non-profit organizations across the world. Never has it been easier to connect on a global scale, and gain access to cutting edge tools and resources that can help you with all aspects of your mission, including:</p> <ul> <li>Program management</li> <li>Community engagement</li> <li>Marketing communications</li> <li>Fundraising</li> <li>Hiring the best talent</li> <li>Connecting with like-minded volunteers</li> </ul> <p>Our principal founder, Mitch Taube, and the Metropolitan Business Network (MBN) brought together representatives from three technology giants &ndash; Microsoft, Salesforce and LinkedIn &ndash; to speak to non-profit organizations throughout the New York tri-state area on ways in which technology can help them in all of the above areas, and more.</p> <p>All three of these companies are making technology even more accessible by providing special pricing and products just for NFPs. To find out more, you can watch the highlights of each company&rsquo;s &ldquo;Non-Profits and Technology Giants: Essential Tools, Grants and Services for Non-Profit Leaders&rdquo; MBN presentation by clicking on the links below:</p> <ul style="list-style-type: none;"> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO7onQXAGvs" title="Microsoft MBN Presentation" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/logos/microsoft.jpg?sfvrsn=8" displaymode="Original" alt="Microsoft logo" title="Microsoft" /><br /> Non-Profits and Technology Giants: Microsoft</a></li> <br /> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6X_u0Cb06Y" title="Salesforce MBN Presentation" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/logos/salesforce.png?sfvrsn=10" displaymode="Original" alt="Salesforce logo" title="Salesforce" /><br /> Non-Profits and Technology Giants: Salesforce</a></li> <br /> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stn_B80D-ME" title="LinkedIn MBN Presentation" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/logos/linkedin.png?sfvrsn=8" displaymode="Original" alt="LinkedIn logo" title="LinkedIn" /><br /> Non-Profits and Technology Giants: LinkedIn</a></li> </ul> <h2>Document management software &amp; workflow automation help NFPs increase efficiency</h2> <p>These days, more and more non-profit organizations are taking advantage of <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management</a>&nbsp;and workflow automation software to help them become even more streamlined and efficient by eliminating paper in their processes.</p> <p>The powerful combination of digital document management and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">automating workflow</a>&nbsp;can help you to:</p> <ul> <li>Speed up processes enabling you to deliver mission critical services quicker</li> <li>Respond to audits more easily and with minimal disruption to staff</li> <li>Access documents in the field, when and where needed</li> <li>Easily maintain and share board meeting notes and governing documents</li> <li>Maximize the efficiency of your staff</li> <li>Free up space that was once occupied by stored paper documents</li> <li>Protect your critical data from theft, as well as damage from water and fire (and other natural disasters)</li> <li>Significantly reduce human error and its associated costs</li> <li>And much more</li> </ul> <p>To find out more about how Digiscribe can help your non-profit organization achieve its goals through technology, call us at 888-294-1965. Or reach out to us using the contact form on this page.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Take advantage of document scanning &amp; document management technology"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/technology-advantage.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Take advantage of document scanning and document management technology" title="Are you taking advantage of technology?" /></a></p>urn:uuid:0e5f3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/outperform-competition-with-workflow-automation workflow automation office automation document management software Office Automation Document management and workflow automation software streamline and automate many critical business processes such as accounts payable, order fulfillment and HR. This becomes an even more powerful solution when the software is integrated with your existing enterprise resource planning or human resource systems.Tue, 07 Apr 2015 13:27:34 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]7c44c0fb-9bf7-4508-b5dc-f30738bda768" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/logos/workflow-otg.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Workflow OTG" title="Workflow OTG" /></span>Document management and workflow automation software streamline and automate many critical business processes such as accounts payable, order fulfillment and HR. This becomes an even more powerful solution when the software is integrated with your existing enterprise resource planning or human resource systems.</p> <h2>Take Control of Your Processes</h2> <p>In my most recent contribution to Workflow Magazine, I explain how <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">workflow automation software</a> integrated with an order fulfillment system brings significant benefits that help set the company apart from the competition. Here&rsquo;s a short excerpt from the post:</p> <blockquote cite="http://workflowotg.com/index.php/2014-03-01-18-47-26/blogs/331-workflow-automation-and-erp-integration-your-way-to-outperform-the-competition"> <p><em>"Think of a busy order fulfillment group, with stacks of incoming orders on each employee&rsquo;s desk, waiting to be reviewed, approved and processed. You can imagine each order form going from one desk to the next throughout the manual process, needing additional data to be gathered before an order was approved. This cumbersome and slow process would be difficult for management to track or keep an overview of.</em></p> <p><em>By contrast, integrating workflow automation software with an ERP system automates and streamlines the entire process. You have more time, insight and control, all of which help you to over-deliver and amaze clients with speed and efficiency.</em></p> <p><em>Let&rsquo;s look at what a typical automated scenario might look like&hellip;"</em></p> </blockquote> <p>You can view the rest of the post, &ldquo;<a href="http://workflowotg.com/index.php/2014-03-01-18-47-26/blogs/331-workflow-automation-and-erp-integration-your-way-to-outperform-the-competition" title="Workflow Automation and ERP Integration: Your Way to Outperform the Competition" target="_blank">Workflow Automation and ERP Integration: Your Way to Outperform the Competition</a>,&rdquo; on the Workflow website as well as my other&nbsp;<a href="http://www.workflowotg.com/index.php/component/search/?searchword=mitch%20taube&amp;searchphrase=all&amp;Itemid=101" title="Mitch Taube Workflow Blog Posts" target="_blank">contributions to Workflow</a>.</p> <h2>What is Workflow Magazine?</h2> <p><a href="http://workflowotg.com/" title="Workflow Magazine" target="_blank">Workflow Magazine</a> is a comprehensive editorial website that informs its audiences of shifts in enterprise content management (ECM), business process management (BPM) and optimization applications, providing a one-stop repository of actionable news and information for the office technology and managed services industries.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to automate your business processes with workflow automation"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/workflow-automation.png?sfvrsn=8" displaymode="Original" alt="Automate your business processes with workflow automation today" title="Automate your business processes" /></a></p>urn:uuid:69583ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/employee-application-eforms human resources e-forms document management software Solutions Scanning employment applications can help you minimize your company’s risk and exposure to employment related litigation. But you can achieve even more benefits by scrapping the paper (no pun intended) from the employee application process altogether.Tue, 31 Mar 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]b5493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/welcome-aboard.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Automate HR On-Boarding in Your Organization" title="Welcome Aboard" /></span>As we&rsquo;ve mentioned in a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/reduce-human-resource-liability/" title="Reduce Liability with Employee Applications Scanning">previous post</a>, scanning employment applications can help you minimize your company&rsquo;s risk and exposure to employment related litigation.</p> <p>But you can achieve even more benefits by scrapping the paper (no pun intended) from the employee application process altogether. The most effective and efficient way to do this is simply by taking advantage of e-forms.</p> <h2>The benefits of e-forms</h2> <p>Not only do <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms" title="e-forms">e-forms</a>&nbsp;allow you to eliminate paper &ndash; reducing waste, saving your employees time, creating a safer and more productive work environment and adding to your overall profitability &ndash; they are also more efficient when it comes to the process of hiring new employees.</p> <h3>Hiring process efficiency</h3> <p>Unlike rigid paper-based applications, e-forms are dynamic and can be customized to suit your company&rsquo;s individual processes. Here are some examples:</p> <ul> <li>E-forms can be automatically routed to HR for the application review process</li> <li>Data from e-forms can be automatically placed into your company&rsquo;s payroll system when a new employee is hired</li> <li>E-forms can be uploaded directly to your <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>, where they can be easily searched for and retrieved at any point in the future</li> <li>And e-forms eliminate the need for manual data entry, saving man hours and avoiding costly human error</li> </ul> <p>E-forms also allow certain pieces of information to be automatically populated from an existing database. For instance, when rehiring an employee, an e-form can pull the applicant&rsquo;s data from your payroll system, allowing the application to be processed quicker, easier and more efficiently.</p> <p>Plus, with e-forms you&rsquo;ll never have to worry about potential employees filling out the wrong forms. By creating a unique e-form for each available position, applicants will always receive the appropriate form for the job for which they&rsquo;re applying.</p> <p>For more info on how e-forms can help streamline your hiring process, call us at 888-294-1965. You can also send us a message using the contact form on this page.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to improve your employee hiring process with e-forms"><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]ba583ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/employee-hiring-eforms.png?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Improve your employee hiring process with e-forms" title="Streamline your employee hiring process" /></span></a></p>urn:uuid:b94b3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/hospitality-and-minimum-wage-increases efficiency document management software Solutions Document Management In the extremely competitive hospitality industry, operational efficiency is something that is always top of mind at all management levels. But for restaurants and hotels in New York state, looming minimum wage increases are now making it a more important factor in an organizations’ success than ever before.Tue, 24 Mar 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]d84b3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/dollars-and-change.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Dollar bills and change" title="Offset rising costs in your business" /></span>In the extremely competitive hospitality industry, operational efficiency is something that is always top of mind at all management levels. But for restaurants and hotels in New York state, looming minimum wage increases are now making it a more important factor in an organizations&rsquo; success than ever before.</p> <p>The two-tier minimum wage increase proposal &ndash; which was recently announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo &ndash; looks to raise New York City&rsquo;s minimum to $11.50 per hour, while bringing the state&rsquo;s minimum up to $10.50 an hour.</p> <p>Such a hike would give New York the highest minimums in the country. But it could also cause complications for local businesses, particularly within the hospitality space, where competition is rampant and overhead and turnover rate are traditionally high.</p> <h2>Increasing efficiency with document management software</h2> <p>One of the ways that New York hospitality businesses are staying ahead of the operational efficiency curve in light of the coming wage increases is through implementing a digital document management system.</p> <p>Document management software can help lower costs and increase overall efficiency within any part of a hospitality business, though its use in human resources and accounts payable are particularly effective at offsetting the increased costs associated with the minimum wage hikes.</p> <h2>Easier and faster audits</h2> <p>&ldquo;Audit&rdquo; is a word no business likes to hear. But document management software makes the audit process quicker and simpler than ever. Digitizing your documents makes it particularly easy to manage I-9 forms on demand; traditionally, paper documents have made this a hassle as I-9s must be stored separately from other employee files.</p> <p>You can also grant auditors electronic access to the documents they need, so they can go through them remotely, without having to be onsite and disrupting your operations.</p> <h2>Faster processing of documents</h2> <p>Paper documents can be a serious drain on operational efficiency. From HR forms, to invoices and other accounts payable documents, paper often ends up lost, damaged, or misplaced in the wrong pile or folder &ndash; causing expensive delays and wasted time in processing.</p> <p>By contrast, electronic documents are easy to distribute, track and share. This helps you conserve time and resources, and to benefit from expedited processing resulting in lower costs.</p> <h2>Reduce costs and overhead</h2> <p>Space is a premium asset in the hospitality industry, especially in NYC, and storing paper documents takes up valuable real estate that can reduce overall profitability. Switching over to document management software puts this precious square footage back into the service arena, where it can generate revenue, rather than acting as &ldquo;dead space.&rdquo;</p> <p>And remember the delays and misplacements of paper documents discussed in the previous section? Preventing this can be costly, too, with excess employee hours potentially spent keeping track of documents, rather than doing productive work. This is another area where having a digital document system shines, as fewer people are required to process each document, saving payroll dollars and boosting productivity per employee.</p> <p>Finally, gaining fast access to documents can add to the competitive advantage that comes from streamlined efficiency. With document management software, you can easily search for documents digitally, track them and access them in an instant whenever you need them.</p> <h2>Find out more</h2> <p>Minimum wage increases may be an inevitability, but the efficiency edge your company maintains within the competitive hospitality industry doesn&rsquo;t have to be set in stone.</p> <p>For more information on how document management software can help your business become more efficient and help offset the coming NY minimum wage hikes, give us a call at 888-294-1965. Or reach out to us using the contact form on this page.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to improve your company’s efficiency"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/document-management-efficiency.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Improve your company’s efficiency with document management software" title="Gain efficiency with document management software" /></a></p>urn:uuid:b3433ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/reduce-human-resource-liability human resources document scanning services document management software Solutions Employee related lawsuits are a widespread business challenge. Taking advantage of a good employee application scanning service can help you minimize your risk & exposure, while improving your overall efficiency & profitability.Tue, 17 Mar 2015 13:00:00 Z<p><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/application-folder.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Applications Folder" title="Scan employee applications" />It&rsquo;s no secret that employment related lawsuits are a major threat to businesses of all sizes. They&rsquo;ve been on the rise for years; here are some sobering facts*:</p> <ul> <li>About three-fourths of all litigation against companies originates from employment disputes</li> <li>Almost half of Employment Practice lawsuits involve private businesses who have a staff of 15-100 workers</li> <li>The cost of defending your company from an employment related lawsuit can easily exceed $100,000 per incident</li> <li>Even solid HR practices don&rsquo;t preclude a company from being involved in an Employment Practice suit</li> </ul> <p>* Source:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cnapro.com/" title="CNA" target="_blank">www.cnapro.com</a></p> <h2>Paper applications create legal exposure</h2> <p>When it comes to the legal process, having all of the pertinent documents stored in paper form can present some major problems.</p> <p>For one thing, responding to the discovery process in a timely, compliant manner can be very difficult when you need to hunt down old applications that are stored in boxes. This is even more painstaking if you&rsquo;ve moved them to an offsite location, and can create delays and even compliance risks that can result in more legal hassles and significant fines.</p> <p>Paper documents are also prone to being misplaced. If you happen to be involved in an employee related lawsuit, being unable to locate even a single job application could easily compromise your entire case.</p> <p>Additionally, using key employees&rsquo; time on the task of locating employee applications from storage units can be a major leak in terms of productivity, manhours, and your organization&rsquo;s bottom line.</p> <h2>Scanning employee applications can minimize your risk</h2> <p>When you scan employee applications, you&rsquo;re creating digitized versions of each and every application. These are then stored in a single document management system, where they are indexed and easy to search for and find in case of a legal dispute; you can easily print out applications or email them to the appropriate parties as an image file. Not only is this faster and more efficient than looking for paper applications, it also helps you increase your chances of ending up with a favorable legal outcome.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">Scanning</a>&nbsp;and storing your employee applications also saves your company space and storage costs, while making your workplace safer and more productive.</p> <p>For all of these reasons, storing employee applications in a single digital system (typically within a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">safe and secure cloud-based environment</a>) is a smart step that more and more businesses of all sizes are taking to protect themselves from employment practice litigation.</p> <p>To learn more about how you use employee application scanning to help minimize your company&rsquo;s risk of litigation, please call us at (888) 294-1965. You can also send us a message using the contact form on this page. Or, learn more about how scanning documents can improve your HR department&rsquo;s efficiency and productivity by <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources" title="human resources solutions">clicking here</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to scan employee applications to reduce risk"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/reduce-hr-risk.png?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Reduce your HR department’s risk by scanning employee applications" title="Scan employee applications to reduce risk" /></a></p>urn:uuid:a53d3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/document-shredding-proof security paper destruction document scanning services Document Scanning Patients of a large healthcare provider were recently shocked to find out their medical records were thrown in a dumpster instead of being shredded. Confidential information such as social security numbers and patient names were not secure and private information was easily accessible to anyone walking by the dumpster. The healthcare provider had mandated its vendor shred all medical records before they are thrown out told, but may not have requested proof. So how do you make sure what you are being told is actually being done by an outsourcing company that will be handling your documents?Tue, 10 Mar 2015 14:30:38 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]ef3d3ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/shredded-paper-and-folders.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Folders with shredded paper" title="Are your documents being securely shredded?" /></span>Patients of a large healthcare provider were recently shocked to find out their <a href="http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/02/25/2-investigators-medical-files-with-personal-info-found-in-dumpster/" title="2 Investigators: Medical Files With Personal Info Found In Dumpster" target="_blank">medical records were thrown in a dumpster instead of being shredded</a>. Confidential information such as social security numbers and patient names were not secure and private information was easily accessible to anyone walking by the dumpster. The healthcare provider had mandated that its vendor shred all medical records before they are thrown out, but may not have requested proof. So how do you make sure what you are being told is actually being done by an outsourcing company that will be handling your documents?</p> <h2>Find a Partner You Can Trust</h2> <p>Before working with a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/soc-2-facility" title="SOC 2 facility">document scanning company</a>, there are a number of questions you should ask as part of your due diligence. Here are some key things to find out:</p> <ul> <li>Does the company have a current SOC 2 Type 2 report?*</li> <li>Does the company have a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating and is it positive?</li> <li>Are the company&rsquo;s processes documented and available to review?</li> <li>Can you tour the facility to see their process in action?</li> <li>Is the staff HIPAA compliance trained?</li> </ul> <p>* A <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/why-soc-2-is-a-critical-report-for-document-scanning-companies/" title="Why SOC 2 Is a Critical Report for Document Scanning Companies">SOC 2 Type 2</a>&nbsp;report is based upon an objective audit by an independent CPA of controls that are documented, implemented and audited throughout the entire document scanning process and system having to do with the security of your documents and data.</p> <h2>Ensure Shredding is Backed by NAID</h2> <p>If your document scanning company will be shredding your documents after they have been digitized, make sure they use a NAID-certified* shredding company and request the following: </p> <ul> <li>Require the document scanning company to provide you with a certificate of destruction from the NAID-certified company each time your documents are shredded.</li> <li>Request proof that a NAID-certified shredding company is shredding the documents. One way to confirm this is by asking to see an invoice.</li> </ul> <p>* The <a href="http://www.naidonline.org/" title="National Association for Information Destruction" target="_blank">National Association for Information Destruction (NAID)</a>&nbsp;offers a certification program to its member companies. Certification companies must use a secure paper destruction process to ensure shredded documents cannot be reconstructed.</p> <p>Trust is an important factor in any business relationship but verification is just as important. Trust and verify before you chose a document scanning partner.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/docs/e-books/document-management-partner-evaluation.pdf?sfvrsn=4" title="Document Management Partner Experience Evaluation"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/download/document-management-partner-checklist.png?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Download Document Management Partner Evaluation Checklist" title="Document management partner evaluation checklist download" /></a></p>urn:uuid:22333ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/aiim-paper-wars workflow automation customer service Industry News & Insights In a new report titled “Paper Wars 2014 – update from the battlefield”, the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) shows just how much of a speedbump paper-based processes can be.Tue, 03 Mar 2015 14:00:00 Z<p><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/man-with-paper-piles.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Man with piles of paper" title="Is paper holding your company back?" />Do you ever get the feeling that paper is slowing your business down? It isn&rsquo;t your imagination.</p> <p>In a new report titled &ldquo;Paper Wars 2014 &ndash; update from the battlefield&rdquo;, the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) shows just how much of a speedbump paper-based processes can be.</p> <p>Nor are the casualties of this &ldquo;war&rdquo; limited to your employees and process. As it turns out, the most important victim of the &ldquo;paper lag&rdquo; is actually your customer.</p> <p>Here are some interesting nuggets from the report:</p> <ul> <li> <p>Over two-thirds of companies surveyed say that paper&rsquo;s &ldquo;snail&rsquo;s pace&rdquo; will be unacceptable in just a few years</p> </li> <li> <p>Almost half reported that removing paper from their process was the #1 action they could take to improve their productivity</p> </li> <li> <p>The most important incentive for trading in paper for stored digital documents is enhanced ability to search for and share business related documents (being able to respond to customers faster and lessening demands for storage space were also important)</p> </li> <li> <p>More than 77% of companies that made the switch to a digital mailroom achieved a return on their investment within just 18 months</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Digital documents: a clear winner</h2> <p>One of the biggest problems with doing business &ldquo;at the speed of paper&rdquo; is that, thanks to &ldquo;Web 3.0,&rdquo; customers and clients now expect processes that are fast and seamless, rather than slow and clunky.</p> <p>As the AIIM report indicates, companies that have gone digital have <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/Benefits-Document-Management" title="benefits of going paperless">achieved benefits</a> that are allowing them to better meet the needs of today&rsquo;s customer &ndash; and lift their profitability as well:</p> <ul> <li>Clients are being served and responded to faster</li> <li>Employees are able to achieve more, and are both more productive and happier</li> <li>Processes have become more efficient, as well as more transparent and easier to track and control</li> <li>Data is now more easily available to traveling or telecommuting employees</li> </ul> <h2>Is paper holding your company back?</h2> <p>These days, businesses need every advantage they can get. And that includes shedding excess baggage that can hold you back from serving your customers quicker and better than the competition. With today&rsquo;s increasingly decentralized operations, mobilized staff, and hundreds of processes that can be better managed and controlled through the use of digital technology, <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/make-me-paper-free" title="make me paper free">going paperless</a>&nbsp;is a great way to do just that.</p> <p><a href="http://info.aiim.org/paper-wars" title="Paper Wars 2014 -- update from the battlefield" target="_blank">Click here to read the full AIIM report &gt;&gt;</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to go paperless today"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/go-paperless.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Go paperless to improve efficiency and reduce costs" title="Don't let paper hold your company back" /></a></p>urn:uuid:d9133ee8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/restaurant-chargebacks hospitality Solutions When someone sees a charge from your restaurant on their credit card bill, and decides to dispute it by contacting their credit card provider, that’s known as a chargeback claim. When a customer files a chargeback claim, the burden of proof falls to the restaurant owner, forcing you to produce the actual credit card receipt in question, signed by the customer.Tue, 24 Feb 2015 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]40490e9e-9d00-4ad7-a14a-f94015ec8346" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/process.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Process steps" title="Automate your processes" /></span>When someone sees a charge from your restaurant on their credit card bill, and decides to dispute it by contacting their credit card provider, that&rsquo;s known as a chargeback claim.&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5;">When a customer files a chargeback claim, the burden of proof falls to the restaurant owner, forcing you to produce the actual credit card receipt in question, signed by the customer.</span></p> <p>This can be tricky, because chargebacks can be initiated for up to 18 months after a charge was transacted. And while a chargeback can sometimes be a legitimate dispute from someone who did in fact patronize your restaurant, they often happen for illegitimate reasons as well. These include:</p> <ul> <li>Confusion or forgetfulness on the customer&rsquo;s part</li> <li>Dissatisfaction that could have been handled on the customer service level</li> <li>Outright fraud (Avivah Litan, an analyst at Gartner, estimates that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/26/your-money/what-happens-when-you-dispute-a-credit-card-charge.html" title="Disputing a Charge on Your Credit Card" target="_blank">20 percent of disputes involve fraud</a>)</li> </ul> <p>For these reasons, getting into the habit of not disputing chargebacks can prove to be an expensive liability for your restaurant. Yet for most restaurants, fighting chargebacks is far from easy and cost efficient.</p> <h2>The challenges of disputing chargebacks</h2> <p>Disputing chargeback claims is especially difficult for restaurants for several reasons:</p> <ul> <li>Customers can initiate chargebacks up to 18 months after a purchase</li> <li>Restaurants have limited office and storage space which is often already cluttered, making it very difficult to make additional room to store receipts (restaurants with multiple locations can fill dozens of boxes in a single year)</li> <li>Having too many boxes lying around makes employees work slower and less productively and creates dangerous working conditions, including fire hazards</li> <li>Knowledge workers often waste valuable time on the clerical task of hunting down receipts, which is not the best use of their time</li> <li>Labeling and tracking receipts becomes extremely challenging with limited administrative staff, making it even more difficult to find receipts and respond to a charge back in the allotted time</li> </ul> <h2>Secure offsite credit card receipt storage streamlines the chargeback dispute process</h2> <p>To help you offset the hurdles involved in chargeback management, we offer secure offsite storage and retrieval of all of your restaurants&rsquo; credit card receipts. This value added service removes many of the headaches of challenging a chargeback claim and more.</p> <h3>How it works</h3> <ol> <li> <p>You send us all of your physical credit card receipts; we accept them on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depending on volume</p> </li> <li> <p>We inventory your boxes and enter them into our proprietary tracking system for fast location and retrieval whenever you need a particular receipt</p> </li> <li> <p>All of your receipts are stored in our secure SOC 2 Type 2 storage facility, equipped with security cameras, card access doors, fire sprinklers, alarms and other security systems (for maximum security, our facility is staffed with HIPAA compliance trained employees)</p> </li> <li> <p>When you need a signed receipt in order to dispute a chargeback, you simply fill out an <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms" title="e-forms">electronic form</a>; then, we quickly retrieve the corresponding box, locate the exact receipt in question, <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">scan</a>&nbsp;it and deliver it to you in a timely as well as secure and encrypted manner</p> </li> </ol> <p>This eliminates the clerical work on your end, makes your staff happier and more productive and helps to ensure you don&rsquo;t lose unnecessary revenue to illegitimate chargebacks. You also save (and in many cases regain) valuable space, increase your staff&rsquo;s productivity, prevent health and fire hazards and reduce your liability.</p> <h2>Bonus benefit #1: Prevent identity theft</h2> <p>Storing your credit card receipts in our secure offsite facility also provides you with a safer alternative to storing paper receipts onsite &ndash; a situation which can contribute to exposing your clients to identity theft. This can potentially be a major source of liability for your business, especially if you don&rsquo;t currently keep credit card receipts locked up in a special designated room with limited employee access (as the FTC recommends).</p> <h2>Bonus benefit #2: Stay prepared for tax audits</h2> <p>Remember, in order to be prepared in the event of a tax audit, it is recommended that your restaurant stores credit card receipts for 7 to 10 years. Since restaurants have limited square footage which is better devoted to food and beverage sales, eliminating any unnecessary storage space by not having to stockpile your credit card receipts can prove as profitable as it is convenient.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to reduce chargeback costs &amp; challenges in your restaurant"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/restaurant-chargebacks.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Reduce chargeback costs &amp; challenges in your restaurant" title="Restaurant chargebacks" /></a></p>urn:uuid:12e13de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/why-data-encryption-is-important security HIPAA document management software Industry News & Insights These days, when it seems like we read about some new hack or data breach every few months (each one bigger than the last), the need for encrypting digital documents is becoming more important than ever.Thu, 19 Feb 2015 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]67443ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/secure-documents.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Secure folder" title="Ensure your documents are encrypted" /></span>These days, when it seems like we read about some new hack or data breach every few months (each one bigger than the last), the need for encrypting digital documents is becoming more important than ever.</p> <p>While encryption doesn&rsquo;t guarantee protection, it does add a layer of security that makes it more difficult for thieves to access. That&rsquo;s why Digiscribe takes extra measures to encrypt all of our clients&rsquo; digital documents and data at <em>multiple steps throughout our production and delivery processes</em>, above and beyond the precautions that most companies take. These include:</p> <ul> <li>Encrypting data while it&rsquo;s being processed or stored on our servers and scanning stations</li> <li>Encrypting data burned onto digital media, such as a CD, DVD or hard drive</li> <li>Encrypted emails that ensure data can only be accessed via a log on a secure email server</li> <li>All of the document scanning and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">storage software</a>&nbsp;we use and recommend (ImageSilo, PaperVision Enterprise and FileBound) has encryption settings to keep data more secure throughout storage</li> </ul> <h2>The latest big data breach highlights the need for encrypted data</h2> <p>This February, <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/investigators-eye-china-in-anthem-hack-1423167560" title="Health Insurer Anthem Didn’t Encrypt Data in Theft" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal reported on a major hack on the U.S.&rsquo;s second largest health insurer, Anthem</a>&nbsp;-- in which cyber thieves were able to steal the personal and private information of tens of millions of customers, including their social security numbers.</p> <p>Unfortunately, as we know from reading the WSJ article, one of the ways that the hackers were able to gain access to Anthem&rsquo;s data is because it wasn&rsquo;t being encrypted during storage. If the information had been stored in an encrypted fashion, it would have been more difficult to breach, and less valuable to hackers in the case that a breach did occur.</p> <p>Failing to encrypt stored data is a common industry practice, as keeping data encrypted makes it less useful, and most companies try to strike the balance between usability and security. And to be fair, HIPAA doesn&rsquo;t require health insurance companies like Anthem to encrypt stored member data (it does require encryption of data that is being moved in and out of the insurer&rsquo;s data, which Anthem does).</p> <p>Still, this latest breach underscores the importance of keeping data encrypted from end to end, including during storage where it can often be most susceptible to cyber criminals.</p> <p>This is yet another reason why we go above and beyond to keep your data and documents safe and protected, and why <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/press-releases/2013/07/11/digiscribe-receives-soc-2-type-2-report-one-of-the-first-document-scanning-providers-in-new-york-tri-state-area/" title="Digiscribe Receives SOC 2 Type 2 Report">we are one of the first scanning companies in the NY tri-state area to receive our SOC 2 Type 2 Report</a>.</p> <p>To learn more about how Digiscribe keeps your digital documents and data more secure by employing encryption throughout our process, call us at (888) 294-1965, or<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us today">schedule a free consultation</a>.</p>urn:uuid:7ce03de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/papervision-capture-2015-bli-pick document scanning services Digitech Systems Software & Products Digitech Systems, one of our document management software partners, has recently been awarded as Buyers Laboratory’s (BLI) Winter 2015 Pick as “Outstanding Document Capture Solution” for its PaperVision Capture product.Wed, 18 Feb 2015 14:51:03 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]86be3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/digitech/2015-bli-pvc-lg.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="BLI Buyers Lab 2015 Pick seal" title="Buyers Lab 2015 Pick PaperVision Capture" /></span>Digitech Systems, one of our document management software partners, has recently been awarded as Buyers Laboratory&rsquo;s (BLI) Winter 2015 Pick as &ldquo;Outstanding Document Capture Solution&rdquo; for its <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-Products/digitech-systems-document-management-software" title="Digitech Systems document management software">PaperVision Capture</a>&nbsp;product. This is the second time PaperVision Capture has been recognized by BLI.</p> <p>&ldquo;[PaperVision Capture] has the intelligence to automate the tasks that can be handled by a computer, to streamline the tasks that require an operator&rsquo;s input, and to make the entire process secure and reliable,&rdquo; said BLI Senior Editor Jamie Bsales <a href="http://www.buyerslab.com/Solutions/News/January-2015/BLI-Honors-Impressive-Document-Imaging-Solutions-w" title=" BLI Honors Impressive Document Solutions with Winter 2015 Pick and Outstanding Achievement Awards" target="_blank">in their press release</a>.</p> <p>To find out more, you can read <a href="http://www.digitechsystems.com/digitech-systems-recognized-as-the-outstanding-capture-solution/" title="PaperVision® Capture Honored by Buyer’s Laboratory" target="_blank">Digitech Systems&rsquo; press release here</a>.</p> <h2>What is PaperVision Capture?</h2> <p>Scanning is the first step in any paperless solution and PaperVision Capture software allows you to <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">scan paper documents</a>, automatically import images from existing systems and capture documents from fax servers and multi-functional devices. You can also index images and match them with accurate index information from existing databases and systems.</p> <h2>Who is Buyers Laboratory?</h2> <p>For over 50 years, <a href="http://www.buyerslab.com/" title="Buyers Laboratory LLC" target="_blank">Buyers Laboratory LLC</a>&nbsp;(BLI) has provided unbiased evaluations of document imaging hardware and software. Bi-annually, BLI awards the top solutions that BLI evaluated during the previous six months.</p> <p>Digiscribe and Digiscribe New England are top-ten worldwide resellers of Digitech Systems&rsquo; document management software suite, including PaperVision Capture.</p>urn:uuid:a2b93de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/automated-retention-schedules compliance document management software Document Management Storing paper records in long-term box storage facilities can be a cost-effective way to meet these guidelines if those documents never need to be retrieved. But the recent fire in a box storage warehouse in Brooklyn exposes the inherent risks of analog versus digital storage.Thu, 12 Feb 2015 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]c9b93de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/box-storage.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Box storage" title="Long-term Box Storage" /></span>State and federal regulations often require government agencies, hospitals, social service providers and businesses to retain records for years or even decades.</p> <p>Storing paper records in long-term box storage facilities can be a cost-effective way to meet these guidelines <strong>if those documents never need to be retrieved</strong>. But the recent fire in a box storage warehouse in Brooklyn exposes the inherent risks of analog versus digital storage.</p> <h2>Document management software makes automated retention schedules a snap</h2> <p>As important as it is to keep documents stored according to retention guidelines, it is equally important to purge documents after the mandated period in order to minimize legal exposure and costs.</p> <p>It is far easier to store documents and manage their retention schedule once they&rsquo;ve been scanned and are stored in document management software than it is with paper records.</p> <p>A <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">full-featured document management software</a> &ndash; for example, ImageSilo &ndash; provides records retention capabilities that allow a group of documents to be purged automatically, based on predefined values such as document type and date. Alerts can be set up before any deletion to confirm the action and act as a safety net.</p> <p>Contrast this ease and efficiency with the alternative of storing boxes in long-term warehouses, which requires you to:</p> <ul> <li>Know what documents are stored in each box, as well as the retention guidelines for each document type</li> <li>Contact the storage warehouse at pre-designated times, and have them pull only those boxes that can be purged</li> <li>Check purged boxes against a manifest</li> <li>And securely shred all corresponding documents</li> </ul> <h2>Additional benefits</h2> <p>In addition to helping you meet retention schedule mandates more easily and efficiently, document management software also provides:</p> <ul> <li>A more secure way to store your documents</li> <li>Fire-and water-proof storage for added protection</li> <li>Documents that are legally admissible in court</li> <li>The ability to retrieve documents in seconds from any computer or mobile device (vs. the days it can take to get a single box out of long-term storage)</li> </ul> <p>To find out the exact steps involved in migrating your documents from long-term box storage to digital storage, call us at <strong>888-294-1965</strong> or <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to schedule a consultation">click here to schedule a consultation</a>.</p>urn:uuid:05b13de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/scan-documents-in-long-term-storage document scanning services document management software Document Scanning Document Management If your company still has boxes in long-term storage, here are some reasons why you may want to reconsider this strategy.Tue, 10 Feb 2015 14:30:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]dc09bf00-90f6-44fb-9152-ac87e4902598" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/documents-in-boxes.jpg?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Document Box Storage" title="Document Box Storage" /></span>The recent fire at the CitiStorage warehouse in Brooklyn highlights the inherent risks of storing paper documents vs. scanning documents and storing them electronically.</p> <p>If <em>your</em> company still has boxes in long-term storage, here are some reasons why you may want to reconsider this strategy.</p> <h2>1. Reduce your risk</h2> <p>In addition to helping you eliminate boxes stored in long-term storage facilities, <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">scanning documents</a>&nbsp;also protects you from unnecessary exposure by:</p> <ul> <li>Improving your document security</li> <li>Removing risk of water or fire damage</li> <li>Creating electronic documents that are legally admissible in court</li> <li>And giving you redundant, multi-location back-ups to ensure 24/7/365 access, even in an emergency or natural disaster</li> </ul> <h2>2. Improve efficiency</h2> <p>Digital document storage has added efficiency benefits that are simply not possible with long-term box storage.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">Cloud-based or in-house document management software</a>&nbsp;lets you access documents within seconds from any computer or mobile device, as opposed to having to wait hours or days for boxes to be retrieved from a warehouse. This can enhance customer service by cutting down wait times, as well as help your employees get more done in less time.</p> <h2>3. Two scanning options to choose from</h2> <p>As we learned in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/nyregion/in-williamsburg-warehouse-fire-lingering-risks-of-new-yorks-analog-age.html" title="In Williamsburg Warehouse Fire, Lingering Risks of New York’s Analog Age" target="_blank">this New York Times article</a>, New York City currently has 4.4 million stored boxes filled with paper documents. While most organizations don&rsquo;t store <em>this</em> much paper, many still have thousands of boxes in storage.</p> <p>Digitizing your stored documents (or those about to go into a storage warehouse) can seem like an overwhelming task financially and logistically. Fortunately, there are two approaches that can help you get it done with minimal friction:</p> <ol style="list-style-type: upper-alpha;"> <li>Scan the most recent documents first and work your way back to the oldest documents in storage. You can scan a predetermined amount of records each month until you reach your goal, giving you a fixed scanning expense over a period of time.</li> <li><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/press-releases/2012/01/30/digiscribe-scans-4.1-million-pages-in-8-weeks-for-leading-insurance-provider/" title="Digiscribe Scans 4.1 Million Pages in 8 Weeks for Leading Insurance Provider">Scan all of the documents (or a subset) over the course of a few weeks</a>, and switch to a digital records storage strategy quickly.</li> </ol> <h2>4. Limited time promotional pricing on document scanning</h2> <p>To assist the many government agencies, hospitals, educational institutions, not-for-profit agencies and businesses currently rethinking their records retention plan, <strong>we are offering promotional pricing</strong> through March 31, 2015. This offer applies to scanning all paper records that are removed from long-term storage, or were slated to be stored in long-term warehouses.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to scan your documents in long-term storage"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/long-term-storage.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Scan your documents in long-term storage" title="Long-term box storage scanning" /></a></p>urn:uuid:697f3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/go-paperless-to-be-best-in-class workflow automation mailroom services document scanning services document management software Document Scanning Companies that achieve this status have a few things in common: They are always looking to perform their core competencies better, faster, leaner, and with less overhead, while increasing the value they offer to their customers, and strengthening relationships with both clients and vendors.Tue, 03 Feb 2015 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]c87f3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/trophy.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Trophy" title="Achieve best-in-class" /></span>In today&rsquo;s hyper-competitive business landscape, the most reliable way to achieve a sustainable advantage is to become best in class.</p> <p>Companies that achieve this status have a few things in common: They are always looking to perform their core competencies better, faster, leaner, and with less overhead, while increasing the value they offer to their customers, and strengthening relationships with both clients and vendors.</p> <p>Going paperless helps your company achieve these objectives. By scanning incoming documents as soon as they are received, implementing document management software for easy storage and access of all digitized documents, and using workflow automation software to create fully digitized processes, your organization can gain a major competitive edge that includes:</p> <ul> <li>Optimized efficiency</li> <li>Minimized costs</li> <li>Enhanced security</li> <li>Tighter controls</li> <li>Easier audits</li> <li>Help in staying compliant</li> <li>Workload balancing</li> <li>In-time reporting</li> <li>Better measuring, monitoring and management of business processes</li> </ul> <h2>An action plan for eliminating paper</h2> <p>Since going paperless represents a significant change within your organization, we recommend starting with just one paper intensive department &ndash; accounts payable. </p> <p>To begin this process, you might consider having your invoices sent to a dedicated PO Box, where they can be picked up, scanned, indexed, and made available to you as digitized images for processing within 24 hours. (You can learn about our mailroom scanning services <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services" title="mailroom scanning services">here</a>).</p> <p>Once your documents are scanned and indexed, you can get them through your processes quicker and more reliably using <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">workflow automation software</a>, which allows you to track documents, streamline processing, and achieve workload balancing (while automatically integrating with your existing business software). </p> <p>Document management software allows you to <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">securely store digitized documents in the cloud or in-house</a>, allowing you to easily access files any time you need them, using any computer or mobile device. You can also track documents easily to see what actions other users have taken with them.</p> <p>From there, you can expand document scanning to additional paper-intensive departments, like, human resources and order fulfillment, etc. </p> <p>Going paperless has helped our clients achieve results ranging from faster processing of documents, more timely payment of vendors, quicker customer service response, prompter order fulfillment, easier and more rapid document retrieval -- and an overall increase in efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability.</p> <p>Join thousands of companies that have achieved best-in-class by eliminating paper;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/make-me-paper-free" title="5 step make me paper free process">click here to learn more about our painless paper-free plan to get started now</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to go paperless to achieve best in class status"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/best-in-class-paperless.png?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Go paperless to achieve best in class status" title="Achieve best in class by going paperless" /></a></p>urn:uuid:6d763de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/gain-efficiency-with-mailroom-scanning workflow automation mailroom services efficiency Solutions Regardless of what type of review processes your company needs to optimize – order fulfillments, customer service correspondences, grievances, employment applications, or anything else – continuing with a paper-based process that begins in your on-site mailroom is going to hold you back.Tue, 27 Jan 2015 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]8c763de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/efficiency-gauge.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Efficiency gauge" title="How efficient is your company?" /></span>Review processes and paper documents don&rsquo;t mix well.</p> <p>Regardless of what type of review processes your company needs to optimize &ndash; order fulfillments, customer service correspondences, grievances, employment applications, or anything else &ndash; continuing with a paper-based process that begins in your on-site mailroom is going to hold you back.</p> <p>Receiving incoming documents via mail presents many problems, such as:</p> <ul> <li>The need to open, sort, prepare and deliver documents to the person (or persons) who need to act on them in a timely manner</li> <li>Documents (or even files full of them) that are easily misplaced or lost</li> <li>Review processes that are difficult or impossible to track</li> <li>Adding sticky notes to documents is time consuming, wasteful, and unreliable (they can easily fall off)</li> <li>Employees become frustrated and anxious when doing unproductive tasks like searching for hard-to-find documents</li> <li>Paper documents take up valuable office space and are difficult to store, often requiring the additional expense of a storage company</li> <li>The cost of paper and related expenses (folders, copying, etc.) adds up to significant (and often unnecessary) sums</li> <li>Paper documents are difficult to archive</li> </ul> <h2>Mailroom scanning services helps you solve these challenges</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services" title="mailroom scanning services">Mailroom scanning services</a>&nbsp;is a great way to eliminate paper, while maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of your review process.</p> <h3>How it works</h3> <ol> <li>We register a local P.O. box and receive your mail on a daily basis</li> <li>We open all mail and prepare it to be scanned</li> <li>Each document is scanned and every image is quality controlled</li> <li>We capture and index each document based on your identification needs</li> <li>We securely deliver digital documents to you within 24 hours for immediate processing and archiving</li> <li>Digital documents can kick off <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">automated workflow</a>&nbsp;for streamlined processing and decision making</li> </ol> <h2>Benefits of mailroom scanning</h2> <p><strong>Process efficiency:</strong> With mailroom scanning services, you can put your documents into process within one day, without having to worry about menial tasks like sorting and preparing incoming mail. There are no papers to be misplaced, and the process is easy to track. Notes can be added to documents electronically, eliminating confusion and lost information along the review chain. And employees become happier and more productive with the additional structure of a digitized process.</p> <p><strong>Cost efficiency:</strong> Rather than wasting valuable space by stacking boxes in-house &ndash; or paying a storage company to inventory, store and maintain thousands of paper files &ndash; all of your documents are now stored digitally in one single database (with easy searchability). Plus, the cost of paper-related materials and services is reduced as well.</p> <p><strong>Archival efficiency:</strong> Documents are automatically archived daily, through the process of scanning and storing them within your digital document management system.</p> <h2>Read a mailroom scanning services success story</h2> <p>Click the link below to read a short case study that explains how one of our clients was able to save over $6,000 per year with our mailroom scanning services &ndash; while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of their review process.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/success-stories/vnsny-choice" title="VNSNY CHOICE success story">Click here to see the case study &gt;&gt;</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to maximize the efficiency &amp; effectiveness of your review process"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/mailroom-efficiency.png?sfvrsn=7" displaymode="Original" alt="Maximize the efficiency &amp; effectiveness of your review process" title="Mailroom efficiency" /></a></p>urn:uuid:da4b3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/filebound-enterprise-dashboards workflow automation FileBound document management software Software & Products Instead of looking at raw data through the “keyhole” of isolated reports, dashboards gather, organize and present information in a way that’s more thorough and more accessible.Tue, 20 Jan 2015 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]1030df11-f9c1-4f9a-975e-a12bfe29cabf" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound.jpg?sfvrsn=14" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound Office Automation Software" title="FileBound" /></span>Are you looking for a way to better understand your company&rsquo;s data, in a way that helps you make more informed and profitable business decisions?</p> <p>How about the ability to quickly pinpoint any bottlenecks in your work processes, and get more control over critical processes, like accounts payable?</p> <p><strong>Perhaps it&rsquo;s time to join the tens of thousands of businesses that are upgrading to software that features dashboards to turn information into actionable insights and an improved bottom line.</strong></p> <p>Instead of looking at raw data through the &ldquo;keyhole&rdquo; of isolated reports, dashboards gather, organize and present information in a way that&rsquo;s more thorough and more accessible. </p> <p>Dashboards (like the one seen below) also make it easier to understand the data you&rsquo;re looking at, through visual snapshots that paint a clear picture of what&rsquo;s really happening inside your company. This allows you to respond with the course of action best suited to the goals you&rsquo;re looking to accomplish, and provides forecasting and drill-down capabilities that can dramatically expand management&rsquo;s insight into employee performance, operational inefficiencies, and bottlenecks in areas like invoice processing.</p> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]2c8c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-analytics.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound analytics report" title="FileBound Analytics" /></span></p> <h2>Additional insights through dashboards</h2> <p>In addition to invoice processing speed, dashboards also offer more comprehensive analyses on all of the following:</p> <ul> <li>How an individual employee compares to the team average</li> <li>Which documents and items are in process, along with their status (i.e. which processes have been completed)</li> <li>Predictions on future processing time for various document types, based on past performance</li> <li>Dollar amounts of invoices coming due in a given time period, based on historical data (use this information to maximize discounts, or avoid missing due dates)</li> </ul> <p>These insights and predictive analytics help you managers run your company more effectively, more efficiently, and more proactively &ndash; improving processes and profitability in unprecedented ways.</p> <h2>Get the most out of dashboards through document management and workflow automation software</h2> <p>In order to get the maximum number of measurable and actionable insights through dashboard monitoring, it&rsquo;s also advisable to implement <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">workflow automation software</a>. The easiest and most cost-efficient way to do this is by choosing document management and workflow automation software that incorporates a dashboard feature.</p> <p>For example, FileBound Enterprise software is an industry leading document management and workflow automation software that features a powerful dashboard, allowing you to more effectively measure, monitor and manage your company&rsquo;s operations, and alter processes wherever and whenever the need arises.</p> <p>Digiscribe is a certified reseller of <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-Products/filebound-software" title="FileBound document management software">FileBound Enterprise software</a>, as well as a member of the <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/press-releases/2013/03/29/digiscribe-invited-to-serve-on-the-filebound-executive-partner-council/" title="Digiscribe Invited to Serve on the FileBound Executive Partner Council">FileBound Executive Member Council</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Find out how your company can benefit from FileBound Enterprise dashboards"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/filebound-enterprise-dashboards.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Find out how your company can benefit from FileBound Enterprise dashboards" title="FileBound Enterprise dashboards" /></a></p>urn:uuid:35453de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/ensure-compliance-with-mailroom-scanning workflow automation compliance mailroom services Solutions If your company operates in a regulated industry like healthcare insurance, chances are you have a busy mailroom – with limited time to respond to incoming grievances and appeals (G&A) in a compliant manner.Tue, 13 Jan 2015 14:57:24 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]8d453de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/regulatory-compliance.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Compliance whiteboard" title="Ensure regulatory compliance" /></span>If your company operates in a regulated industry like healthcare insurance, chances are you have a busy mailroom &ndash; with limited time to respond to incoming grievances and appeals (G&amp;A) in a compliant manner.</p> <p>It can be tempting to hire more people to handle the load, but adding more staff members to the process is expensive, and won&rsquo;t help you expedite your process &ndash; which is what you really want to do in order to ensure your company remains compliant.</p> <p>That&rsquo;s because paper-based processes will always be slower and more complicated than ones that involve digital documents &ndash; increasing your risk of noncompliance &ndash; for the following reasons:</p> <ul> <li>Paper documents need to be physically passed from person to person within the process</li> <li>Paper documents can be lost or misplaced, causing even further delays</li> <li>Receiving and distributing paper documents is time consuming</li> <li>Paper documents can make it difficult to prove the date your mailroom received a particular request, making audits riskier and more complicated (more on this below)</li> </ul> <p>To elaborate on that last point, the major challenge here is that dates on physical stamps can be easily blurred. When that happens, auditors must look back to earlier dates in order to gauge compliance; for example, they may ask for the date the original letter was written or sent vs. received. This can set your company up for some close calls when it comes to measuring response time.</p> <h2>Mailroom scanning services are a sustainable, cost-effective way to comply with regulations</h2> <p>When you choose <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services" title="mailroom scanning services">mailroom scanning services</a>, you essentially outsource your mailroom and replace your paper-based process with one that is digitized and streamlined.</p> <p>It&rsquo;s wise to choose a mailroom scanning services provider that does all of the following:</p> <ol> <li>Establishes a local P.O. box and picks up your mail daily from it</li> <li>Opens envelopes and prepares documents for scanning</li> <li>Electronically timestamps each page and envelope during the scanning process</li> <li>Manually quality controls every image</li> <li>Captures and indexes the sender&rsquo;s full name, stamped date, and letter date</li> <li>Delivers images securely within 24 hours -- at which point you can download your digitized documents for immediate processing</li> <li>Please note that all of this should be done using a secure, SOC Type 2 scanning facility for minimized liability and maximum safety and peace of mind</li> </ol> <p>This helps your company operate within <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-News/regulatory-compliance" title="regulatory compliance">compliance guidelines</a>&nbsp;by:</p> <ul> <li>Optimizing the process of responding to incoming mail</li> <li>Eliminating paper documents which can easily be misplaced or lost</li> <li>Shortening your response time</li> <li>Keeping you prepared for audits, making them easier and less risky by establishing reliable proof of delivery dates and times for each request (no more relying on fragile physical stamps)</li> </ul> <h2>See a mailroom scanning services success story</h2> <p>We&rsquo;ve created a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/success-stories/vnsny-choice" title="VNSNY CHOICE success story">case study</a>&nbsp;to showcase how one of our clients successfully implemented our mailroom scanning services to create an additional layer of compliance security (and saved over $6,000 per year on various costs in the process).</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to outsource your mailroom to help meet compliance guidelines"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/mailroom-compliance.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Outsource your mailroom to help meet compliance guidelines" title="Mailroom compliance" /></a></p>urn:uuid:24293de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-not-to-store-documents HIPAA document scanning services document management software cloud document management software Document Management Are you storing your critical documents off-site? Whether you’re using a records storage facility or are self-storing documents externally, here are some do’s and don’ts that will save your company time, money, and even potential legal hassles.Tue, 06 Jan 2015 15:11:01 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]c6283de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/damaged-fragile-box.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Damaged fragile box" title="How to store your company's documents" /></span>Are you storing your critical documents off-site? Whether you&rsquo;re using a records storage facility or are self-storing documents externally, here are some do&rsquo;s and don&rsquo;ts that will save your company time, money, and even potential legal hassles.</p> <h2>For documents that must be kept, but don&rsquo;t need to be accessed regularly...</h2> <p>You&rsquo;ll want to store these in a safe and secure place. Pitfalls to watch out for are:</p> <ul> <li>Risk of ruin from water damage, harsh weather or natural disasters</li> <li>Risk of theft (especially for HIPAA protected documents)</li> <li>Risk of damage from fire</li> </ul> <p>(Important reminder: <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/importance-of-hipaa-compliance-document-scanning-company/" title="Why Working with a HIPAA Compliance Trained Document Scanning Company is Important">HIPAA protection isn&rsquo;t limited to medical documents</a>; any document that contains a person&rsquo;s name and 1 of 18 additional identifiers is included under the act).</p> <p>Though it may sound difficult to believe, we&rsquo;ve seen stacks of critical documents stored in some pretty precarious situations &ndash; including trailers in lowland areas by water, and non-waterproof tents (with no pallets to prop the documents up above ground level).</p> <p>Clearly these are the sort of recipes for disaster that you&rsquo;ll want to avoid, as they leave documents wide open to water damage, even from a simple rainstorm.</p> <p>Also, be sure to tag boxes/storage units with reliable identification to avoid misplacement. Failing to do this is another &ldquo;blooper&rdquo; we&rsquo;ve unfortunately been witness to. It can take hours or even days to find an improperly labeled document, creating a drain on man-hours and potentially exposing your company to noncompliance fines.</p> <p>If you use a record storage facility, make sure the company you choose inventories your documents and puts them on a retention schedule. Otherwise, your business is likely to pay unnecessary fees to store documents indefinitely &ndash; fees which could have easily been avoided.</p> <h2>For documents that do need to be regularly accessed</h2> <p>When figuring out the best way to store documents you know you&rsquo;ll need to access going forward, <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services" title="document scanning services">document scanning</a>&nbsp;and document management software offer plenty of benefits.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">Storing your documents securely in the cloud</a>&nbsp;(or digitally on-site) lets you search and retrieve documents quickly whenever you need them, while also placing them safely out of harm&rsquo;s way. No more worrying about paper documents being destroyed by mother nature, or falling into the wrong hands and creating unnecessary exposure for your company (not to mention placing your customers at risk of identity theft).</p> <p>For these reasons, more and more companies these days are turning to document scanning and document management software to prepare for audits, protect against theft and liabilities, and improve overall productivity and efficiency.</p> <p>But regardless of which solution you choose, remember that a little extra planning today will go a long way toward ensuring the safety of your company and clients tomorrow. Choosing the best way to store your documents off-site is an important decision; don&rsquo;t make it an afterthought.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to securely store &amp; manage your business documents"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/store-business-documents.png?sfvrsn=7" displaymode="Original" alt="Store your critical business documents" title="Securely store and manage your documents" /></a></p>urn:uuid:59263de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/2014-new-year-resolutions The Digiscribe staff shares their 2015 New Year resolutions and aspirations. May the new year be filled with joy and success!Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]78263de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/new-year-illustration.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Happy New Year Illustration" title="Wishing Everyone a Happy New Year" /></span>The new year is quickly approaching, so it&rsquo;s that time to start making plans and goals for the coming year. We asked our Digiscribe team what their resolutions are for next year, and here&rsquo;s what they said:</p> <ul> <li>I vow not to make some abstract promise to myself to do something I know I won&rsquo;t do</li> <li>To be a better person</li> <li>Lose weight</li> <li>Achieve last year&rsquo;s New Year&rsquo;s Resolution</li> <li>To get a car</li> <li>To work harder</li> <li>To get a house</li> <li>Taking it easy</li> <li>To see my grandson</li> <li>To get to know my co-workers better</li> <li>Make more money</li> <li>Make it a better year</li> <li>Stop smoking</li> <li>Open house (hosting) families</li> <li>Do more with the kids</li> <li>Eat healthier</li> <li>Never make one, it&rsquo;s too hard to keep!</li> </ul> <p>We hope you have a happy and successful new year!</p>urn:uuid:3f223de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/staff-holiday-favorites The Digiscribe team shares their holiday favorites and they're hoping for this holiday.Tue, 23 Dec 2014 14:00:00 Z<p>Our holiday party last Friday was filled with fun games, great food and good company. While at the party, we asked everyone about some of their holiday favorites. Here&rsquo;s what they said:</p> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]5e223de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/infographics/holiday-favorites.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Digiscribe staff holiday favorites" title="Holiday favorites" /></span></p> <p>Everyone at <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/why-digiscribe" title="Why partner with Digiscribe">Digiscribe and Digiscribe New England</a>&nbsp;wishes you a happy holiday season filled with warmth, comfort and good cheer.</p>urn:uuid:a21a3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/workflow-automation-basics workflow automation Office Automation Workflow automation, which can also be referred to as business process automation, is automating and streamlining paper based business processes to improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide transparency into critical business processes.Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:21:53 Z<p><em>The &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s Learn&rdquo; series helps make navigating document scanning and document management space a little easier so you can get the best solution for your business challenge.</em></p> <h2><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]2ba03ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/glossary/workflow-automation-basics.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Let's Learn: Workflow Automation" title="Workflow Automation Basics" /></span>What is workflow automation?</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">Workflow automation</a>, which can also be referred to as business process automation, is automating and streamlining paper based business processes to improve efficiency, reduce costs and provide transparency into critical business processes. Any of the following can be passed from one person to another for action, according to your existing business rules:</p> <ul> <li>Electronic documents, such as a Microsoft Word document</li> <li>Scanned documents</li> <li><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms" title="e-forms">E-forms</a></li> <li>Information</li> <li>Tasks</li> </ul> <p>These rules are a programmed series of automated steps that route all of that content to various users on a multi-user document management system.</p> <div style="border-left-width: 3px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: #878787;"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/document-management-basics/" title="Let’s Learn: Document Management Software"><em><strong>Learn the basics of document management</strong></em> &raquo;</a></div> <h2>Other names for workflow automation</h2> <p>Besides the definition of workflow automation above, here are a 3 more commonly used terms:</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>Business process automation (BPA)</strong> is the automation of business processes, in whole or in part, where documents, information, or tasks are passed from one person to another for action, according to a set of rules. </p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Business process management (BPM)</strong> is used by a business to contain costs. It consists of using workflow automation software applications and integrating them throughout the organization while minimizing labor costs.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Business process outsourcing (BPO)</strong> is the contracting of a specific business task to a third-party service provider. Usually, BPO is implemented as a cost-saving measure for tasks that a company requires but does not depend upon to maintain its position in the marketplace.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Are there different levels of workflow automation?</h2> <p>Different companies may require different levels of automation. Some may only need to manually kick off an automated workflow a handful of times a month. This is called an ad hoc workflow, which is a simple, manual process by which documents can be moved around a multi-user document management system on an &ldquo;as-needed&rdquo; basis.</p> <p>Other companies will want workflows kicked off immediately once a document enters the system, such as an invoice, with no human intervention. This is rule-based workflow, which is a programmed series of automated steps that route documents to various users on a multi-user document management system.</p> <h2>What are some common applications where workflows can be automated?</h2> <p>Automated workflows can be beneficial for many departments and applications within an organization. Here are just a few:</p> <ul> <li>Invoice processing</li> <li>Order fulfillment</li> <li>Expense reporting</li> <li>Outsourced mailroom services</li> <li>Employee reviews</li> <li>Time-off requests</li> <li>Onboarding</li> <li>Benefit documentation</li> </ul> <p>If you found these definitions useful, you can download them as a PDF by clicking the button below. If you want to make sure you see any future &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s Learn&rdquo; blog posts among many others, be sure to <a href="http://eepurl.com/vVgpX" title="Sign up for Digiscribe blog updates">sign up for email updates</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/docs/education/glossary/workflow-automation-basics.pdf?sfvrsn=6"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/download/workflow-automation-basics.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Download Workflow Automation Basics in PDF format" title="Workflow Automation Basics Download" /></a></p>urn:uuid:49183de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/ediscovery-compliance compliance document management software Document Management E-discovery mandates can be a major burden on your company when it comes time to disclose electronic documents – an event which can often arrive right out of left field. If you aren’t fully prepared, you run the risk of fines, penalties, and legal hassles, all of which are completely avoidable with proper electronic document storage.Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:17:10 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]af183de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/folder-search.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="File searching on computer" title="Search for scanned documents" /></span>E-discovery mandates can be a major burden on your company when it comes time to disclose electronic documents &ndash; an event which can often arrive right out of left field. If you aren&rsquo;t fully prepared, you run the risk of fines, penalties, and legal hassles, all of which are completely avoidable with proper electronic document storage.</p> <p>Yet according to a <a href="http://info.aiim.org/search-and-discovery" title="Search and Discovery - exploiting knowledge, minimizing risk" target="_blank">new white paper from AIIM</a>, many companies are not properly prepared for e-discovery compliance. Here are some key findings from the new research:</p> <ul> <li>74% of the organizations polled rely on manual processes to manage the downstream legal discovery process</li> <li>25% have no advanced or dedicated search tools </li> <li>53% of respondents agree that their legal discovery procedures are &ldquo;ad hoc, manual, disruptive and expensive&rdquo;</li> </ul> <h2>Personal devices and apps compound the e-discovery challenge</h2> <p>Another key finding from the white paper deserves special attention, and that is that 47% of the companies studied feel that universal search and compliant e-discovery is becoming near impossible given the proliferation of cloud share and collaboration apps, personal note systems and mobile devices.</p> <p>When you think about it, how many of your employees are using their own personal mobile devices and sharing apps on a daily basis? The answer is probably close to 100%. This aspect of the digital age makes e-discovery compliance more challenging than ever.</p> <h2>Stay compliant and prepared with document management software</h2> <p>Even though companies today face unprecedented hurdles in managing e-discovery compliance, document management software could be your first step in finding an effective solution to this issue.</p> <p>With <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>, all of your docs are stored in one central digital location that can be accessed from any mobile device or laptop, offsetting the fragmentation of documents caused by the widespread use of personal devices within the workplace.</p> <p>By digitizing and consolidating all of your company&rsquo;s documents, document management software also makes it easy to perform a universal search at any time, so you can pull exactly what you need, when you need it; this is a huge advantage during the e-discovery process.</p> <p>And document management software can be integrated with your existing business systems, such as your accounting, order fulfillment, HR software, and more. This provides you with seamless and immediate access to documents from multiple departments &ndash; including emails, invoices, scanned paper documents, or anything else &ndash; right when you need them, helping your company to stay prepared in the event of an e-discovery request.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Easily handle e-discovery requests"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/ediscovery-requests.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Properly handle e-discovery requests with document management" title="Easily handle e-discovery requests" /></a></p>urn:uuid:fd133de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/restaurant-human-resources compliance human resources hospitality HIPAA document management software Solutions Document Management According to the National Restaurant Association, U.S. restaurant employees now account for 10% of the U.S. workforce, at 13.1 million strong. But with all this unprecedented employment growth, how are restaurants supposed to manage the overwhelming amount of paperwork involved with each step of the employment process – not to mention all the stress that comes with it?Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]df143de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/waiter-with-tablet.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Waiter with tablet" title="Digitize your restaurant's HR documents" /></span>It&rsquo;s a great time to be in the restaurant business. According to the National Restaurant Association, U.S. restaurant employees now account for 10% of the U.S. workforce, at 13.1 million strong.</p> <p>But with all this unprecedented employment growth, how are restaurants supposed to manage the overwhelming amount of paperwork involved with each step of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources" title="human resources scanning">employment process</a>&nbsp;&ndash; not to mention all the stress that comes with it?</p> <ul> <li>Hiring and onboarding documents</li> <li>Employment applications</li> <li>W-4s, W-9s and I-9s</li> <li>State tax forms</li> <li>Policy acknowledgements</li> <li>Direct deposit authorizations</li> <li>Confidentiality &amp; non-compete agreements</li> <li>Performance review forms</li> <li>Payroll documents</li> <li>And more...</li> </ul> <h2>HIPAA: More than just healthcare forms</h2> <p>And let&rsquo;s not forget about HIPAA protected documents that require strict compliance.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/importance-of-hipaa-compliance-document-scanning-company/" title="Why Working with a HIPAA Compliance Trained Document Scanning Company is Important">We&rsquo;re not just talking about healthcare documents, either</a>; any document that includes an employee&rsquo;s name, social security number, or one of 18 other identifiers falls under HIPAA regulation as well.</p> <p>Taking all of this into account, it&rsquo;s clear that storing paper documents on site just isn&rsquo;t an optimal solution for any growing restaurant.</p> <h2>Grow your restaurant with document management software</h2> <p>Implementing a reliable <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management solution</a>&nbsp;has become one of the keys to sustainable restaurant growth, and the trend will only continue to skyrocket as more and more restaurant owners leverage cloud software to keep their businesses running smoothly on minimal admin staff.</p> <p>Document management software helps you solve all of your paperwork problems, starting with one single repository from which to manage each and every document easier, more efficiently, and more effectively than ever before.</p> <p>Scanning and storing your documents &ndash; everything from employment applications to termination forms &ndash; helps you free up office space, prevent workplace hazards, keep HR&rsquo;s workload manageable, and maximize your restaurant&rsquo;s valuable square footage.</p> <p>And this powerful solution is more accessible than ever before, with our flexible document management options and experienced certified professional services team to help you with installation, integration with your existing systems and staff training.</p> <h2>Find it when you need it</h2> <p>Document management software also eliminates the &ldquo;needle in a haystack&rdquo; problem of finding documents when you need them (e.g. during an audit); just do a quick search from any computer or mobile device, and our software retrieves the docs you are looking for within seconds.</p> <h2>Stay compliant, the easy way</h2> <p>Whether you choose our cloud based or in-house electronic document software, you&rsquo;ll be implementing a safe and secure method for keeping all of your sensitive documents protected, reducing your liability and protecting your employees&rsquo; private information. At&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/why-digiscribe" title="Why partner with Digiscribe">Digiscribe</a>, we leave nothing to chance; our document scanning facility has received its SOC 2 Type 2 report and our staff is HIPPA compliance trained, to offer you the protection and peace of mind you need to focus on growing your business.</p> <h2>The way of the future</h2> <p>The restaurant industry is poised for growth. Shouldn&rsquo;t your business be as well? Why let the burden of paperwork run the show and drown your operation in a sea of unwanted paperwork--when you can simply scan it, store it, track and access it and forget about managing it instead?</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to grow your restaurant business without growing your HR staff"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/restaurant-human-resources.png?sfvrsn=7" displaymode="Original" alt="Grow your restaurant business without growing your HR staff" title="Restaurant human resource document management" /></a></p>urn:uuid:73113de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/beyond-lab-book-scanning document management software book scanning services Solutions Document Scanning Leaders in the biotech, pharmaceutical and research industries need to safeguard their documents against any unexpected calamities that can set development back for months or even years.Thu, 04 Dec 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]da4c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/beakers.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Beakers" title="Biotech Lab Notebook Scanning" /></span>Leaders in the biotech, pharmaceutical and research industries need to safeguard their documents against any unexpected calamities that can set development back for months or even years. Paper documents are notoriously vulnerable to the elements, time, and wear, but even a simple move to a new office can result in the loss of indispensable paperwork. When it comes to the documents that establish the foundation for a successful enterprise, it&rsquo;s always better to be safe than sorry, and turning to digital scanning can protect companies from unexpected document loss and ensure that projects proceed as they were intended.</p> <h2>Moving Beyond Lab Book Scanning</h2> <p>In some cases, it can take over a decade and costs that range between $4 billion and $12 billion before a pharmaceutical company or biotech firm is ready to introduce a new product to the market. Because the development process often takes years to complete and there is so much riding on the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2012/0312/strategies-pharmaceuticals-lilly-stagger-cost-inventing-new-drugs.html" title="The Truly Staggering Cost Of Inventing New Drugs" target="_blank">successful introduction of new drugs</a>, forward-thinking research labs scan their lab books to track progress, maintain continuity, prevent loss, and protect intellectual property. But it doesn&rsquo;t end there. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/laboratory-notebook-scanning">Lab book scanning</a>&nbsp;and archiving is just the tip of the iceberg.</p> <p>CFOs, comptrollers and lab directors can also rely on digital document scanning to help them cut costs, boost efficiency, manage security, and quickly resolve compliance issues. The difference between an afternoon spent trying to physically locate a document and a few seconds spent making simple keystrokes is immense. In an industry where costly setbacks and complications can arise in an instant, having digital documents at the ready ensures that managers can respond to any need within a moment&rsquo;s notice. This type of accessibility keeps businesses agile and focused on development without being sidelined by timewasting tasks. When productivity and effectiveness are major concerns, laboratories and research facilities can utilize digital documentation and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">cloud-based document management software</a>&nbsp;to ensure that they retain their place at the forefront of the industry.</p> <h2>Exploring the Possibilities</h2> <p>Contracts, FDA filings, SBA filings, quality binders, credentialing papers and materials sheets: These are the types of documents that companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech and research sectors are increasingly opting to digitize and store using secure, cloud-based software. Maintaining a digital version of these essential files helps to streamline functions in all areas of an organization. Using the cloud, a single document can be securely shared instantly among multiple parties, enabling remote collaboration and information retrieval. Managers can monitor projects as they evolve and address potential problems before they can undermine progress. Through the use of secure cloud technology, organizations can also ensure that their intellectual property and other vital documents are only available to authorized personnel.</p> <p>Paperwork is almost always a necessity, and businesses that strive to remain proactive in managing their records find that document scanning saves time, money, and manpower. The results are readily seen in heightened productivity, additional layers of security, and lower costs. As more businesses in the in the biotech, pharmaceutical and research sectors discover that they are not simply limited to digitized lab books, cloud-based document software is likely to become the new industry norm for storing records of all types.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to safeguard more than your research lab books with document scanning"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/beyond-lab-notebook-scanning.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Safeguard more than your research lab books with document scanning" title="Beyond lab notebook scanning" /></a></p>urn:uuid:620f3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/restaurant-accounts-payable-scanning hospitality document scanning services document management software accounts payable Solutions You’re staring at a huge pile of paid invoices taking up space in your restaurant’s already crowded office. You’ll need to hang on to these documents for the next seven years, but storing them on site can lead to all sorts of challenges. Fortunately, there's a solution.Tue, 02 Dec 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]810f3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/unorganized-office.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Unorganized Office" title="Declutter your paper-filled office" /></span>You&rsquo;re staring at a huge pile of paid invoices taking up space in your restaurant&rsquo;s already crowded office. You&rsquo;ll need to hang on to these documents for the next seven years, but storing them on site can lead to all sorts of challenges, like:</p> <ul> <li>Lack of space</li> <li>Security issues</li> <li>Duplicate payments to vendors</li> <li>Delayed delivery of supplies</li> <li>Auditing hassles</li> <li>Disgruntled employees</li> <li>And even fire hazard</li> </ul> <p>Fortunately, document management software offers a way to free up space, while also making your accounts payable process more efficient. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">Scanning documents</a>&nbsp;lets you store them in the cloud (or digitally in-house if you prefer) as well as retrieve and share them electronically, transforming your foodservice business in a number of favorable ways.</p> <h2>Gain extra space</h2> <p>Ridding your restaurant of huge stacks of paper lets you devote more of your precious square footage to operations that earn you money, rather than administrative tasks. You&rsquo;ll also have additional room in case you need to hire an extra office employee (or two).</p> <h2>Increase security</h2> <p>Having your financial documents lying around in boxes leaves them accessible to random employees and susceptible to flood, fire, or even simply being misplaced. On the other hand, having them stored in a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">secure document management system</a>&nbsp;protects them from all of the above, and lets you add users as you see fit, designating each person with their own individual access level for maximum security.</p> <h2>Avoid paying vendors twice</h2> <p>You&rsquo;ve probably experienced some form of the following scenario: One of your vendors calls, insisting they&rsquo;re still waiting on a payment from the month before. You know they&rsquo;re mistaken, but the only way you can prove it is to painstakingly track down the paper trail--or you can forget about this week&rsquo;s delivery. Using our document management software, you can quickly search for the invoice in question right from your computer or mobile device, and retrieve the check number for the vendor right there on the phone. Problem solved.</p> <h2>Easier audits</h2> <p>No one enjoys being audited, but document management software makes the process less painful and intrusive than ever before. Instead of manually going through your restaurant to pore over invoices, auditors can gain access to your scanned documents remotely, without interrupting your daily flow of business.</p> <h2>Happier, healthier, more productive staff</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable" title="accounts payable scanning">Scanning accounts payable documents</a>&nbsp;and taking advantage of document management software instantly makes your employees happier and more productive, as they&rsquo;re able to spend less time managing paper storage and more time on their core jobs. Drastically reducing the amount of paper clutter in your restaurant also minimizes your risk of fire, creating a safer environment and reducing your liability.</p> <h2>Make paper storage a thing of the past</h2> <p>Whether you choose our cloud-based or in-house document management software, you&rsquo;ll get an easy and affordable way to securely store, retrieve, share, and track post-processed accounts payable documents. Plus, you always have the option to print any documents you need to, with just one click. Can you think of a better way to free up space and make your restaurant run more efficiently?</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to scan &amp; digitally manage your restaurant’s invoices"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/restaurant-ap-scanning.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Scan &amp; digitally manage your restaurant’s invoices" title="Restaurant Accounts Payable Scanning" /></a></p>urn:uuid:530e3de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/new-england-thanksgiving We are all familiar with the story of the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1621. But did you know there are at least 12 other places in 5 different states that claim to have had the first thanksgiving in America?1 Here is a list of other interesting facts about the holiday.Wed, 26 Nov 2014 17:20:06 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]bb4a247c-729e-400d-8646-64ba0e6fb1e8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/thanksgiving.jpg?sfvrsn=0" displaymode="Original" alt="Happy Thanksgiving!" title="Thanksgiving Facts" /></span>We are all familiar with the story of the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1621. But did you know there are at least 12 other places in 5 different states that claim to have had the first thanksgiving in America?¹ Here is a list of other interesting facts about the holiday:</p> <ul> <li> <p>Massachusetts is one of the top cranberry growing states (Wisconsin is the only state that produces more!)</p> </li> <li> <p>Turkey became part of the traditional dinner in New England in 1857</p> </li> <li> <p>The first Thanksgiving was a 3 day affair that happened between September 21 and November 1 in 1621¹</p> </li> <li> <p>Thanksgiving was considered a substitute for Christmas in New England before the Civil War²</p> </li> <li> <p>Early Thanksgiving dinners most likely consisted of seafood. It is likely that mussels, lobster, bass, clams and oysters could have been served³</p> </li> <li> <p>Thanksgiving was not an official national holiday until 1941 ⁴</p> </li> <li> <p>Forks were not present at the first Thanksgiving dinner. Pilgrims only used spoons, knives and their fingers⁵</p> </li> </ul> <p>We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with family, friends and good food.</p> <h3>Sources</h3> <ol> <li><a href="http://facts.randomhistory.com/thanksgiving-facts.html" title="36 Little Known Facts About...Thanksgiving">Random Facts: 36 Little Known Facts About...Thanksgiving</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.alden.org/pilgrim_lore/thanksgiving.html" title="The American Thanksgiving Holiday">Alden House Historic Site: The American Thanksgiving Holiday</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/first-thanksgiving-meal" title="First Thanksgiving Meal">HISTORY: First Thanksgiving Meal</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-facts" title="Thanksgiving Facts">HISTORY: Thanksgiving Facts</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/21/thanksgiving-trivia-facts_n_1106005.html" title="Thanksgiving Trivia: 11 Facts You Should Know">Huffington Post: Thanksgiving Trivia: 11 Facts You Should Know</a></li> </ol>urn:uuid:f0a33ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/soc-2-availability-requirements SOC 2 Type 2 security document scanning services Industry News & Insights Working with a document scanning company that has received its SOC 2 Type 2 Report helps ensure the confidentiality and security of your documents while in their facility. A SOC 2 Type 2 Report also ensures your documents are available to you while in process, and while being stored digitally at the document scanning facility and in cloud document management software.Tue, 25 Nov 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]e8a33ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/available-now.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Available now stamp" title="Document availability" /></span>Working with a document scanning company that has received its SOC 2 Type 2 Report helps ensure the confidentiality and security of your documents while in their facility. A <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/why-soc-2-is-a-critical-report-for-document-scanning-companies/" title="Why SOC 2 Is a Critical Report for Document Scanning Companies">SOC 2 Type 2 Report</a>&nbsp;also ensures your documents are available to you while in process, and while being stored digitally at the document scanning facility and in cloud document management software.</p> <h2>Rest Assured</h2> <p>To ensure that the systems used for processing, storing and hosting your documents and data are available, controls are implemented, tested and audited. Below is a list of some of those controls.</p> <ul> <li> <strong>Business continuity/disaster recovery plan (BCP/DRP)</strong> <ul> <li>A formal plan provides reasonable assurance that redundancy is built into the document scanning company&rsquo;s servers to minimize system downtime. Redundant servers should be located outside of the geographic area in case of widespread local disruptions. The BCP/DRP must be reviewed and updated annually, or as major system or operational components change. A risk assessment of potential threats and disruptions is performed as part of the annual update to the BCP/DRP and the documented processes are tested with updates implemented if necessary.</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>Backups</strong> <ul> <li>A policy that covers what data is backed up and how often, storage retention, restoration and testing of backups. Backup software solutions should optimally perform on-site replications and enable off-site replication to a backup facility located outside of the geographic area. Backup processes must be monitored to ensure they are completed as scheduled.</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>On-site back-up replication</strong> <ul> <li>Incremental backups should occur at least daily and merge with the full backup weekly. Automatic backup verifications should be completed with a bit by bit comparison in conjunction with manual verifications performed on the servers. The backups must be encrypted. Backup restores should be tested and verified weekly.</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>Off-site replication</strong> <ul> <li>Local backups should be replicated to an off-site location in a constant synchronization scenario. When changes are detected, data should be replicated until each site matches.</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>Client data back-ups</strong> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">Scanned images</a>&nbsp;and data created during scanning and final versions of conversion service jobs that have been delivered to you should be backed up, encrypted, digitally stored and available for a pre-determined timeframe.</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>Vault storage of data files</strong> <ul> <li>A physical backup of your scanned and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/document-indexing" title="document indexing">indexed documents</a>&nbsp;on encrypted media stored offsite in a Department of Defense (DOD) level secure vault provides an additional level of backup.</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>Data center monitoring</strong> <ul> <li>In order to ensure the data center is available, it should be equipped with the following environmental controls: (1) monitored temperature and water sensors, (2) dedicated heating and air conditioning (HVAC) with failover to a second unit on a separate circuit and (3) monitored heat detection and fire suppression that deploys only in the area where sensed and a dry chemical fire extinguisher.</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>Guaranteed uptime of hosted document management systems</strong> <ul> <li>Vendors should guarantee uptime of 99.9% in a discrete, 24 hour period in their Service Level Agreements and execute automated monitoring (24/7/365).</li> </ul> </li> <br /> <li> <strong>Customer support</strong> <ul> <li>Authorized clients should be provided with a support phone number and/or email contact to assist with any security or availability issues.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2>Don&rsquo;t Take Our Word for It</h2> <p>A SOC 2 Type 2 Report is based on an annual audit conducted by a reputable accounting firm. Ask to see a copy of the report to ensure a document scanning company has passed the audit without exceptions. A visit to the document scanning facility is another way to attain peace of mind before you outsource your scanning.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Ensure your documents &amp; data are available when you need them"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/document-availability.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Ensure your documents &amp; data are available when you need them" title="Document availability" /></a></p>urn:uuid:d9043de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/document-scanning-pricing-infographic data entry large format scanning services document scanning services Document Scanning A low-cost document scanning quote can be extremely tempting, but what exactly does that quote cover?Fri, 21 Nov 2014 21:12:44 Z<p>It&rsquo;s important to consider a variety of factors when selecting a document scanning company to outsource your <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">scanning projects</a>. A low-cost document scanning quote can be extremely tempting, but what exactly does that quote cover? Often times, a low-cost scanning quote means you&rsquo;ll be <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/when-is-a-document-scanning-price-too-good-to-be-true/" title="When Is a Document Scanning Price Too Good To Be True?">surprised later with hidden fees</a>&nbsp;if you want the job done right.</p> <p>You can avoid this surprise by knowing upfront what is included in the quoted price. Below is an infographic with some of the most common hidden fees some document scanning companies won&rsquo;t tell you about until later in the process.</p> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]08053de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/infographics/hidden-fees-in-scanning-quotes.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="What's included in your document scanning quote?" title="Hidden fees in document scanning quotes" /></span></p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Get your surprise-free document scanning quote"><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]e8043de8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/surprise-free-scanning-quote.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Contact us to get your surprise-free document scanning quote" title="All inclusive document scanning quote" /></span></a></p>urn:uuid:66a33ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/streamline-credentialing workflow automation healthcare document management software compliance Solutions Office Automation Credentialing specialists understand details. From verifying medical staff credentials to ensuring that a service provider, healthcare facility or insurance company complies with federal and state regulations regarding licensure and certification of medical professionals, credentialing specialists have no shortage of data to maintain.Tue, 18 Nov 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]fac715d1-a11e-44e0-a875-656b288a1457" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/checklist.jpg?sfvrsn=2" displaymode="Original" alt="Checklist" title="Easily manage credentialing" /></span>Credentialing specialists understand details. From verifying medical staff credentials to ensuring that a service provider, healthcare facility or insurance company complies with federal and state regulations regarding licensure and certification of medical professionals, credentialing specialists have no shortage of data to maintain. </p> <p>If that&rsquo;s not enough, ensuring that healthcare providers update their certification or licensing on time, and processing new applications for physician privileges to a facility also falls on the credentialing specialist&rsquo;s shoulders. </p> <h2>Managing Different Rules, Different Deadlines</h2> <p>Keeping on top of the renewal process, for example, at a large insurance company representing hundreds of thousands of doctors can be daunting. As all credential specialists know, there is a limited time period for credential completion and approval. Each state has different rules, requirements and deadlines for documentation. Therefore, proper credentialing management is critical in meeting regulatory guidelines, ensuring compliance&mdash;and avoiding fines.</p> <p>Document management and workflow automation software automate and streamline the credentialing process to help healthcare facilities and providers meet regulatory guidelines, cut costs and improve efficiency. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">Workflow automation software</a>&nbsp;can kick off an automated process based on a renewal date, at which time notification can be sent to the credentialing or human resources department. </p> <h2>Workflow Automation Software Keeps You Alert</h2> <p>Some robust workflow automation software, such as FileBound Enterprise, can even alert credentialing specialists as to what documents are missing from a file to help ensure a particular file is complete and all items are verified. Credentialing documents can be provided, tracked and processed via e-form, electronically or hard copy to be scanned. </p> <p>Compliance specialists can easily, securely and quickly retrieve credentialing documents stored in <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>&nbsp;and manually set off the process of knowing what credentials are needed, what are on file, what&rsquo;s missing, and what needs to be renewed by whom and by when.</p> <p>Document management software also offers 24/7 access from any web browser or mobile device. A compliance specialist can review the baseline and start communication to update credentials, virtually from anywhere.</p> <h2>Tailor-made Solution</h2> <p>For healthcare facilities, service providers and insurance companies it is imperative to manage, track and securely store their practitioners&rsquo; credentials such as licenses and certifications. Document management software and workflow automation software is a tailor-made solution to help credentialing specialists securely and efficiently keep details in check. </p> <p>When it comes to credentialing&mdash;it&rsquo;s the little details that count most.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Streamline the credentialing process with workflow automation"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/streamline-credentialing.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Streamline the credentialing process with workflow automation" title="Streamline credentialing" /></a></p>urn:uuid:27a33ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/scanning-medical-files medical record scanning HIPAA healthcare document management software Solutions We’ve become a society of professional multitaskers, where no minute is spared. While the opportunity to do more than one thing at once may seem ideal, multitasking can hurt more than it helps.Take medical offices, for instance. Balancing clerical tasks with confidential patient file management is no easy feat. Throw in converting medical records to an EMR system, and even the most diligent office worker’s day becomes laborious.Thu, 13 Nov 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]0d4d3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/medical-files.jpg?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Medical Record Scanning" title="Medical Files" /></span>We text while we wait for coffee at Dunkin&rsquo; Donuts. We listen to voicemail while unloading our Wegman&rsquo;s shopping carts. We even peek at our emails while our future professional basketball-playing-toddler attempts a jump shot during his YMCA basketball class. Multitasking: We&rsquo;ve become a society of professional multitaskers, where no minute is spared. While the opportunity to do more than one thing at once may seem ideal, multitasking can hurt more than it helps.</p> <p>Take medical offices, for instance. Balancing clerical tasks with confidential patient file management is no easy feat. Throw in <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/medical-record-scanning" title="medical record scanning">converting medical records</a>&nbsp;to an EMR system, and even the most diligent office worker&rsquo;s day becomes laborious.</p> <p>Yet many medical offices do not employ staff specifically for document scanning. Therefore, scanning cannot be easily or quickly done in bulk. Staff may have to start, stop and restart the process as a result, introducing the possibilities for errors.</p> <p>A cost- and time-efficient solution does exist. Outsourcing your scanning needs to a document scanning company allows you to quickly and completely scan large quantities of medical records so your office has completed digital patient folders in a short period of time.</p> <p>Just send your medical charts in bulk to a document scanning company, which will prep, scan, index and upload the files to <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>&nbsp;that can be integrated with your EMR software. If a doctor needs a record during processing, the scanning company must be able to quickly email or fax you an encrypted document without disrupting the scanning process. Any new papers that come in after the file has been scanned can be added by scanning directly into the patient&rsquo;s folder that is stored and accessed on document management software.</p> <p>Remember, it is very important to work with a HIPAA compliant trained document scanning company. That means that patient&rsquo;s health information is securely handled while in the document scanning facility.</p> <p>If it still seems more cost-effective to scan in-house, it&rsquo;s not. Think about it. If your current staff scans in addition to their regular duties they need to be trained on scanning and indexing. This takes time, resources and money. What about proper equipment? Does your office have production level scanners and software or multi-function printers and slow desktop scanners?</p> <p>What if a doctor needs a patient file in the middle of scanning? Then the scanner loses track of what has and has not been scanned. The scanner wastes time comparing documents in the paper medical chart to the digitized documents or worse starts over and creates duplicate images.</p> <p>It is much easier to employ a professional, dedicated group of people focused just on your scanning project, rather than an employee who can &ldquo;fit it in.&rdquo; Outsourcing the job of converting medical records to an EMR system helps your office be more efficient and saves you money and time.</p> <p>Better yet, outsourcing let your staff focus on the jobs they were hired to do. After all, they can multitask after work.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Stop your staff from multitasking &amp; outsource your medical record scanning"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/outsource-medical-record-scanning.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Stop your staff from multitasking &amp; outsource your medical record scanning" title="Outsource your medical record scanning" /></a></p>urn:uuid:c89f3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/document-management-basics document management software Document Management The “Let’s Learn” series is here to help make navigating a little easier so you can get best solution for your business challenge. Today’s topic is document management.Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]1fa03ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/glossary/document-management-basics.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Let's Learn: Document Management" title="Document Management Software Basics" /></span>There&rsquo;s a lot of terminology used in the information management space, so it can feel overwhelming when you first dive in. With so much ground to cover, wouldn&rsquo;t a guide with the most common and essential industry terms be helpful?</p> <p>The &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s Learn&rdquo; series is here to help make navigating a little easier so you can get best solution for your business challenge. Today&rsquo;s topic is document management.</p> <h2>What is document management?</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">Document management</a>&nbsp;is the method of better managing documents to improve efficiencies, share and secure information faster and reduce costs associated with maintaining paper and digital filing systems. Document management services include document scanning, document conversion, content and data capture, cloud-based or in-house document management software, workflow automation software, and integration with your line-of-business software, such as your ERP or HRMS system.</p> <h2>What features does document management software typically have?</h2> <p>There are some key features that the document management software you&rsquo;re considering should include:</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>Document security</strong> of document management software should provide security features such as access level privileges, functionality controls, audit trails, utilization reports and security logs</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Audit trails</strong> provide a log of who accessed and/or changed what and when, creating visibility and accountability</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Disaster recovery</strong> with cloud document management software reduces your organization&rsquo;s risk by ensuring your digital and scanned documents are safe and secure. You&rsquo;ll have access to all of your business documents, even if you don&rsquo;t have access to your office</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Mobile capability</strong> allows you to securely save, access, share and process the documents you need from any mobile device</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>E-forms</strong> (or web forms) are forms designed, managed, and processed completely in an electronic environment eliminating the need for paper and manual data entry</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Check in/out</strong> ensures that only one person can work on a document at any time, eliminating the guessing game of which version of a document is the most recent</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Annotations</strong> allow you to make changes or additions to a document using sticky notes, a highlighter, or other electronic tools. Document images or text can be highlighted in different colors, redacted (blacked-out or whited-out), stamped (e.g. &ldquo;FAXED&rdquo; or &ldquo;CONFIDENTIAL&rdquo;), or have electronic sticky notes attached. Annotations should be overlaid and not change the original document</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Version control</strong> gives you the ability to identify the authorship and the sequence of different versions of a document</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Integration</strong> with software you are already using is essential to eliminate manual data entry and increase productivity</p> </li> <li> <p>A <strong>digital signature</strong> is an electronic signature that can be used to authenticate the sender of a message</p> </li> </ul> <p>You can download the above definitions (plus some bonus ones) in a handy PDF by clicking the button below. Make sure you don&rsquo;t miss any future &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s Learn&rdquo; blog posts among many others by <a href="http://eepurl.com/vVgpX" title="Sign up for blog post updates">signing up for email updates</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/docs/education/glossary/document-management-basics.pdf?sfvrsn=4" title="Download Document Management Basics"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/download/document-management-basics.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Download Document Management Basics in PDF format" title="Document Management Basics Download" /></a></p>urn:uuid:83923ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/filing-cabinets-hidden-costs document scanning services document management software Document Management What most businesses may not realize is that a sizeable portion of their real estate costs can be attributed to storing paper in file cabinets and boxes.Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:00:00 Z<p>Real estate prices have risen greatly over the years. New York City businesses in particular know the impact that real estate costs have on their bottom line with some of the highest cost per square foot in the country. What most businesses may not realize is that a sizeable portion of their real estate costs can be attributed to <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/file-cabinets-don-t-make-companies-money/" title="File Cabinets Don’t Make Companies Money">storing paper in file cabinets and boxes</a>. But just how much are your company&rsquo;s filing cabinets really costing you? Check out the infographic below to find out.</p> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]56923ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/infographics/filing-cabinets-hidden-cost.png?sfvrsn=8" displaymode="Original" alt="How much are your filing cabinets costing you?" title="Reclaim real estate in your office space" /></span></p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Reclaim real estate space &amp; save money"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/fire-filing-cabinets.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Fire your filing cabinets" title="Reclaim real estate space &amp; save money" /></a><br />urn:uuid:488e3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/lean-workforce workflow automation document management software cloud document management software Office Automation Since the beginning of the current economic recovery, many organizations have been reluctant to hire in order to keep overhead down. Even those who are growing, organically or through acquisition, want to avoid hiring additional staff especially for handling clerical tasks like processing invoices. How can organizations stay lean with an increasing workload?Tue, 28 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]428e3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/lean-efficient-team.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Weight" title="Lean &amp; Efficient Team" /></span>Since the beginning of the current economic recovery, many organizations have been reluctant to hire in order to keep overhead down. Even those who are growing, organically or through acquisition, want to avoid hiring additional staff especially for handling clerical tasks like processing invoices. How can organizations stay lean with an increasing workload?</p> <h2>Document Management &amp; Workflow Automation Software</h2> <p>One way to effectively handle growth without increasing personnel costs is by <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">automating paper-based processes</a>&nbsp;so that more can be done with less people. An effective way to do this is by utilizing document management and workflow automation software &ndash; especially now that this software is more cost-effective than ever before, as on-premise software or in the cloud.</p> <h2>Gains in Efficiency, Accountability &amp; Transparency</h2> <p>As its primary goal, document management and workflow automation software improves efficiency and productivity by making documents easier to process, file, find and share. This effectively eliminates manual handling and expedites processing of your critical documents. It also makes it easier and more secure for you to store and access your documents from any PC or mobile device.</p> <p><strong>The Result:</strong> organizations can repurpose clerical personnel from basic paperwork duties to performing higher level work and/or can handle increasing volumes of work without staff additions. The software&rsquo;s ability to track changes and workflow monitoring allows for more employee accountability and process transparency to management, and with a much lower risk of losing documents.</p> <p>The same holds true for the IT department when using <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">cloud document management software</a>, which requires zero IT resources to maintain. And, if there is any disruption due to power outages or weather, cloud document management software helps to ensure business continuity.</p> <h2>Integration with Backend Systems</h2> <p>Once stored in document management software, a firm's documents can be securely stored and accessed within seconds from enterprise resource planning systems (ERP), accounting software and other back-end applications. Just make sure to use an experienced document management partner to ensure this integration is set up correctly.</p> <h2>Stay Lean &amp; Thrive</h2> <p>With a document management and workflow automation software in place, organizations can reap enormous efficiency gains, cut costs and handle increasing volumes of work with their current workforce for manual paper based process, including invoice processing and order processing. This software also helps organizations protect themselves from the next economic downturns as their processes and documents will all be in place and preserved should the need arise to pare down even a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20140916/SMALLBIZ/309149994/firms-that-thrive-by-staying-lean" title="Firms that thrive by staying lean" target="_blank">lean workforce</a>.<span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]278e3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"></span></p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Lean team with workflow automation"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/lean-team.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Automate now for a lean, more efficient team" title="Lean team with workflow automation" /></a><br />urn:uuid:92743ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/paperless-budget-planning document scanning services Solutions Document Scanning As you think about next year, how many filing cabinets do you want taking up valuable office space? How much staff time do you want wasted searching for documents? How many documents do you want misfiled or lost?Thu, 23 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]8b743ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/budget.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Budget" title="Budget your document scanning project" /></span>As you think about next year, how many filing cabinets do you want taking up valuable office space? How much staff time do you want wasted searching for documents? How many documents do you want misfiled or lost?</p> <p>If you&rsquo;d like the answer to be &ldquo;much less&rdquo; or &ldquo;none,&rdquo; then you&rsquo;ll want to consider having your <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">documents scanned</a>&nbsp;and implementing a document management system to make them instantly available. This guide will help you identify budgeting guidelines to go paperless in 2015 and when to expect a positive ROI.</p> <h2>How Much Should I Budget?</h2> <p>Costs vary and are usually priced based on how many documents you need scanned and stored, what type of documents, the condition of the documents and how quickly you need them scanned. To start with, you need to have an idea of how much paper you have. You can estimate your document volume by counting the following:</p> <ul> <li>Number of filing cabinets: a vertical 4 drawer file cabinet holds 20,000 pages on average</li> <li>Number of documents not filed: use the 80/20 rule if you don&rsquo;t know (20% being not filed)</li> <li>Number of boxes in your office: a standard bankers box holds 2,000 to 2,500 pages on average (10&rdquo;x12&rdquo;x16&rdquo; box dimension)</li> <li>Number of boxes in offsite storage that you retrieve on a regular basis</li> <li>Number of inbound documents per week, month or year that will need to be filed</li> </ul> <p>Once you have these numbers, a document scanning provider will be able to estimate the cost to scan them. Tip: An experienced and high quality scanning company will want to see your documents before providing an estimate. They may also recommend not scanning all of your documents but only the most critical ones.</p> <p>The good news: the cost of both document scanning and document management software has never been more affordable. This is especially true when you send out your documents to be scanned by an experienced document scanning company, and when you use <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">cloud document management</a>&nbsp;&ndash; both options become predictable and affordable monthly expenses.</p> <h2>The Cost of Doing Nothing</h2> <p>Everyone has different cost sensitivities. In our view, the amount to be budgeted should only be identified after you estimate what <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/the-top-5-actual-costs-of-doing-nothing-document-management-edition/" title="The Top 5 Actual Costs of Doing Nothing: Document Management Edition">doing nothing is costing you</a>. Specifically, you&rsquo;ll want to estimate:</p> <ul> <li>Annual cost per square foot of floor space taken up by filing cabinets, bankers boxes and other containers holding paper. <strong>Tip:</strong> Each 4 drawer file cabinet takes up 15 square feet</li> <li>Annual cost of offsite storage for boxes</li> <li>Annual cost of retrieving documents from off-site storage and having them delivered to your office</li> <li>Financial exposure due to not meeting regulatory compliance guidelines</li> <li>Weekly clerical filing hours (file clerks, admins, temps) and hourly wages (including benefits)</li> <li>Average time it takes to locate and retrieve documents</li> <li>Average hours to retrieve files for annual audits (internal, IRS, others)</li> <li>Cost of misfiled or lost documents: On average, 7.5% of your documents are misfiled. Multiply that number by $125 (the average cost to reproduce a document)</li> <li>Annual cost of paper filing supplies</li> <li>Miscellaneous costs (FedEx, postage, copying, faxing, delivery, etc.)</li> </ul> <p>Once you have even just a ballpark estimate of these costs, it will quickly become apparent what it&rsquo;s costing you to do nothing.</p> <h2>What Is the ROI?</h2> <p>From our experience, the payback period is often less than a year, with a positive ROI often being realized in just a few months. And keep in mind this ROI is in addition to benefits from efficiency gains, quicker and easier audits, meeting regulatory requirements, achieving business continuity in the event of a disaster, ability for employees to work remotely, and mobile access to documents.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="2015 document scanning budget"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/2015-budget.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Budget now to scan your documents in 2015. We'll help you." title="2015 document scanning budget" /></a><br />urn:uuid:48743ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/avoid-moving-mistake moving document scanning services Solutions Document Scanning Is your office moving soon or sometime in the near future? If so, one of the most common “gotchas” that generates unforeseen costs is having to move paper documents.Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]f04b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/moving-office.jpg?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Scan documents before you move" title="Moving Office" /></span>Is your office moving soon or sometime in the near future? If so, one of the most common &ldquo;gotchas&rdquo; that generates unforeseen costs is having to move paper documents.</p> <p>Many organizations are unaware how many paper documents they have in all those filing cabinets, bankers boxes and spread around every cubicle and desk, how much unnecessary space they consume, and even how much everything weighs. This knowledge can prevent you from being the next moving horror story.</p> <h2>Moving Horror Stories</h2> <p>One of our clients recently called in a panic to have all of their <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">documents scanned</a>. The reason? They were moving so many documents to a new office space that the weight of the paper exceeded the maximum load weight for the floor. To keep all of the paper, they would need to reinforce the floor with steel beams &ndash; a cost they would have to incur. Scanning the documents before they moved saved them what would have been an enormous expense.</p> <p>Another client didn&rsquo;t estimate how much space they really needed for all their filing cabinets and other paper storage until the <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/office-relocation" title="office relocation">movers were loading everything into the new office</a>. After squeezing everything in, the new space was cramped and not able to be used as originally planned, defeating the purpose of the move.</p> <h2>Think Paper Early</h2> <p>While these stories are amusing, you don&rsquo;t want to deal with these problems before it is too late. Read our <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/moving-spring-cleaning/" title="Moving? A Document Spring Cleaning Guide">moving guide</a>&nbsp;blog post to help determine how many documents you have and how much space they consume. You may also want to hire a moving consultant to ensure you are thinking everything through and planning for everything.</p> <p>Even when you outsource document scanning, it still takes time (and is costlier as a rush service), so you want to avoid scanning in a panic. It&rsquo;s also good to leave the clutter of your old office behind &ndash; it may even help you attract more Millennial talent.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Moving? Think about scanning documents"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/scan-before-move.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Scan your company's paper before you move" title="Moving? Think about scanning documents" /></a><br />urn:uuid:4f693ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/mobile-document-management FileBound document management software Digitech Systems cloud document management software Software & Products More and more people are moving to cloud-based applications to complete everyday tasks like email and online banking. One of the greatest advantages of these cloud services is the ability to communicate and work wherever you are at any time, even from your mobile device. Companies can now provide mobile access to their staff to complete tasks, review documents and share information while they are on the go with cloud document management software, including FileBound and ImageSilo.Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p>More and more people are <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/the-cloud-revealed-and-how-it-relates-to-document-management/" title="“The Cloud” Revealed And How It Relates To Document Management">moving to cloud-based applications</a>&nbsp;to complete everyday tasks like email and online banking. One of the greatest advantages of these cloud services is the ability to communicate and work wherever you are at any time, even from your mobile device. Companies can now provide mobile access to their staff to complete tasks, review documents and share information while they are on the go with cloud document management software, including FileBound and ImageSilo.</p> <h2>FileBound 7 Provides a Streamlined Mobile Experience</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]27693ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-devices.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound on multiple devices" title="Access FileBound on all of your devices" /></span></p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/5-ways-filebound-7-liberates-you-from-inefficiency/" title="5 Ways the New FileBound 7 Liberates You from Inefficiency &amp; IT">FileBound 7</a>&nbsp;cloud document management software has a responsive interface that provides a seamless experience whether you are working on your desktop, laptop or smartphone. You can view and process documents, fill in and route e-forms, and complete daily tasks whether you are in your office, working at another location or traveling around the world. If you&rsquo;re an Apple and Android mobile device user, you can access the software from your browser or download the FileBound app, giving you the added ability to take a picture of a document, such as a receipt for expense reporting, and upload it to the document management software for expedited processing.</p> <h2>ImageSilo on Your Mobile Device</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]41693ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/digitech/imagesilo-400.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="ImageSilo logo" title="ImageSilo" /></span></p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-Products/digitech-systems-document-management-software" title="ImageSilo cloud document management software">Digitech Systems&rsquo; ImageSilo</a>&nbsp;supports browser-based viewing, allowing you to easily access your business documents from your desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone. Documents can be securely accessed, tracked and managed with access rights, tracking functionality and records retention scheduling. Sharing, adding and viewing documents are as easily achieved from a smartphone as from a desktop computer. You can also take pictures with your mobile device&rsquo;s camera and upload the image to the cloud-based software.</p> <h2>On-the-Go Document Access for All</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">Cloud document management</a>&nbsp;with FileBound and ImageSilo has made it easy for you to access your business documents from a computer or mobile device, making you more productive even when you are out of the office. It&rsquo;s just as easy for multiple departments within your organization to utilize the same document management software and gain the same benefits with mobile access.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Mobile document access"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/mobile-document-access.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Get mobile access to your company’s documents" title="Mobile document access" /></a><br />urn:uuid:2a453ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/digiscribe-numbers-2014 document scanning services Industry News & Insights Over the last 13 years, Digiscribe and Digiscribe New England have been helping companies manage and process their documents faster and easier.Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p>Over the last 13 years, Digiscribe and Digiscribe New England have been <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions" title="document scanning &amp; management solutions">helping companies manage and process their documents faster and easier</a>. We eliminate our clients&rsquo; paper problems with any combination of document scanning services, document management and workflow automation software.</p> <p>Take a look at the infographic below to learn why Digiscribe should be your trusted partner in going paperless.</p> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]11453ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/content/infographics/digiscribe-by-the-numbers-header.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Digiscribe by the Numbers" title="Digiscribe by the Numbers (2014 Edition)" /></span></p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Document scanning experience"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/document-scanning-experience.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Start your document scanning projects with an experienced partner you can trust" title="Document scanning experience" /></a><br />urn:uuid:dc3d3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/education-document-management compliance document scanning services document management software Solutions Document Management Another school year is underway, making it a good time to review how to best manage all the paper forms and documents that pour into your school. There are 3 main reasons why document management makes sense to better manage your student, health and business records.Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]d53d3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/school-kid.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Ace document management this school year" title="School Kid" /></span>Another school year is underway, making it a good time to review how to best manage all the paper forms and documents that pour into your school. There are 3 main reasons why document management makes sense to better manage your student, health and business records:</p> <ol> <li>Accessing and sharing documents instantly</li> <li>Reclaiming and repurposing office and storage space </li> <li>Complying with FERPA and HIPAA regulations</li> </ol> <h2>Achieve Instant Document Access</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">Document scanning</a>&nbsp;allows you to transition from paper documents to digital images that are instantly available to superintendents, business managers, office personnel, medical staff and other authorized users from any computer or mobile device. Your scanned documents are stored, accessed and tracked in a centralized manner with<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software"> document management software</a> that can be hosted in the cloud or on your internal servers. If using the right document management partner, the software can be integrated with your school business management software as well.</p> <h2>Reclaim School Real Estate</h2> <p>Once your documents are digitized, filing cabinets and bankers boxes are no longer needed, freeing up the cubicles, basements and file rooms that were filled up by them. This space can be used more effectively in a wide variety of ways such as expanding classrooms or creating new offices, and your staff will never need to waste time to hunt down another document again.</p> <h2>Ensure FERPA &amp; HIPAA Compliance</h2> <p>Electronic records can be found easier and faster than hunting through paper documents, which is especially useful when the auditors show up &ndash; just sit them down, give them temporary access and know that they can easily conduct an audit without a drain on your staff&rsquo;s time. Document management software also provides audit trails and automated records retention scheduling helping you to be in <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-News/regulatory-compliance" title="regulatory compliance">compliance with regulatory guidelines</a>.</p> <h2>How to Get an &ldquo;A&rdquo; in Document Management</h2> <p>The best way to ensure that your staff has Instant access to documents when they need them, to reclaim office space, and to comply with FERPA, HIPAA and other regulations is to work with an experienced document management partner &ndash; experience with both document management solutions and experience meeting the requirements of educational institutions.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Document management for schools"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/school-document-management.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Ace document management this school year" title="Document management for schools" /></a><br />urn:uuid:9f443ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/soc-2-confidentiality-requirements SOC 2 Type 2 security document scanning services Industry News & Insights Your documents contain critical information that must be kept confidential to ensure the trust of your employees, customers and vendors as well as satisfying legal requirements like HIPAA. But when your documents are scanned and processed by a document scanning company that has received its SOC 2 Type 2 Report, confidentiality is one less thing you have to worry about.Tue, 07 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]67443ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/secure-documents.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Worry less about document confidentiality" title="Secure Documents" /></span>Your documents contain critical information that must be kept confidential to ensure the trust of your employees, customers and vendors as well as satisfying legal requirements like HIPAA. But when your documents are scanned and processed by a document scanning company that has received its <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/why-soc-2-is-a-critical-report-for-document-scanning-companies/" title="Why SOC 2 Is a Critical Report for Document Scanning Companies">SOC 2 Type 2 Report</a>, confidentiality is one less thing you have to worry about.</p> <p>A SOC 2 Type 2 Report establishes that a document scanning company has passed an outside audit proving procedures are documented and followed in at least one of five control principles, one of them being confidentiality. Working with a document scanning provider that has received a SOC 2 Type 2 Report for confidentiality, or is in the process of an audit, is the best way to ensure you&rsquo;ve completed due diligence regarding the confidential handling of your documents while in their facility.</p> <h2>Less Worry</h2> <p>Below is a list of just some of the controls in place regarding the confidential handling of your documents while being processed in a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/soc-2-facility" title="secure document scanning facility">document scanning facility</a>&nbsp;that has received a SOC 2 Type 2 Report.</p> <ol> <li> <p><strong>Corporate Security Policy (CSP):</strong> a formal policy is in place and followed having been designed to ensure the confidentiality and security of sensitive information. Oversight, risk assessment and policy exceptions are addressed in the CSP. The CSP is updated at least once annually.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Sensitive &amp; Confidential Information:</strong> All customer data and documents are defined as sensitive information. Policies are in place to address protection requirements, access rights and access restriction, as well as retention and destruction procedures.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Transmission Encryption:</strong> all electronic client data that is sent over the internet via secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) or email, or physically shipped on DVD or other electronic media is encrypted.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Hosted Encryption:</strong> when using hosting services, all electronic client information is encrypted when uploaded by SFTP to their individual cloud document management software account.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>In-House Encryption:</strong> all electronic client information stored on internal servers is encrypted.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Data Center Encryption:</strong> all electronic client information held in a document scanning company&rsquo;s data center or on physical media while at the facility is encrypted, including document images during scanning and quality control.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>New Employee Hiring Protocols:</strong> Individuals must satisfy a background check and a formal interview process before being hired.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>New Employee Training:</strong> New employees are trained on the CSP during orientation, given access to the policies and required to sign an acknowledgement as part of their new hire orientation.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Ongoing Employee Training:</strong> Employee training on all security policies is conducted annually.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Non-Disclosure Agreements:</strong> New employees and all third parties with access to client data must sign a confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement (NDA).</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Employee Handbook:</strong> Addresses non-compliance with confidentiality and security policies.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Handling Suspected Violations:</strong> Human resources maintains and implements appropriate policies for investigating suspected employee violations of the CSP and imposing disciplinary measure.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Information Sharing:</strong> A &ldquo;Third Party Connection Policy&rdquo; describes the secure and confidential process for sharing information with external entities.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Vendor Controls:</strong> A &ldquo;Vendor Outsourcing Policy&rdquo; addresses vendor due diligence for vendor outsourcing. Vendor contract requirements address security, confidential and service level agreements (SLAs). Annual reviews of key vendors are held.</p> </li> </ol> <h2>See For Yourself</h2> <p>Ask to see a document scanning company&rsquo;s SOC 2 Report. If they don&rsquo;t have a report, it&rsquo;s going to be more difficult to determine how confidentially they will handle your documents and requires a leap of faith on your part. Just as important, visit their facility to see their processes in action.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Confident document scanning"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/confident-document-scanning.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Outsource your scanning projects with confidence" title="Confident document scanning" /></a><br />urn:uuid:803d3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/shut-down-your-mailroom workflow automation office automation mailroom services document scanning services Office Automation Much has been made of business process automation (BPA), but many productivity problems occur at the source: where documents enter the organization, particularly transactional paper documents received in the mailroom. What is the best way to increase mailroom efficiency and increase productivity throughout your organization? Outsourcing and workflow automation is the answer, and here are 4 reasons why.Thu, 02 Oct 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]7a3d3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/mailroom-cart.jpg?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" displaymode="Original" alt="Stop mailroom inefficiency by outsourcing" title="Mailroom Cart" /></span>Much has been made of business process automation (BPA), but many productivity problems occur at the source: where documents enter the organization, particularly transactional paper documents received in the mailroom. What is the best way to increase mailroom efficiency and increase productivity throughout your organization? Outsourcing and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">workflow automation</a>&nbsp;is the answer, and here are 4 reasons why.</p> <h2>1. Reduce Invoice Processing Time &amp; Costs</h2> <p>When invoices are processed within hours instead of days or weeks, organizations have the option to take advantage of early payment discounts &ndash; and are less likely to make duplicate payments or to threaten vendor relationships because of late payments. The best way to process invoices most expediently is to scan them as soon as they arrive and electronically route them for review and approval.</p> <h2>2. Streamline Expense Reporting &amp; Reimbursement</h2> <p>Happy employees tend to be more productive, particularly for those in the field that get reimbursed promptly after sending in expense reports. Converting paper reports and receipts to digital documents as soon as they are received and electronically distributing them for approval expedites reimbursement. Outsourcing the scanning of the receipts is critical as they can be some of the most difficult documents to scan, given their small size, poor quality of printing and slick paper, which requires the right type of scanners and scanning expertise.</p> <h2>3. Avoid Regulatory Fines</h2> <p>In some industries like insurance, claims and other transactional documents need to be responded to within a limited window of time. Fines from regulatory agencies can be avoided when these documents are scanned and electronically routed to the right people for expedited processing as soon as they are received.</p> <h2>4. Enhance Customer Service</h2> <p>Whether for new accounts being opened or change requests, customers expect their needs to be dealt with quickly. Otherwise, they will complain on social media and/or migrate to the competition. Electronically distributing and tracking the wide variety of forms and correspondence for customer service and sales immediately upon receipt will not only enhance customer service but could also create a competitive advantage.</p> <h2>Mailroom Productivity: from Theory to Reality</h2> <p>In addition to the 4 reasons listed above, mailrooms are non-core operations that are labor intensive and time-sensitive &ndash; 2 additional reasons that make their outsourcing a no-brainer. Just make sure you find a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services" title="mailroom scanning services">mailroom outsourcing partner</a>&nbsp;that has the processes, equipment and experienced personnel you can count on to scan and distribute electronic documents when you need them.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Make your mailroom productive"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/mailroom-inefficiency.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Turn your inefficient mailroom into a productivity win" title="Make your mailroom productive" /></a><br />urn:uuid:492d3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/soc-2-security-requirements SOC 2 Type 2 security document scanning services Industry News & Insights Worrying about the security of your documents can keep you up at night. But when you work with a document scanning company that has received its SOC 2 Type 2 Report, or is in the process of an audit, you won’t need to count sheep.Tue, 30 Sep 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]422d3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/restricted-area.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Secure document scanning facility" title="Restricted Area" /></span>Worrying about the security of your documents can keep you up at night. But when you work with a document scanning company that has received its SOC 2 Type 2 Report, or is in the process of an audit, you won&rsquo;t need to count sheep.</p> <p>A SOC 2 Type 2 Report indicates that a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/soc-2-facility" title="document scanning facility">document scanning provider</a>&nbsp;has passed an extensive third-party audit that proves procedures are documented and adhered to across systems and processes in one or more of five control principles: security, confidentiality, availability, process integrity and privacy. The report is the best way to ensure you have done due diligence regarding how your documents and information will be securely and safely handled while in a document scanning provider&rsquo;s possession.</p> <h2>No Need to Count Sheep</h2> <p>One of the many process controls tested in a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/why-soc-2-is-a-critical-report-for-document-scanning-companies/" title="Why SOC 2 Is a Critical Report for Document Scanning Companies">SOC 2 audit</a>&nbsp;of a document scanning company pertain to the physical security of the facility. Below is a description of some of those controls Reading this list, instead of counting sheep, might help you sleep better knowing your documents are being scanned in a secure facility.</p> <ol> <li> <p><strong>Facility Access:</strong> entrance to the scanning facility is restricted to only those with a key, an alarm code and electronic key card access</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Physical Access Monitoring:</strong> motion sensitive cameras are monitoring the facility including outside access areas, hallways, workspaces and computer rooms 24/7/365 and DVR recorded images are stored on a secure server for 3 months</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Key Card Access &amp; Tracking:</strong> every employee&rsquo;s movement within the facility is controlled and monitored via key cards programmed to provide access to only the areas necessary based on the employee&rsquo;s job responsibilities</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Key Card Monitoring:</strong> uniquely numbered key cards are provided to employees based on their responsibilities and physically checked by administrators on an ongoing basis to ensure that each employee has the appropriate access card</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Door Boxes:</strong> visitors requesting entry to the facility must press a button on a door box by the entrance and communicate with the administrate staff to verify identity and determine if the person should be allowed to enter</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Physical Alarm Monitoring:</strong> smoke detectors, sprinklers, fire alarms and fire extinguishers are in place, monitored and serviced</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Visitor Logs:</strong> all visitors and vendors entering the facility&rsquo;s secure areas, including the data center are required to sign a visitor logbook</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Visitor NDA:</strong> non-disclosure agreements are signed by every visitor or vendor that requires entry into secure areas</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Photo Prohibition:</strong> photography is banned anywhere in the facility</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Mobile Phone Prohibition:</strong> cell phones are banned on the production floor</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Tracking System:</strong> all boxes containing documents for scanning are entered upon receipt into a tracking system so their location can be identified at any time</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Box Identification:</strong> each box is identified upon receipt with a unique identifier including job name, batch number and box number</p> </li> </ol> <h2>Seeing Is Believing</h2> <p>We recommend you request to see the company&rsquo;s SOC 2 Report detailing the controls and protocols that are in place and have been audited within the last year. This will give you confidence that your documents are being handled and processed with the utmost attention to the principals covered by a SOC 2 Type 2 audit and will also help your entire C-suite and compliance officers sleep soundly at night. You should also visit the facility to see first-hand their practices in action.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Have peace of mind over document security"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/document-security.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Stop losing sleep worrying about the security of your documents" title="Have peace of mind over document security" /></a><br />urn:uuid:ca2a3ce8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/moving-spring-cleaning moving document scanning services document management software Solutions Document Management When is “spring cleaning” not related to the season? When you’re moving to a new office. This is a great time to evaluate the paper in your office and determine before the move which documents you need to take with you, which should be digitized, which stored in long-term storage and which shredded.Tue, 23 Sep 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]f04b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/moving-office.jpg?sfvrsn=5" displaymode="Original" alt="Moving offices? Document scanning &amp; document management can help" title="Moving Office" /></span>When is &ldquo;spring cleaning&rdquo; not related to the season? When you&rsquo;re moving to a new office. This is a great time to evaluate the paper in your office and determine before the move which documents you need to take with you, which should be digitized, which stored in long-term storage and which shredded.</p> <h2>Find the Paper</h2> <p>The first step is to take an inventory of all your paper documents. Make sure to include all filing cabinets, boxes, desks and file rooms throughout your office. You will also want to take note of the types of documents and your records retention and security requirements.</p> <h2>Scan, Store of Shred?</h2> <p>Once you know how many and which type of paper documents you have, you can classify them as one of three types:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Documents to be scanned:</strong> These are documents that typically need to be accessed on a regular basis, or by a large number of people, or they need to be tracked or securely stored or easily shared.</li> <li><strong>Documents to be stored:</strong> Documents that you need to keep but do not need access to. Make sure an inventory is taken of the boxes with a retention schedule so the boxes are not stored for eternity.</li> <li><strong>Documents to be shredded:</strong> Documents that you are not mandated to keep, you will never need to access them or they have been digitized so they exist in another format.</li> </ol> <h2>How to Store Your Scanned Documents?</h2> <p>Once scanned, you&rsquo;ll need a place to electronically secure store, manage and share your newly digitized documents.</p> <p>We recommend you research cloud document management software which gives you access to any document from any mobile device or computer with no capital expense or ongoing maintenance costs. Your existing electronic files, such as word documents, can also be stored, managed and tracked in document management software. If you require software to be on your server, in-house systems are available as well.</p> <h2>Bonus: 4 Moving Tips</h2> <ol> <li>Calculate how much space is taken up by paper and how much you can save in real estate if you scan your documents. You may be able to move to a better location with the same budget if you minimize space requirements.</li> <li>Find a document scanning &amp; document management partner before you move, preferably in the planning stages.</li> <li>Talk to your architect or office design partner about maximizing the utility and appearance of your new space by eliminating paper.</li> <li>Utilize moving project managers to make your overall move easier.</li> </ol> <h2>Have a Good Move</h2> <p>After undergoing a document spring cleaning and adhering to a few of these tips, you&rsquo;re bound to have an easier move and love your new space &ndash; and so will your employees, especially your Millennial recruits.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Moving? Time to spring clean your documents"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/spring-clean-moving.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Spring clean your documents before your move" title="Moving? Time to spring clean your documents" /></a><br />urn:uuid:3cff3be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-to-measure-document-scanning-quality data entry document scanning services Document Scanning Evaluating the quality of a document scanning company goes beyond the actual scanning process. It involves reviewing the processes they have in place from the moment your documents arrive in their production facility l to final delivery of digital images and data back to you.Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]9dff3be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/smiley-face.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Smiley Face" title="Smiley Face" /></span>Evaluating the quality of a document scanning company goes beyond the actual scanning process. It involves reviewing the processes they have in place from the moment your documents arrive in their production facility to final delivery of digital images and data back to you.</p> <p>Ask to see documentation of a scanning company&rsquo;s procedures for handling and processing your documents. Clear, detailed and tracked processes provide a level of clarity, ensure your scanning project goes smoothly and guarantees delivery of high quality images and dependable data.</p> <h2>10 Process Steps that Ensure Quality</h2> <p>Below are just 10 of the many steps involved in <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">scanning documents</a>&nbsp;that should be followed and documented to ensure the highest level of performance when scanning your documents:</p> <ol> <li> <p><strong>Receiving:</strong> How are your boxes received in the <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/soc-2-facility" title="document scanning facility">document scanning facility</a>? Is each box identified according to client, job and shipment? Is it a manual or automated process? What checks and balances are in place to ensure all boxes were received? Where are your boxes held before they go into production?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Tracking:</strong> Are your boxes and documents being tracked throughout the facility from one process to the next? Is it possible to see which scanning operator worked on a particular box and how long it took? Can a document in production be located and emailed or faxed back to you if necessary? How long would that take?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Prepping:</strong> Are there written instructions on how your documents will be prepped? Are these reviewed with the document preppers before a job begins? Have you signed off on these instructions?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Scanning:</strong> Are there written instructions on how your documents will be scanned, i.e. black &amp; white or color, 200 or 300 dpi, etc. Are there steps to ensure your documents are not scanned into the wrong project?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Indexing &amp; Data Entry:</strong> What fields will be captured and by what process: <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/full-text-ocr" title="full-text OCR">OCR</a>, data entry, match-and-merge? Who is responsible for providing match-and-merge files and how often? What level of accuracy is guaranteed with each process?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Quality Control:</strong> What quality control (QC) steps are in place at every stage of production to ensure documents have been prepped, scanned and data-entered according to your requirements? Are these automated or manual steps? How are QC operators trained? Is it a different staff than those who are doing the scanning and indexing? Is there a final level of quality control before images and data are delivered to you?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Data Security:</strong> Are your images and data encrypted and securely stored while in process? If held on physical media such as a DVD, is it encrypted? How long are your data and images held at the facility after delivery to you? </p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Post-Processed Handling:</strong> How long will your scanned boxes be held before they are shredded or returned to you? If shredded, where will it be done and will it be done by a NAID certified company? What processes are in place to ensure which documents are shredded and which are returned?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Delivery:</strong> Are your images and data encrypted while being delivered? Are there delivery options such as secure FTP (SFTP), direct upload to your document management system or delivery on physical media?</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Ongoing Communication:</strong> Does the scanning company provide an open and ongoing dialogue with you before, during and after your documents have been scanned to insure your satisfaction with the quality and timing of the job? Do you know who to contact should you have any questions?</p> </li> </ol> <p>Make sure you are working with a document scanning company that can answer the above questions and back up their claims. Most importantly, visit the scanning facility to see their process in action. Let us know if we can help.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Achieve document scanning happiness"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/document-scanning-happiness.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Take your first step to document scanning happiness. Contact us now." title="Achieve document scanning happiness" /></a><br />urn:uuid:22fb3be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/is-your-business-information-secure security document scanning services Document Scanning When choosing a company to scan your documents, it’s important to find out how they ensure the security and accessibility of your information while it resides in their facility. This includes how your scanned documents and data are held in their data center, if the data center is behind a firewall, and what backup plans are in place should their facility not be accessible.Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]5dfb3be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/document-backup.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Secure document backup" title="Document Backup" /></span>When choosing a company to scan your documents, it&rsquo;s important to find out how they ensure the security and accessibility of your information while it resides in their facility. This includes how your scanned documents and data are held in their data center, if the data center is behind a firewall, and what backup plans are in place should their facility not be accessible.</p> <p>At any moment, an unexpected event such as a blackout, superstorm or server failure can cause business and information access interruptions. Just as you have business continuity plans in your company, your document scanning provider should follow a documented plan to ensure data security and accessibility of your digital documents in case of business interruptions in their facility.</p> <h2>Ensure Your Information Is Secure</h2> <p>When determining a document scanning company&rsquo;s ability to ensure that your information is secure and always accessible, ask them to show you their disaster recovery plan. We recommend you ask these eight questions as well:</p> <ol> <li>How are my scanned documents and data encrypted while stored on the facility&rsquo;s servers?</li> <li>Are the servers behind a firewall?</li> <li>What type and how often are firewall tests performed, such as penetration tests?</li> <li>Are servers backed-up and how often? (Tip: Daily back-ups are a best practice)</li> <li>Are the servers backed-up to the cloud or an alternate site? Are the backups outside of the geographic area?</li> <li>Are the server back-ups encrypted?</li> <li>If my information is being held on physical media such as a DVD, is it encrypted?</li> <li>How long will it take to access my data back-up in case of a business interruption to the scanning facility?</li> </ol> <p>Answers to these questions and adherence to security and accessibility best practices will ensure you are working with a document scanning company that has the processes in place to safeguard your information while in their facility.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Secure access to your document scanning backups"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/secure-access-to-business-information.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Ensure secure access to your business information" title="Secure access to your document scanning backups" /></a><br />urn:uuid:ddd53be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/filebound-hr-eforms-and-workflow-automation workflow automation FileBound e-forms Software & Products The much anticipated and most recent release of FileBound’s document management software and cloud application – FileBound 7 – features a new electronic forms designer and portal in their Enterprise module. Both functions streamline information capture and feed FileBound’s workflow automation capability, all of which is especially useful in HR for automating the process of hiring, new employee on-boarding, managing employee records over time, and employee off-boarding.Tue, 26 Aug 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]1030df11-f9c1-4f9a-975e-a12bfe29cabf" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound.jpg?sfvrsn=14" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound Office Automation Software" title="FileBound" /></span>The much anticipated and most recent release of FileBound&rsquo;s document management software and cloud application &ndash; FileBound 7 &ndash; features a new electronic forms designer and portal in their Enterprise module. Both functions streamline information capture and feed FileBound&rsquo;s workflow automation capability, all of which is <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources" title="human resources document scanning">especially useful in HR</a>&nbsp;for automating the process of hiring, new employee on-boarding, managing employee records over time, and employee off-boarding.</p> <h2>What Is FileBound&rsquo;s New Electronic Forms Designer &amp; Portal?</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]388c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]388c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-e-form-designer.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound E-form Designer" title="FileBound E-form Designer" /></span><br /> </span></p> <p>The new Forms Portal of FileBound 7 allows information to be captured securely from anywhere with an internet connection. In addition to being used internally, the Forms Portal extends to prospective employees and others beyond your company&rsquo;s four walls, and captures both information and digital signatures. These <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms" title="e-forms">e-forms</a>&nbsp;are created using the drag-and-drop E-form Designer, which lets your staff quickly create forms directly in FileBound without needing IT or a website developer. The responsive design of the Forms Portal also resizes the form automatically for optimal use on smartphones and tablets.</p> <h2>Example App: Hiring &amp; New Employee On-Boarding</h2> <p>FileBound&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">workflow capability</a>&nbsp;manages the hiring process starting with the employee application, which can be completed and submitted online. Once hired, FileBound streamlines the new employee on-boarding process by creating a checklist for all information needed, ranging from electronic forms to scanned documents and other electronic files. Completed documents are then routed to the hiring manager and HR for review. When documents are missing or are taking too long to complete, FileBound automatically alerts the responsible party via email. This ensures that all steps are completed, and in a timely manner. Once complete, all documents are stored as part of the employee&rsquo;s record within FileBound&rsquo;s document management function.</p> <h2>Example App: Managing the Employee Record &amp; Employee Off-Boarding</h2> <p>Over the course of their employment, FileBound manages and monitors the complete employee record. The system automatically notifies the employee and/or HR staff for when the following need to be filled out and are ready for review and approval:</p> <ul> <li>Performance reviews</li> <li>Vacation requests</li> <li>Changes to employee information and benefits</li> <li>Training and certification</li> </ul> <p>Upon separation, FileBound also manages the employee off-boarding process and ensures all documents are stored in compliance with internal and external document retention requirements.</p> <h2>HR&rsquo;s Secret Weapon</h2> <p>With so much documentation involved, <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-Products/filebound-software" title="FileBound document management software">FileBound 7</a>&nbsp;is like HR&rsquo;s secret weapon by ensuring all applicant, employee and former employee information is easily captured, processed quickly and retained correctly. This allows organizations to do more with the same or smaller staff, and minimizes the risk of mistakes, missing information and the risk of non-compliance fees.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to make FileBound part of your HR team"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/filebound-hr-team.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Make FileBound part of your HR team" title="Contact us to make FileBound part of your HR team" /></a><br />urn:uuid:e0d23be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/why-you-should-work-with-a-top-reseller technical support document management software Document Management When partnering with a document management company, who can you can trust with your business critical information? Choosing the wrong partner can lead to disaster, especially if they are inexperienced, untrained on the latest document management software and/or if they outsource implementation to third-parties without your knowledge.Tue, 19 Aug 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]fc4b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/make-decision.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Make a decision" title="Choose a top document management reseller" /></span>When partnering with a document management company, who can you can trust with your business critical information?</p> <p>Choosing the wrong partner can lead to disaster, especially if they are inexperienced, untrained on the latest <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a> and/or if they outsource implementation to third-parties without your knowledge.</p> <h2>7 Signs You Can Trust Your Document Management Software Partner</h2> <ol> <li>The sales staff is trained and certified by the software developer</li> <li>They select the best fit for you from multiple document management options</li> <li>They provide several references for their document management implementations</li> <li>The technical support team is trained and certified by the software developer</li> <li>They provide onsite and/or online training to ensure successful usage and adoption</li> <li>They offer ongoing technical support and assistance with software upgrades</li> <li>They&rsquo;re recognized as a top partner by the software developer (e.g. FileBound Executive Council, Digitech Systems Circle of Excellence)</li> </ol> <h2>What Are the &ldquo;Gotchas&rdquo;?</h2> <p>Many claim to be an experienced document management company but do not have an&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/professional-services" title="professional services">in-house technical services team</a>. They may sub-contract this to a third-party or to the software vendor itself, and possibly without your being aware of it. Their real expertise may lie more in selling than successful implementation and support, so we recommend that you at least find a document management company with an experienced on-site technical support team. This way you are assured of immediate attention to your needs backed by extensive knowledge of the software and its applications.</p> <h2>What Does Document Management Experience Look Like?</h2> <p>The right document management partner will ensure:</p> <ul> <li>The software will meet your business needs now and in the future</li> <li>Your internal environment is compatible with the software&rsquo;s requirements</li> <li>The software is seamlessly set up and integrated with your line-of-business software, such as your back-end accounting/ERP system</li> <li>You are working with the most recent version of the software</li> <li>Your staff is fully trained</li> <li>Your technical questions are answered quickly and accurately </li> </ul> <h2>Ensuring Piece of Mind</h2> <p>Choosing the right document management partner becomes exponentially more important as use of the software spreads throughout you company, often starting in accounts payable or human resources. If you want to ensure that you leverage its functionality, maximize ROI and attain piece of mind with your new document management software, make sure to follow this guide to find someone you can trust.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to ensure the security of your documents"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/ensure-security-of-your-documents.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Ensure the security of your documents with a trusted document management partner" title="Contact us to ensure the security of your documents" /></a><br />urn:uuid:85b03be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/common-document-scanning-myths document scanning services document management software Document Scanning While document scanning services and document management software have proven to be a powerful way for companies to better manage their documents, many organizations are still inundated with paper and haven’t embraced a paperless solution. Why? Negative perceptions and fear may hold them back, but these feelings are more myth than reality.Tue, 12 Aug 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]47af3be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/myth-vs-reality.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Document Scanning Myth vs. Reality" title="Myth vs. Reality" /></span>While document scanning services and document management software have proven to be a powerful way for companies to better manage their documents, many organizations are still inundated with paper and haven&rsquo;t embraced a paperless solution. Why? Negative perceptions and fear may hold them back, but these feelings are more myth than reality.</p> <h2>Fear of Being Overwhelmed</h2> <h3>Myth</h3> <p>For those whose documents take up a significant amount of space because they&rsquo;ve added up so much over the years, it may seem too complex of a project for anyone to take on. They feel they won&rsquo;t have the time to deal with it and/or they don&rsquo;t even know where to start.</p> <h3>Reality</h3> <p>A quality document scanning provider will break down a large project into organized groups of smaller tasks and can handle the heavy lifting (both literally and figuratively), such as coming onsite, packing large volumes of documents into boxes and transporting them to their scanning facility. In doing the prepping, scanning and indexing, your provider is really doing all the work so you can focus on utilizing the resulting electronic document images to improve efficiency and streamline business workflows. Many organizations start small, in one department or on one project, then expand to other departments when &ldquo;quick wins&rdquo; are realized.</p> <h2>Fear of Cost</h2> <h3>Myth</h3> <p>Many people think <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">document scanning services</a>&nbsp;and document management software are too expensive.</p> <h3>Reality</h3> <p>When it comes to cost, it&rsquo;s important to remember that document scanning removes a much larger expense: office space. Storing thousands of documents in filing cabinets and bankers boxes takes up valuable real estate, sometimes entire rooms or floors. In this way, a portion of your rent is really dedicated to storing an increasing amount of paper documents in space that could be used to generate revenues, enhance customer service or increase efficiency.</p> <p>Other cost reductions include:</p> <ul> <li>Ability to manage and process more documents with less people, in less time</li> <li>Avoidance of non-compliance fees with document management software</li> <li>Elimination of box storage and retrieval fees</li> </ul> <h2>Fear of the Unknown</h2> <h3>Myth</h3> <p>When a system has been in place for years, people often get comfortable with it and struggle to adjust, especially if the changes are perceived as significant.</p> <h3>Reality</h3> <p>Experienced document scanning companies will simplify the transition &ndash; they&rsquo;ll make sure your document management software is implemented correctly and your team has been trained properly so they are comfortable with a new system and are able to experience work with it right away. When doing your research to find the right scanning partner, we recommend you look for an experienced provider with certifications such as HIPAA training, that they are top resellers of the software they are implementing and they are highly ranked by the Better Business Bureau, all hallmarks of a top quality provider &ndash; and remember to ask for references.</p> <h2>Fear of Technology</h2> <h3>Myth</h3> <p>Many people are unfamiliar with technology, which makes them uncomfortable with letting go of their current paper-based solution.</p> <h3>Reality</h3> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">Document management software</a>&nbsp;technology is very easy to use, even for novices. Windows-like user interfaces make the software easy to learn and being able to search and retrieve electronic documents within your accounting/ERP software is often embedded and available at the click of a button, so you can continue to work in the software you are familiar with. Quality document scanning providers will offer training and 24/7 support to help you through any rough patches.</p> <h2>The Document Scanning Reality: Easier than You Think</h2> <p>While many myths persist, the reality of document scanning offers a much more compelling scenario: it&rsquo;s much easier and cost-effective than you think, allows you to reclaim valuable office space and is often the first step to streamlining business processes.</p> <p><iframe src="http://www.digiscribe.info/fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/9l8pwro1yn" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" class="wistia_embed" name="wistia_embed" width="370" height="208"></iframe></p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to say goodbye to paper chaos in your office"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/paper-chaos.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Say goodbye to paper chaos in your office" title="Contact us to say goodbye to paper chaos in your office" /></a><br />urn:uuid:bba13be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-perry-davis-associates-leverages-technology technology non-profit Industry News & Insights Perry Davis Associates (PDA) provides high quality fundraising and management services for not-for-profits (NFPs), from event production and major grant solicitation to administrative assistance and training. PDA’s success is largely made possible by their use sophisticated digital tools to serve clients more effectively.Tue, 05 Aug 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><em>This is part of a series that highlights how companies in the New York metro area use technology to provide superior service and gain a competitive advantage.</em></p> <h2>Top Notch Fundraising &amp; Management Services</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]b5a13be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/logos/perry-davis-associates.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Perry Davis Associates, Inc." title="Perry Davis Associates" /></span><a href="http://www.perrydavis.com/" title="Perry Davis Associates" target="_blank">Perry Davis Associates</a> (PDA) provides high quality fundraising and management services for not-for-profits (NFPs), from event production and major grant solicitation to administrative assistance and training. PDA&rsquo;s success is largely made possible by their use sophisticated digital tools to serve clients more effectively in the following areas:</p> <ul> <li>Rapid information transfer</li> <li>Accurate and on-time tracking/reporting</li> <li>Most importantly: increasing the depth and breadth of research to &ldquo;find a path to donors,&rdquo; which combines both digital research tools and PDA&rsquo;s expertise in finding the right connections</li> </ul> <h2>How Next Generation Fundraising Technology Uncovers New Donor Opportunities</h2> <p>In order to ensure fundraising success for their clients, PDA utilizes multiple digital tools to give them insight into potential donors, and to identify connections not seen by others that are likely to yield positive results:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Donor Databases:</strong> <a href="http://www.guidestar.org/" title="GuideStar" target="_blank">GuideStar</a> and <a href="https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/" title="Foundation Directory Online" target="_blank">FC Online</a> provide fast access to organized reports, tax documents and contact information for charitable foundations, corporations and individuals</li> <li><strong>Cutting Edge Donor Tools:</strong> <a href="https://www.relsci.com/" title="Relationship Science: RelSci" target="_blank">Rel-Sci</a> utilizes a new and proprietary algorithm that lays out a course of connections between NFPs and their prospects, while <a href="http://www.iwave.com/" title="iWave Information Systems" target="_blank">iWave</a> presents detailed and exportable search results on charities, individuals and institutional donors</li> </ul> <h2>Using Donor Management Tools to Keep Donors Engaged</h2> <p>Once donors are solicited, they need to be cultivated effectively to maintain and expand funding and support. PDA uses both email management platforms and customer relationship management (CRM) software (as applied to NFPs) to make this easier:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Email Management:</strong> <a href="http://mailchimp.com/" title="MailChimp" target="_blank">MailChimp</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/" title="ConstantContact" target="_blank">ConstantContact</a>&nbsp;are used by PDA to reach out to their client&rsquo;s donors and subscribers, and also to gather behavioral data for analyzing and producing more effective outreach</li> <li><strong>CRM:</strong> with <a href="http://www.salesforce.com/" title="SalesForce" target="_blank">SalesForce</a>, PDA captures all information for both donors and prospects from across a NFP&rsquo;s web outlets to link online applications, view a more detailed picture of each donor and the overall prospective donation pipeline, and to make this information available in real time to the NFP&rsquo;s staff</li> </ul> <h2>How Google Apps for Non-Profits Helps PDA Merge Passion with Technology</h2> <p>Thanks to Google's tremendous infrastructural power and socially conscious <a href="http://www.google.com/nonprofits" title="Google for Non-Profits" target="_blank">Apps for Non-Profits</a>, PDA is able to both reduce their digital services costs and increase productivity. With the speed of the internet and their clients' passion, PDA is able to disseminate and collect information with accuracy and bottom-line impact.</p> <h2>Why Technology Matters for NFPs</h2> <p>As of 2013, there are over 1.5 million not-for-profits that generate over $335 billion from fundraising. The good news: Americans are more philanthropic than ever. The bad news: this has intensified competition between not-for-profits exponentially. This is why the services of Perry Davis Associates are so important, and why their use of technology is so critical: sophisticated digital tools make it possible for PDA to help their clients achieve their mission more effectively than ever before. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to learn how your not-for-profit can leverage technology to reach new heights">Contact us to learn how your not-for-profit can leverage technology to reach new heights</a>.</p>urn:uuid:6ba03be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/hr-document-scanning-in-the-cloud human resources document scanning services cloud document management software Solutions After stopping unnecessary paper from being created with e-forms (covered in Part 1), scanning your backfile of HR documents offers you a number of benefits.Tue, 29 Jul 2014 13:59:15 Z<p><em>This is part 2 of 2 in a series that identifies how to manage and process HR documents better, faster and less expensively.</em></p> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]65a03be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/hr-word-cloud.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Human resources" title="Human Resources Word Cloud" /></span>After stopping unnecessary paper from being created with e-forms (covered in <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/new-employee-onboarding-with-eforms/" title="How to Stop the Paper Influx in HR, Part 1: New Employee On-Boarding with E-Forms">Part 1</a>), scanning your backfile of HR documents offers the following benefits:</p> <ul> <li>Captures both active and inactive employee files for easy retrieval</li> <li>Keeps I-9s separate from other employee files more easily, a legal requirement</li> <li>Reduces your company&rsquo;s exposure of losing documents or not finding them fast enough during an audit or lawsuit</li> <li>Reclaims space from filing cabinets and file rooms</li> <li>Eliminates the capital expense of documents scanners/software and all labor costs involved with this time-consuming process</li> </ul> <h2>Where Do I Store Electronic HR Records?</h2> <p>Once digitized, storing <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources" title="human resource solutions">electronic HR records</a>&nbsp;in a document management system offers the following benefits over using a shared drive or cloud file sharing service:</p> <ul> <li>Facilitates secure collaboration through easy document sharing</li> <li>Allows for retention scheduling difor every document type &ndash; from 1 year to 7 years after an employee is no longer with a company to permanent record keeping</li> <li>Enables document tracking and audit trails</li> <li>Offers instant, secure access to all documents from anywhere, including remote workers on smartphones, tablets and laptops</li> <li>Ensures security and access levels, defined on a per document basis</li> </ul> <h2>Why Use Cloud &amp; Mobile Document Management?</h2> <p>Storing documents in the cloud allows instant access to documents from anywhere via a web browser, including remote workers on smartphones, tablets and laptops. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">Cloud document management software</a>&nbsp;offers the additional benefit of ensuring that prying eyes never have access to sensitive employee information, especially I-9s and medical information. This is critical for reducing your company&rsquo;s exposure to fines and lawsuits.</p> <p>If the cloud doesn&rsquo;t make sense for your organization, document management software is also available to be hosted on your internal servers.</p> <h2>Can I Access Electronic HR Records in My HRMS/HCM System?</h2> <p>When you use the right partner, your document management software can be integrated with your HRMS and HCM systems, such as ADP, Sage HCM, Oracle PeopleSoft, SAP, Infor Lawson, Epicor, Workday, etc. This allows your team to view search and retrieve documents directly from within your HRMS or HCM interface, which saves them from having to switch back and forth between applications.</p> <h2>HIPAA Certification</h2> <p>Because the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covers any document containing employee medical information and identifying information (e.g. social security number, driver's license, name, date of birth, etc.), it&rsquo;s important to find a document scanning and management company with a HIPAA trained staff. This is essential because the staff knows how to handle sensitive data and the importance of ensuring the security of your documents.</p> <h2>What&rsquo;s Next?</h2> <p>Streamlining the new employee on-boarding process with <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms" title="e-forms">e-forms</a>&nbsp;and scanning your existing HR documents was just the beginning. Workflow automation software can also help you optimize efficiency of expense reporting, employee reviews, vacation approvals, promotions, and off-boarding &ndash; and that&rsquo;s just in HR.</p> <p>The same system can be used to streamline accounts payable, accounts receivable, shipping, maintenance, and just about any other business or operational process.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to scan your existing HR documents today"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/scan-existing-hr-documents.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Scan existing HR documents" title="Contact us to scan your existing HR documents today" /></a><br />urn:uuid:15173be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-technology-drives-empirecls-success technology customer service Industry News & Insights EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services provides executive limo, premiere bus and luxury car services in over 700 cities around the world. From airport transportation to special events, EmpireCLS believes that “it’s not just where you’re being driven to, but how.”Tue, 22 Jul 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><em>This is part of a series that highlights how companies in the New York metro area use technology to provide superior service and gain a competitive advantage.</em></p> <h2>About the World&rsquo;s Premier Chauffeuring Service</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]4b173be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/logos/empirecls.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services" title="EmpireCLS" /></span><a href="http://www.empirecls.com/" title="EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services" target="_blank">EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services</a> provides executive limo, premiere bus and luxury car services in over 700 cities around the world. From airport transportation to special events, EmpireCLS believes that &ldquo;it&rsquo;s not just where you&rsquo;re being driven to, but how.&rdquo;</p> <p>That&rsquo;s why their chauffeurs pride themselves on their service, not just safety or speed, and why EmpireCLS is used by dignitaries, CEOs and celebrities worldwide. EmpireCLS and has become the benchmark for excellence in the luxury transportation industry.</p> <h2>The Technology Behind EmpireCLS&rsquo;s Success</h2> <p>EmpireCLS&rsquo;s proprietary reservation technology creates a superior customer experience and enhances executive travel by providing automated peace of mind and responsive service. Advanced system features allow for full corporate travel software integration, customizable receipts and reports and enhanced security features to keep personal and financial information secure. EmpireCLS&rsquo;s clients know exactly which chauffer will pick them up by name and photo, further ensuring security.</p> <p>Customers and chauffeurs stay connected via pre-trip notifications and on-location email/text message status updates. Reservation and dispatch systems are synced and instantly update chauffeurs of trip changes and flight delays, ensuring accurate and on-time pickups. EmpireCLS&rsquo;s reservation technology is so compelling that other limo companies also use it.</p> <h2>What It Takes to Be a Market Leader</h2> <p>EmpireCLS&rsquo;s reservation system is an example of how a company has achieved a competitive advantage in customer service by operating better, faster and smarter with technology. Whether it be in your core service offerings or back-end operations, such as <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable" title="accounts payable automation">accounts payable</a>&nbsp;or <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources" title="human resources solutions">human resources</a>, successful companies must rely on technology to help them stay ahead of their competition and adapt to market changes quickly and easily.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to learn more">Contact us to learn more.</a></p>urn:uuid:4e023be8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/new-employee-onboarding-with-eforms human resources e-forms document management software Solutions If the paperwork in your HR department is overwhelming, a good way to better manage your employees’ files and streamline the new employee on-boarding process is with electronic forms. While there may be initial resistance to automating a paper-based process using e-forms and accepting digital signatures, the risks of not doing so can be significant. You can do more with less.Tue, 15 Jul 2014 13:06:35 Z<p><em>This is part 1 of 2 in a series that identifies how to manage and process HR documents better, faster and less expensively.</em></p> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]b5493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/welcome-aboard.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Automate HR On-Boarding in Your Organization" title="Welcome Aboard" /></span>If the paperwork in your HR department is overwhelming, a good way to <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources" title="human resources solutions">better manage your employees&rsquo; files</a>&nbsp;and streamline the new employee on-boarding process is with electronic forms. While there may be initial resistance to automating a paper-based process using e-forms and accepting digital signatures, the risks of not doing so can be significant. You can do more with less.</p> <h2>Are HR E-Forms a Good Fit for Me?</h2> <p>All companies require new and existing employees to fill out and update HR related paperwork. Any document that an employee has to fill out is an ideal candidate for <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms" title="e-forms">e-forms</a>, including:</p> <ul> <li>Employment applications</li> <li>W-4s, W-9s and I-9s</li> <li>State tax forms</li> <li>Policy acknowledgements</li> <li>Direct deposit authorizations</li> <li>Confidentiality &amp; non-compete agreements</li> <li>401(k), benefits &amp; healthcare enrollment with beneficiary designations</li> <li>Performance review forms</li> </ul> <h2>What Are the Risks of Doing Nothing?</h2> <p>Not only is paper unnecessary, but also there are numerous risks associated with having sensitive employee information on paper:</p> <ul> <li>Paper can easily get lost, into the wrong hands or damaged</li> <li>Information manually keyed from paper forms can have a high error rate </li> <li>HIPAA compliance affects any document containing employee medical information along with a personal identifier, increasing the population of documents that must be handled accordingly</li> <li>Retention schedules vary widely based on document type and must be adhered to for compliance. Records management of digital files is more easily achieved than with paper files.</li> <li>During an audit, documents must be produced in a very short period of time or you may be fined. It is quicker and easier to locate, retrieve and share digital documents vs. paper files.</li> <li>Paper-based audits create disruption and keep your staff from focusing on their core responsibilities. </li> <li>Benefits &ldquo;miscalculations&rdquo; can result from incomplete legacy payroll records and result in lawsuits </li> <li>I-9s and other HR documents must be kept completely separate and secure, including from your IT department (think: cloud)</li> </ul> <h2>How Do E-Forms Work?</h2> <ul> <li>E-forms capture everything, from information keyed in by employees to digital signatures to ID card photos. They can be accessed on tablets, desktops or kiosks.</li> <li>HR documents are automatically routed to the right people for processing, approval and exception handling with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">workflow automation software</a></li> <li>Intelligent e-forms workflow identifies when documents are missing for a file to be completed and measure how long the process takes to identify inefficiency and bottlenecks</li> <li>Data entered on e-forms can automatically be uploaded to your core HRMS/HCM systems eliminating the need for manual data entry and corresponding errors. </li> <li>Information captured with e-forms integrates with your core HRMS/HCM system so that you can do everything within your core software and don&rsquo;t have to search for documents in other applications; HRMS/HCM systems include ADP, Sage HCM, Oracle PeopleSoft, SAP, etc.</li> <li>Once an e-form is processed, it can be securely stored in <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>&nbsp;for secure and immediate access, including remote offices and from mobile devices; document management systems include: FileBound On-Premise or Cloud, Digitech PaperVision or ImageSilo</li> </ul> <h2>How Do I Get Started with E-Forms?</h2> <p>Taking advantage of e-forms for new employee on-boarding or any other process begins with identifying the forms you use today and recreating them electronically. The information captured by these e-forms is then integrated with your back-end accounting/enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and stored as digital images in your document management software for immediate retrieval from your laptop or mobile device.</p> <p>When you consider the myriad of benefits of using e-forms for the new employee on-boarding process and throughout your HR department, it is well worth the effort from our experience &ndash; and that&rsquo;s before workflow automation streamlines the process further. Workflow dramatically reduces the need for manual intervention and dramatically improves the efficiency of your HR department.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Improve efficiency in your HR department with e-forms &amp; document management software"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/hr-eforms.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Improve efficiency in your HR department with e-forms &amp; document management software" title="HR E-forms" /></a><br />urn:uuid:118f3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-variable-lookup-indexing-makes-your-job-easier data entry document scanning services Document Scanning When scanning documents, you need to ensure you can quickly find and retrieve them afterwards. Indexing achieves this by capturing unique information from each document such as invoice number, date, vendor name and PO number for accounts payable as well as name, address and social security number for human resources. It’s important to automate this process as much as possible when there are multiple index fields and millions of records to ensure accuracy and minimize exceptions, which are records with incomplete or questionable information in the index fields.Tue, 08 Jul 2014 14:59:01 Z<p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]a78f3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/data-filter.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Document Indexing" title="Data Filter" /></span>When <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">scanning documents</a>, you need to ensure you can quickly find and retrieve them afterwards. Indexing achieves this by capturing unique information from each document such as invoice number, date, vendor name and PO number for accounts payable as well as name, address and social security number for human resources. It&rsquo;s important to automate this process as much as possible when there are multiple index fields and millions of records to ensure accuracy and minimize exceptions, which are records with incomplete or questionable information in the index fields.</p> <p>Variable lookup indexing (VLI) is an advanced <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/document-indexing" title="document indexing">indexing option</a>&nbsp;that simplifies a complex and time-consuming process. VLI differs from standard indexing processes of populating index fields by combining layers of automation involving database look-ups with a manual review processes. VLI is only offered by the most experienced document scanning companies.</p> <h2>Reducing Exceptions</h2> <p>Exceptions occur when no match is found between an index field and a database, such as trying to match someone&rsquo;s name to a social security number. This may result in having to manually research and process these records. VLI minimizes exceptions by using multiple databases to populate index fields. The lower the exception rate, the more complete and accurate the indexed fields ensuring faster and more dependable retrieval of your scanned documents &ndash; which means less headaches for you.</p> <h2>Choose Your Document Scanning Partner Wisely</h2> <p>If your documents require several indexing fields, some of which can be automatically populated via auto-matching with a large number of records across multiple databases, VLI can dramatically cut indexing time, minimize errors and minimize exceptions that you will need to resolve. Example applications include scanning and indexing large quantities of social services documentation, collection agency client files and human resource documentation.</p> <p>The complexity of VLI means that few document scanning companies are able to recognize when it can be used effectively and utilize it, so make sure to look for one with a proven track record.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Improve accuracy &amp; retrieval time with variable lookup indexing"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/variable-lookup-indexing.png?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="Improve accuracy &amp; retrieval time with variable lookup indexing" title="Variable Lookup Indexing" /></a><br />urn:uuid:8d8b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/5-ways-filebound-7-liberates-you-from-inefficiency workflow automation FileBound e-forms document management software Software & Products FileBound 7 will be available this July with improved workflow, e-forms, analytics, user interface (UI), and Android app, representing a leap forward for this in-house and cloud document management software first introduced in 2001. As one of only a few FileBound Executive Partners in the world, we’ve identified the top 5 ways FileBound 7 will liberate you from both inefficiency and reliance upon IT.Wed, 02 Jul 2014 19:22:29 Z<p>FileBound 7 will be available this July with improved workflow, e-forms, analytics, user interface (UI), and Android app, representing a leap forward for this in-house and cloud document management software first introduced in 2001. As one of only a few<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/press-releases/2013/03/29/digiscribe-invited-to-serve-on-the-filebound-executive-partner-council" title="Digiscribe Invited to Serve on the FileBound Executive Partner Council">FileBound Executive Partners</a>&nbsp;in the world, we&rsquo;ve identified the top 5 ways FileBound 7 will liberate you from both inefficiency and reliance upon IT.</p> <h2>1. Analytics for Fast Decision-Making</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]2c8c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-analytics.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound analytics report" title="FileBound Analytics" /></span></p> <p>A new analytics dashboard is available in FileBound 7 Enterprise&rsquo;s cloud offering and provides meaningful, timely and actionable business insights into all work processes. Management can see where every document is in the process to identify bottlenecks and predictive analytics based on run-rate history. This allows business owners to get the full value of all of the data and documents captured within FileBound to make better-informed business decisions.</p> <h2>2. Android App, Responsive Design &amp; True Mobility</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]148c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-mobile.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound on mobile devices" title="FileBound Mobile" /></span></p> <p>Complementing the current iOS app, FileBound 7 now has an Android app. FileBound itself features a new responsive design that allows it to be mobile device agnostic. This is especially critical since smartphones and tablets have become ubiquitous in the workplace, from company-owned devices to organizations adhering to a &ldquo;BYOD&rdquo; (bring your own device) policy for employees. In this way, remote and on-the-go workers can have access to the same FileBound system at no additional cost over traditional access&mdash;which helps ensure business continuity in the face of normal travel, power outages and working remotely.</p> <h2>3. Optimized User Interface &amp; Faster Performance</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]208c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-workflow-assignments.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound workflow assignments page" title="FileBound Workflow Assignments" /></span></p> <p>FileBound 7&rsquo;s updated interface now reflects the way people use consumer web applications, while maintaining a layout familiar to current users. The new design is focused on ease-of-use, faster and more intuitive navigation, reduced clutter, and bringing focus to most relevant and important content. The result is a dramatic increase in the speed and performance of both the software and the business processes for which it&rsquo;s used.</p> <h2>4. Drag &amp; Drop Workflow Interface</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]088c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-workflow.jpg?sfvrsn=4" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound Workflow" title="FileBound Workflow" /></span></p> <p>FileBound&rsquo;s workflow functionality has been strengthened and simplified to provide even greater flexibility in configuring and testing workflows with its graphical drag-and-drop interface. This lets companies respond to changing business needs faster without needing a programmer for custom scripting.</p> <h2>5. E-Forms &amp; the Paperless Path</h2> <p><span data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]388c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8" class="sfImageWrapper"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/software/filebound/filebound-e-form-designer.jpg?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="FileBound E-form Designer" title="FileBound E-form Designer" /></span></p> <p>FileBound 7 Enterprise features a new Forms Portal, which includes a new drag-and-drop E-form Designer. The designer lets users create simple HTML forms directly in FileBound with no IT involvement needed. Functioning as an E-Forms Portal, FileBound extends business processes outside the enterprise by allowing anyone, anywhere to capture form data, additional documentation and signatures. This can be done in a fraction of the time, without paper, without the subsequent re-keying and inevitable keying errors. Because a high percentage of business documents are forms, this represents a potentially game-changing productivity advantage for users.</p> <h2>What Does the New FileBound 7 Mean for You?</h2> <p>While there are many software and cloud document management applications on the market, FileBound 7 is impressive. If you&rsquo;re using legacy document management software, you&rsquo;ll likely find that <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-Products/filebound-software" title="FileBound document management software">FileBound</a>&nbsp;offers the possibility of dramatic productivity gains likely for less&mdash;often much less&mdash;than what you&rsquo;re paying today, particularly with its cloud version. Less need for IT involvement is also a definite plus.</p> <p>If you&rsquo;re not presently using document management, then now is the time. We can help you build a business case for implementing FileBound, complete with estimated payback period and return on investment, usually over a matter of months.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to improve your company's processes with FileBound 7"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/filebound-7.png?sfvrsn=6" displaymode="Original" alt="Improve your company's processes with FileBound 7" title="Contact us to improve your company's processes with FileBound 7" /></a><br />urn:uuid:616b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/document-scanning-helps-non-profits-defray-rent document management software non-profit document scanning services Solutions Document Scanning Over the past five years, asking rents of office space in Manhattan have risen on average by 7%. If this weren’t hard enough, asking rents on older loft buildings in places like South Midtown – historically shunned by traditional businesses and coveted by non-profits – have risen 29% due to an influx of tech firms who are drawn to these spaces.Tue, 24 Jun 2014 15:00:52 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]5b6b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Non-Profit Word Cloud" alt="Non-profit qualities" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/non-profit-word-cloud.jpg?sfvrsn=6" /></span>Over the past five years, asking rents of office space in Manhattan have risen on average by 7%. If this weren&rsquo;t hard enough, asking rents on older loft buildings in places like South Midtown &ndash; historically shunned by traditional businesses and coveted by non-profits &ndash; <a target="_blank" title="High rent, competition from tech firms pushes out Manhattan nonprofits" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/high-rents-push-manhattan-nonprofits-article-1.1763306">have risen 29% due to an influx of tech firms</a> who are drawn to these spaces.</p> <p>Since every dollar counts towards achieving your social mission, spending money on space for filing cabinets, bankers&rsquo; boxes and other forms of paper storage is not an option, especially for non-profits in New York City. The most cost-effective remedy:&nbsp;<a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning</a> and cloud document management.</p> <h2>How to Gain Space without a Bigger Office or Capital Expense</h2> <p>Non-profits have traditionally avoided the investment in document scanners, capture software and other technology needed to go paperless. What many are now realizing is that you don&rsquo;t need to make a capital investment to scan documents and to experience all the process automation and space savings it has to offer. Experienced document scanning companies can quickly and accurately scan all of your employee files, donor records, invoices, grant applications, board minutes, legal documents, and all other records &ndash; for just pennies a page. No longer needing the space once taken up by a sea of paper can help you reduce rent or relocate to a better grade building.</p> <h2>Anytime, Anywhere Document Access</h2> <p>Once scanned, where do all of these digitized documents go? The cloud offers many capabilities without the capital expense.&nbsp;<a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">Cloud document management software</a> offers you the most cost-effective way to securely store, access and share electronic documents anywhere, anytime. This instant access helps improve efficiency within your organization and enables mobile access, remote access and collaboration.</p> <h2>How to Further Offset Rising Operating Costs</h2> <p>Once all of your documents are scanned and managed in the cloud, your non-profit can cut costs and improve efficiency even further by scanning all incoming records and/or capture information with electronic forms and processing them with&nbsp;<a title="workflow automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation</a> &ndash; an add-on module of cloud document management software. This can help streamline invoice processing, grant applications and new employee/volunteer on-boarding and signal to current and prospective donors that you run a smart and efficient operation.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us today">Contact us</a>&nbsp;to learn more about how document scanning, cloud document management, workflow automation software, and e-forms can help your non-for-profit minimize rent.</p>urn:uuid:31423ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/automate-accounts-payable-processing-part-two accounts payable Solutions Invoice processing automation has been around for years yet almost 50% of organizations still process paper invoices manually. Why do they continue to accept lost invoices, missed early payment discounts and a lack of management visibility into the efficiency of this critical business process?Tue, 10 Jun 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]01d639e8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="AP Efficiency" alt="Automate your AP processes to gain efficiency" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/ap-efficiency.gif?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" /></span>Invoice processing automation has been around for years yet almost 50% of organizations still process paper invoices manually. Why do they continue to accept lost invoices, missed early payment discounts and a lack of management visibility into the efficiency of this critical business process?</p> <p>Many believe that <a title="invoice processing automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable">invoice processing automation</a> is too complex and too expensive to implement. While that used to be the case five years ago, it&rsquo;s now so easy and cost-effective to implement that even small businesses are taking advantage of this technology. Where do you start?</p> <h2>Stop Wasting Resources on Invoice Scanning</h2> <p>One of the best ways to avoid having knowledge workers mired in the manual processing of paper invoices is to have an experienced document scanning company scan them for you.</p> <p>A document scanning partner can receive your invoices via PO Box, scan and index them upon receipt and then upload them to your document management and workflow automation software for automated routing and streamlined processing.</p> <h2>Track Invoices Every Step of the Way</h2> <p>If outsourcing isn&rsquo;t the right option for you, then you will want your staff to scan each invoice as soon as they are received. Doing so in the mailroom is ideal so as not to tie up your AP department and may be better suited for this production-type task.</p> <p>Whoever scans them, it&rsquo;s critical to get these electronic invoices into <a title="workflow automation software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">automated workflow software</a> so they can be automatically routed for approval and tracked every step of the way &ndash; see <a title="Why Automate AP – Part I: Is It Worth It?" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/automate-accounts-payable-processing-part-one/">Part 1</a> of this blog post for evidence of the benefits of AP automation.</p> <h2>Integrate for Added Peace of Mind</h2> <p>Some AP workflow software also offers the possibility of &ldquo;straight-through processing&rdquo; for PO based invoices, with no need for human intervention when integrated with your accounting or enterprise planning (ERP) system, especially when its features include automatic line item extraction.</p> <p>When processing is complete, all invoices and supporting documentation can then be stored in a document management system for instant retrieval to achieve compliance, allow for easier and quicker audits and improve document tracking.</p> <h2>Don&rsquo;t Forget about Accounts Receivable</h2> <p>AR may be less a candidate for document scanning and workflow automation if an organization&rsquo;s documents originate electronically and less paper is created during processing. However, many organizations still issue paper invoices and receive paper remittances and check payments &ndash; all of which need to be scanned, processed and stored in a <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management system</a>. Some organizations also need to show proof of delivery, which often takes the form of a paper document.</p> <p>When workflow automation is applied to manual, paper-based AR processes, the result can be to reduce processing time from weeks to hours, leading to faster payments, optimized cash flow and fewer mistakes.</p> <h2>How to Start: Now Is the Time for Action</h2> <p>In <a title="Why Automate AP – Part I: Is It Worth It?" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/automate-accounts-payable-processing-part-one/">part 1 of our AP Automation Series</a>, we pointed out:</p> <ul> <li>The average reduction of invoice processing costs is almost 30%</li> <li>Many organizations utilizing automated invoice processing report that up to 40% of incoming invoices can now be processed &ldquo;hands-free&rdquo;</li> <li>50% of AP automation users report a payback period of 9 months or less and 22% report a payback period of less than 6 months</li> </ul> <p>In this blog post, we identified where to start with AP automation, from invoice scanning to workflow automation to document management &ndash; which is even more dynamic and cost-effective in the cloud.</p> <p>What are you waiting for? Let us know how we can help you.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to take the first step towards automating invoice processing"><img title="Contact us to take the first step towards automating invoice processing" alt="Take the first step towards automating invoice processing" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/first-step-automate-invoice-processing.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a><br />urn:uuid:2f8b737c-9bb0-4283-b93a-ed212cd2dcd5http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/can-your-organization-survive-natural-disaster document management software disaster recovery Solutions Natural disasters come in many varieties, from floods and fires to landslides and tornados. Often times, the full impact for a business is not fully realized until it’s too late and critical business information is lost. The impact is sometimes so great that 25% of businesses never reopen following a major disaster. However, that fate is avoidable if the proper steps are taken to create a formal disaster recovery plan for your business.Tue, 03 Jun 2014 15:00:00 Z<p>Natural disasters come in many varieties, from floods and fires to landslides and tornados. Often times, the full impact for a business is not fully realized until it&rsquo;s too late and critical business information is lost. The impact is sometimes so great that 25% of businesses never reopen following a major disaster. However, that fate is avoidable if the proper steps are taken to create a formal <a title="disaster recovery" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/disaster-recovery">disaster recovery plan</a> for your business. For every $1 a company invests in disaster preparedness, $7 worth of disaster-related economic losses can be prevented.</p> <p><a target="_blank" title="Natural Disaster Infographic" href="http://msmonline.bu.edu/survive-a-natural-disaster/">Boston University</a>&nbsp;has created this informative infographic with facts and information about how your business can be better prepared before disaster strikes.</p> <a target="_blank" href="http://msmonline.bu.edu/survive-a-natural-disaster/"><img width="612" height="5000" alt="Survive a Natural Disaster" src="http://msmonline.bu.edu/wp-content/themes/ckg-blank/custom/img/infographics/Natural-Disaster.png" /></a><br /> <br /> <a target="_blank" href="http://msmonline.bu.edu/">Source: Boston University Master of Science in Management Online</a> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to prepare your company for disaster with cloud document management"><img title="Are you ready for a natural disaster?" alt="Prepare your company for disaster today with cloud document management" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/disaster-prevention.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a>urn:uuid:07d639e8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/automate-accounts-payable-processing-part-one accounts payable Solutions According to the white paper Automating AP/AR Financial Processes published by the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM), accounts payable continues to be an inefficient cost center for companies where, “leaving money on the table from missed discounts or disputed transactions, and slow collection can put huge pressure on cash flows.” To alleviate these issues, accounts payable automation sounds like a good idea, but where is the evidence?Thu, 29 May 2014 13:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]01d639e8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="AP Efficiency" alt="Automate your AP processes to gain efficiency" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/ap-efficiency.gif?sfvrsn=4" /></span>According to the white paper&nbsp;<a target="_blank" title="Automating AP/AR Financial Processes – user feedback on the real ROI" href="http://www.aiim.org/Research-and-Publications/Research/AIIM-White-Papers/Automating_AP-AR">Automating AP/AR Financial Processes</a> published by the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM), accounts payable continues to be an inefficient cost center for companies where, &ldquo;leaving money on the table from missed discounts or disputed transactions, and slow collection can put huge pressure on cash flows.&rdquo; To alleviate these issues,&nbsp;<a title="accounts payable automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable">accounts payable automation</a> sounds like a good idea, but where is the evidence?</p> <p>In this blog post, part 1 of 2 of our AP Automation Series, we will share some examples of how AP automation can reduce costs, increase efficiency and ease your AP pain.</p> <h2>Can You Relate to These AP Processing Pains?</h2> <ul> <li>Finding and accessing relevant purchase contract and delivery documentation is cited as a major factor in the cost of processing non-PO orders, where two-thirds of respondents admit that the original purchase requisitions, supplier correspondence, supporting documentation, and contracts are not easy to find. <em>Can your team find supporting documentation quickly and easily?</em></li> <li>The average estimate of the additional cost factor to process non-purchase order (PO) or non-production orders is 2.2x. <em>What is your additional cost factor?</em></li> <li>The cost to process an invoice ranges from $1 to more than $50 with an average of $12.90. <em>Where does your company fall on this spectrum?</em></li> </ul> <h2>How AP Automation Will Make Your Life Easier</h2> <ul> <li><strong>Cost Reduction:</strong> the average reduction of invoice processing costs is almost 30%, stemming primarily from a repurposing of AP clerks to higher value-add roles and increased efficiency</li> <li><strong>Decreasing Cycle Time:</strong> many organizations report that up to 40% of incoming invoices can be processed &ldquo;hands-free&rdquo; (100% automated) and those that scan invoices as soon as they&rsquo;re received in the mailroom significantly expedite processing time of non-PO invoices</li> <li><strong>Improved Visibility:</strong> AP automation software allows for better monitoring and transparency of payment status, employee workload and cash-flow</li> <li><strong>Better Cash Management:</strong> stemming from greater visibility, management will gain a dramatically improved view of what is owed to vendors and can make better decisions regarding who gets paid and when</li> <li><strong>Integration:</strong> AP automation software allows correspondence and supporting documentation to be directly accessible via the organizations ERP/accounting system so all information is available to process each invoice that requires some degree of manual intervention/exception handling</li> </ul> <h2>What&rsquo;s Your Next Step?</h2> <p>Being able to cut invoice processing costs by 30% on average with a 6-9 month ROI should help justify AP automation to your organization&rsquo;s C-suite and start making your life a whole lot easier.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to let us know how we can help reduce the pain in your accounts payable processes">Let us know how we can help</a>&nbsp;reduce the pain in your accounts payable processes.</p> <p>In <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/automate-accounts-payable-processing-part-two/" title="Why Automate AP – Part II: How Do You Start?">Part 2 of our AP Automation Series</a>, we will explore how you can implement the right AP automation for your organization.</p>urn:uuid:991165e7-3d8c-4458-95a0-a6f6b7a847behttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/which-workflow-automation-is-right-for-you workflow automation document management software Office Automation While many rave about the power of workflow automation, you don’t need to fully automate every step of your business process to experience major benefits such as cost reductions and increased efficiency. Many companies, even smaller businesses, can reap impressive productivity gains with partial automation of their paper-based business processes.Wed, 21 May 2014 15:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]49493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Workflow Process" alt="Workflow Automation" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/workflow-process.jpg?sfvrsn=5" /></span>While many rave about the power of <a title="workflow automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation</a>, you don&rsquo;t need to fully automate every step of your business process to experience major benefits such as cost reductions and increased efficiency. Many companies, even smaller businesses, can reap impressive productivity gains with partial automation of their paper-based business processes.</p> <h2>Partial Automation: Reap Impressive Productivity Gains</h2> <p>Following the scanning and indexing of documents, routing the resulting PDFs throughout the organization digitally for review and action can dramatically speed up the process, resulting in increased productivity and a reduction in lost documents (and headaches).</p> <p>Some <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a> provides ad hoc workflow where there&rsquo;s a drop-down of all users so documents can be emailed to the next person. There may still be manual steps, such as data entry of invoice line items into your accounting system, or personnel data into your HRM system, but the overall process is routed, tracked and managed digitally &ndash; a very useful, if not fully automated, capability.</p> <h2>Full Automation: Achieve a Competitive Advantage</h2> <p>Fully automating your workflow includes outsourcing your mailroom so that incoming mail is immediately scanned and indexed upon receipt and the resulting scanned images kick off an automated workflow within your organization. Indexing can be automated using auto-classification software with <a title="full-text OCR" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/full-text-ocr">optical character recognition (OCR)</a> and line-item extraction that can automatically extract data from a document and match it to data in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) or accounting system. With business rules in place, some documents &ndash; up to 40% according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" title="Automating AP/AR Financial Processes – user feedback on the real ROI" href="http://www.aiim.org/Research-and-Publications/Research/AIIM-White-Papers/Automating_AP-AR">AIIM</a> &ndash; can be routed with zero manual intervention, also known as &ldquo;straight-through processing.&rdquo;</p> <p>For example, line item data from an invoice scanned in the mailroom is automatically and successfully matched to a PO, which initiates a check payment without any manual routing or approval. Even for invoices that need to be approved by a manager, this may be the only manual portion of the process after scanning, which represents a dramatic increase in efficiency and reduction in processing costs.</p> <p>The extrapolation of data into your organization&rsquo;s line-of-business software and uploading of this content into a document management system for future retrieval and tracking can lead to even further productivity gains and increased accuracy &ndash; all of which can lead to a competitive advantage, particularly when automating customer-facing processes like new account on-boarding.</p> <p>This high degree of automation is often not where an organization begins, but can reach over time as business needs grow.</p> <h2>How Take the First Step Towards Automation</h2> <p>Full workflow automation is compelling but not required for significant process improvement to be experienced. Simply automating the routing of documents can eliminate processing bottlenecks and increase productivity. After all, every 1,000 mile journey begins with one step. Just make sure you&rsquo;re working with an experienced workflow automation partner.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to begin automating your business processes"><img title="Contact us to begin automating your business processes" alt="Begin automating your business processes" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/automate-your-processes.png?sfvrsn=5" /></a>urn:uuid:3a9039e8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/4-document-processing-questions-to-ask-yourself workflow automation document management software cloud document management software Office Automation Document Management Cloud and mobile, changing patterns of work and consumerization are disrupting the traditional ways that information and content are created, processed and managed. In light of these disruptors, AIIM’s president, John Mancini, has posed 4 questions relative to how companies combine content and processes in new and unexpected ways. What follows are my thoughts on how document management and workflow automation software are helping to address these issues.Thu, 15 May 2014 15:00:00 Z<p><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/question-mark.png?sfvrsn=2" alt="What's next for content management?" title="What's next for content management?" />Cloud and mobile, changing patterns of work and consumerization are disrupting the traditional ways that information and content are created, processed and managed. In light of these disruptors, AIIM&rsquo;s president, John Mancini, has posed <a href="http://info.aiim.org/digital-landfill/whats-next-for-content-management" title="What's Next for Content Management?" target="_blank">4 questions relative to how companies combine content and processes</a> in new and unexpected ways. What follows are my thoughts on how document management and workflow automation software are helping to address these issues.</p> <h2>How do we manage the RISK of growing volumes of content?</h2> <p>As the volume of documents grow, you will need seamlessly expanding document management software that will help you securely store, access, share and manage all of your digital assets. Scalable <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">cloud-based document management software</a> offers one of the best ways to securely manage and control all of your document-based information and make it immediately accessible from any desktop or mobile device. Compared to cloud file sharing, document management software provides greater access control and security, stronger regulatory compliance and avoids multiple information silos &ndash; a real threat to managing growing volumes of content.</p> <h2>How do we TRANSFORM content-intensive business processes?</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">Workflow automation software</a> is an effective way to incorporate content into streamlined and automated processes based on pre-defined business rules. Both alerts and intelligence, such as identifying documents missing in the new employee on-boarding process, help ensure the completeness and integrity of each business process. When combined with outsourced <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services">PO Box mailroom scanning services</a>, incoming paper can be eliminated from the organization entirely and critical processes can be expedited.</p> <h2>How do we use content to better ENGAGE customers, employees and partners?</h2> <p>Once documents and other content are scanned, processed and stored in cloud document management software, they can be immediately accessed from any computer or mobile device to answer customer questions, provide employee information or share with a partner. Here are two examples of this powerful functionality:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/success-stories/approved-storage" title="Approved Storage &amp; Waste Hauling Success Story">Approved Storage &amp; Waste</a> gives their customers instant access on a self-serve basis to access their medical waste manifests</li> <li><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/success-stories/titlevest" title="TitleVest Success Story">TitleVest</a> provides a hyper-responsive level of customer service with immediate access to any document directly from the desktop</li> </ul> <h2>How do we get any business INSIGHT out of all the information we are gathering?</h2> <p>Reporting from both workflow automation as well as document management software gives managers and the executive team immediate access to and insight into the following information:</p> <ul> <li>Where any document is in a process</li> <li>Who has edited, emailed, shared or uploaded a document and when</li> <li>How long processing takes</li> <li>Where bottlenecks occur</li> </ul> <h2>Information That Works for You</h2> <p>The disruptors to how companies manage their content and processes present great opportunities to improve the way you do business. By managing the risk of growing volumes of documents with cloud document management software and transforming your business processes with workflow automation software, you are taking 2 key steps in keeping up with the trends that will define business for years to come.</p> <p>Cloud document management and workflow automation software give you the added bonuses of better engaging with internal and external parties while providing insight into the entire workflow of how different documents are processed throughout your organization which allows you to identify areas that can be optimized.</p> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to manage your documents in new &amp; unexpected ways"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/whats-next-content-management.png?sfvrsn=9" alt="Manage your documents in new &amp; unexpected ways" title="What's Next in Content Management" displaymode="Original" /></a></p>urn:uuid:2b9ffca0-3d8e-4ed5-a0c1-b1d8fdc9ae93http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/document-management-software-and-byoc security cloud document management software Document Management According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 20% of wage and salaried employees work from home.* This represents a growth of 73% since 2005.** Add to that the number of employees in the field, those traveling at any given time and those who may be prevented from coming into the office because of a Nor’easter and you’ve got an increasingly mobile workforce who needs access to work documents while away from the office.Tue, 06 May 2014 15:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]364a3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="People Multiple Clouds" alt="Employees don't need to bring their own cloud to work with document management software" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/people-multiple-clouds.jpg?sfvrsn=4" /></span>According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 20% of wage and salaried employees work from home.* This represents a growth of 73% since 2005.** Add to that the number of employees in the field, those traveling at any given time and those who may be prevented from coming into the office because of a Nor&rsquo;easter and you&rsquo;ve got an increasingly mobile workforce who needs access to work documents while away from the office.</p> <h2>BYOC &amp; Security Issues You Never Thought Of</h2> <p>What is the best way to give them access? Many use cloud file sharing services like Google Drive and Dropbox because they&rsquo;re commonly known and they&rsquo;re easy to use. However, this trend of &ldquo;bring your own cloud&rdquo; (BYOC) creates major security issues and decentralized silos of information &ndash; two threats to any organization. This is why we recommend business grade <a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management software</a> for highly secure, administratively controlled remote access to your company&rsquo;s critical business documents.</p> <h2>Anything that Can Go Wrong with BYOC, May Go Wrong</h2> <p>With BYOC, employees often forget what they uploaded, do not delete files after the intended recipients have downloaded them, and can accidentally send the wrong link. We&rsquo;ve heard of employees who thought they sent a link for one file, but accidentally sent a link to their entire file sharing directory, exposing all the files within it. We&rsquo;ve also heard employees inadvertently providing access to customer contracts, sensitive <a title="human resource solutions" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources">HR information</a> (including I-9s and salary data) and <a title="medical record scanning" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/medical-record-scanning">medical information</a> that could be considered a HIPAA violation. Even if a cloud file sharing system is secure, the invitation email can accidentally be sent to the wrong person or forwarded to an unauthorized person by the recipient, leaving you with no ability to effectively control access.</p> <h2>Prevent BYOC Silos</h2> <p>When employees work remotely, it can be challenging to collaborate especially if documents are spread across numerous BYOC accounts and not all the same version. Even if centrally located in a shared drive, documents are often not filed in the same folders or named in a consistent manner. It can also be difficult to access your internal shared drive by VPN, particularly from mobile devices and when using public wi-fi. Employers need to store all company information in the same place, easily searchable and securely available to employees whether they are in the office or working remotely.</p> <h2>A Different Cloud for Ultra-Security &amp; Centralization</h2> <p>Cloud document management software provides ultra-secure remote access to a centralized repository of your documents and is a compelling alternative to BYOC. Business grade document management software is user-friendly, provides reliable and instant access to documents from any computer or mobile device and offers functionality and security cloud file sharing does not: robust user access/admin controls, multiple security levels, version control, revision history, document retention scheduling, and audit trails. Using enterprise-wide cloud document management software instead of allowing your employees to use their own document silos in the cloud allows you to ensure remote employee productivity, encourage collaboration and keep all company information securely in one place&mdash;and you&rsquo;ll be able to better sleep at night not having to worry about the security of your documents.</p> <p><em>* <a target="_blank" title="Percent of employed persons who worked at home on an average workday" href="http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/chart12.pdf">http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/chart12.pdf</a><br /> ** <a target="_blank" title="Global Workplace Analytics" href="http://www.globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics">http://www.globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics</a><br /> </em></p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Make BYOC a thing of the past &amp; secure your company's documents"><img title="BYOC" alt="Contact us to make BYOC a thing of the past &amp; secure your company’s documents" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/byoc.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a>urn:uuid:49d39bdf-5f38-45e5-a32e-9b639a0744c3http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/cloud-document-management-software-attracts-best document scanning services cloud document management software Document Management With the recession and sluggish economic growth increasingly behind us, the job market is starting to heat up, with the youngest and brightest in high demand. Where does the next generation workforce want to work?Tue, 22 Apr 2014 15:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]1e4a3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Open Office Space" alt="Get rid of paper for a clean open office space" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/open-office-space.jpg?sfvrsn=4" /></span>With the recession and sluggish economic growth increasingly behind us, the job market is starting to heat up, with the youngest and brightest in high demand. Where does the next generation workforce want to work?</p> <p>Dark offices with drop-ceilings, cubicles, filing cabinets and stacks of paper are out. Light, open spaces that spur collaboration and laptops are in.</p> <h2>From Trendy to Mainstream</h2> <p>For many years now, design firms and tech start-ups have worked in the loft space of converted warehouses and manufacturing plants. Leading edge companies in many industries are now following suit. From biotechs to bankers this trend is becoming mainstream as companies recognize the impact on productivity and the attractiveness to Millennials and even their predecessors, the Gen-Xers. Even Baby Boomers can find new levels of energy and productivity when thrown into the mix. This new open office atmosphere, with &ldquo;I spaces,&rdquo; huddle rooms and walk stations, reflects an emerging corporate culture of openness and collaboration highlighted in this <a target="_blank" title="Biogen’s new offices look to break down barriers" href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/07/23/drug-maker-biogen-idec-building-open-campus-effort-reflect-its-corporate-culture/n5jmxRp6z0M1EQTho7lkcK/story.html">Boston Globe article</a>.</p> <h2>Clear the Space</h2> <p>If you have a traditional office environment crowded with file cabinets, storage boxes and cluttered desks, here are 4 easy steps to eliminate the clutter and to create a cooler, more productive space:</p> <ol> <li><a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">Scan your documents</a>&nbsp;to eliminate paper files and create a clean and efficient working environment</li> <li>Empower your employees with&nbsp;<a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management software</a> so they can store, access and share documents from any laptop or mobile device from wherever they are working</li> <li>Process your documents digitally with&nbsp;<a title="workflow automation software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation software</a> and eliminate the paper in order fulfillment, invoice processing and HR onboarding</li> <li>Digitize your business files stored in file cabinets and bankers boxes and reclaim office space for &ldquo;huddle rooms&rdquo;</li> </ol> <h2>Going Digital</h2> <p>In addition to clearing the space, scanning your documents &ndash; especially when uploading them into cloud document management software &ndash; allows company information to be accessible anywhere in the office, when working from home or when on the road. Workflow automation, e-forms and digital signatures takes this a step further by eliminating the need to fill out and route paper for review and approval.</p> <h2>Stimulating Productivity &amp; Collaboration</h2> <p>Companies that depart the 20th century by clearing the space and going digital are the ones attracting the best Millennials and fostering a productive and collaborative working environment, both in the office incubator and when working beyond. The effect also rubs off on clients and partners who want to work with efficient, forward thinking and contemporary organizations. These companies are putting themselves in a position to achieve stronger growth and a stronger competitive advantage than ever before. What are you waiting for?</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Open up your office space with document scanning &amp; document management"><img title="Modern Office" alt="Contact us to open up your office space with document scanning &amp; document management" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/modern-office.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a>urn:uuid:1d460fc4-9322-4ab2-889c-73eba05db291http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/information-in-a-ny-minute-with-document-management Document Management We all know that business in New York City can be fierce, so having a competitive advantage is essential to staying ahead of the curve. What is the best way to accomplish this? In a word: technology, and a good place to start is with document management.Tue, 15 Apr 2014 13:08:38 Z<p><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/leading-the-pack.png?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" alt="Gain a competitive advantage with document management software" title="Gain a competitive advantage with document management software" />We all know that business in New York City can be fierce, so having a competitive advantage is essential to staying ahead of the curve. What is the best way to accomplish this? In a word: technology, and a good place to start is with document management.</p> <h2>Top 5 Ways to Gain a Competitive Edge</h2> <p>Document scanning, cloud document management and workflow automation can help you achieve the following competitive advantages:</p> <ol> <li><em>Lower Operating Costs:</em> minimize real estate needs by eliminating file cabinets and storage boxes; eliminate capital expenditures with cloud document management software , reallocate staff to focus on your core competencies and revenue generating tasks</li> <li><em>Faster Processing Speeds:</em> fulfill purchase orders, pay invoices, complete work orders, and take care of all tasks quicker &ndash; all with less mistakes</li> <li><em>Superior Customer Service:</em> access documents within seconds while a client is on the phone, answering their questions in the moment</li> <li><em>Top Talent Acquisition:</em> modern, file cabinet-free offices within a coveted address and the ability to work from anywhere (mobile, work from home) helps attract the best talent</li> <li><em>Industry Leader Position:</em> companies that use cutting edge technology are perceived as industry leaders</li> </ol> <h2>Digitizing Documents in a New York Minute</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">Document scanning</a> digitizes paper documents so they can be stored, retrieved, processed and distributed quickly and easily from your computer or mobile device. This is the first step to having your critical business information accessible from wherever you are whenever you want it.</p> <h2>Accessing Your Documents Anytime, Anywhere</h2> <p>Think of <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management" title="cloud document management software">cloud document management software</a> as a secure electronic file cabinet for your critical documents that is accessible with any internet browser. Access your documents anywhere at any time you have internet connectivity; in a cab, at a client&rsquo;s office, or from your home.</p> <h2>Business Processes That Never Sleep</h2> <p>Streamlining business processes like invoice processing and new employee on-boarding to become nimble in NYC is a challenge made simple with <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">workflow automation</a> &ndash; frequently a module of document management. By utilizing business rules and document routing, automated workflow allows you to review and approve contracts, purchase orders, invoices in the office or on the go quicker than your competitors.</p> <h2>Stay Ahead of the Curve</h2> <p>Processing paper documents manually is tedious, time-consuming and error-prone. The resulting labor costs incurred and real estate consumed &ndash; especially in New York &ndash; as well as frustrated customers and burnt out employees is no way to do business in NYC.</p> <p>On the other hand, utilizing document scanning services, cloud document management and workflow automation software can lead to industry leadership and competitive advantage, even in New York. Take a look at how one leading NY company <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/success-stories/titlevest" title="TitleVest Success Story">stays ahead of the curve with document scanning</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Access your critical documents from anywhere in a New York minute. Contact us now!"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/ny-minute.png?sfvrsn=4" alt="Access your critical documents from anywhere in a New York minute. Contact us now!" title="Access your critical documents from anywhere in a New York minute. Contact us now!" /></a>urn:uuid:04b98123-4717-44a4-adde-a71638675aa3http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/importance-of-hipaa-compliance-document-scanning-company HIPAA document scanning services Document Scanning The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires healthcare providers and organizations, as well as their business associates, to create and follow procedures that ensure the confidentiality and security of protected health information (PHI).Tue, 08 Apr 2014 15:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]baca4ee9-c303-4b04-8e33-b81de8b71e06"><img title="HIPAA Compliant" alt="HIPAA Compliant" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/partners-certifications/hipaa-compliant.png?sfvrsn=4" /></span>The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires healthcare providers and organizations, as well as their business associates, to create and follow procedures that ensure the confidentiality and security of protected health information (PHI). Protected health information refers to <a target="_blank" title="What is 'protected health information' (PHI) and 'electronic protected health information' (ePHI) under HIPAA?" href="http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit/toolbox/HealthITAdoptiontoolbox/PrivacyandSecurity/underhipaa.html">individually identifiable health information</a> which can be linked to a particular person. Specifically, this information can relate to:</p> <ul> <li>The individual's past, present or future physical or mental health or condition,</li> <li>The provision of health care to the individual, or,</li> <li>The past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual</li> </ul> <p>Common identifiers of health information include names, social security numbers, addresses, birth dates, email addresses and phone numbers.</p> <p>To ensure compliance, healthcare organizations and their business associates, such as document scanning companies, can undergo HIPAA compliance training to educate employees about working with documents containing PHI.</p> <h2>It&rsquo;s More Than Medical Records</h2> <p>Any document, whether <a title="medical record scanning" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/medical-record-scanning">medical records</a>, EBAs, legal files, or <a title="human resource solutions" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources">employee records</a>, that contain a patient&rsquo;s name plus one of 18 other identifiers is covered under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Since document scanning companies deal with all types of documents containing this sensitive information, it is imperative for the entire staff to be fully aware and trained on how to securely handle these documents while in their possession; , from document receipt through scanning, indexing, quality control and delivery.</p> <h2>HIPAA Compliance Training For Piece of Mind</h2> <p>It is important to work with a company whose staff has been trained and fully understands the responsibility of handling <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning projects</a> in a secure and confidential manner that is in compliance with HIPAA Privacy Rules. Training ensures that all staff is aware of and follows the policies regarding protecting client data while in the company&rsquo;s possession.</p> <p>How do you know if the document scanning company you are working with has HIPAA trained staff? Simply ask. Business associates are required to show proof of a formal and documented HIPAA compliance training program concerning how to handle PHI in a private, secure and confidential way while in their care.</p> <h2>Committed to Keeping Your Private Information Safe</h2> <p>We are committed to ensuring that our clients&rsquo; data and information is handled in the most secure and confidential way while in our care. We have documented policies and procedures and the entire Digiscribe New England staff has successfully completed HIPAA compliance training.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Scan your documents with a HIPAA compliant document scanning company"><img title="HIPAA" alt="Contact us to scan your documents with a HIPAA compliant document scanning company" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/hipaa-blog-cta.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a>urn:uuid:94aaa1d1-eecf-486e-a6ad-c3868bef81e0http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/2-steps-to-exemplary-customer-service document scanning services document management software customer service Solutions Having immediate, reliable and easy access to client files empowers your staff to respond to your customer’s questions and concerns as they are raised “in the moment.” This allows organizations to provide an exemplary level of customer service, which may turn into a competitive advantage. Doing so is easily achievable with a combination of document scanning and document management software in 2 simple steps.Tue, 01 Apr 2014 14:04:32 Z<p><img title="Superior customer service with document managment software" alt="Superior customer service with document managment software" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/superior-customer-service.jpg?sfvrsn=4" />Having immediate, reliable and easy access to client files empowers your staff to respond to your customer&rsquo;s questions and concerns as they are raised &ldquo;in the moment.&rdquo; This allows organizations to provide an exemplary level of customer service, which may turn into a competitive advantage. Doing so is easily achievable with a combination of document scanning and document management software in 2 simple steps.</p> <h2>Stop Digging through Boxes: Scan Your Documents</h2> <p>The first step is to have a document scanning company scan and index your files quickly, preferably in a secure <a title="SOC 2 Type 2 document scanning facility" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/soc-2-facility">SOC 2 Type 2 scanning facility</a>. This will prevent your team from having to dig through boxes of files or cabinets to find the critical documents they need to answer a customer&rsquo;s question or solve a customer&rsquo;s problem. </p> <p>Locating a paper document can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on how many documents there are and how they were filed. Additionally, you&rsquo;ll never have to retrieve paperwork from off-site storage, which can add days if not a week to retrieve the box and then locate the file, assuming you retrieved the right box (not to mention the costs).</p> <p>If a document is needed that is being digitized at the scanning facility, it can be emailed to you quickly so you have the information you need even while the documents are in production.</p> <h2>Access Your Documents from Your Laptop or Mobile Device</h2> <p>The second step is to have the document scanning company upload your <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">scanned documents</a> to <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a>, preferably in the cloud. This allows your customer service team and other client-facing staff to access client files and customer service documents in seconds while they are on the phone with the client, instead of having to get back to them with information. Critical information stored in document management software is securely and easily retrieved from the computer, laptop or mobile device.</p> <h2>Customer Service Clients Will Rave About</h2> <p>By following these 2 simple steps, your staff can provide superior levels of customer service by having instant access to documents and information. If using document management in the cloud, you can take this a step further by allowing direct and secure customer access to their account documents, creating a self-service portal. Either way, this is how you can transform your clients into evangelists.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="You're 2 steps away from offering superior customer service. Contact us now!"><img title="You're 2 steps away from offering superior customer service. Contact us now!" alt="You're 2 steps away from offering superior customer service. Contact us now!" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/2-steps-customer-service.png?sfvrsn=6" /></a>urn:uuid:b90228c9-8997-4b2a-a5d2-4500070d2a45http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/workflow-automation-overcomes-accountability-challenge workflow automation document management software Document Management Measuring staff productivity and establishing accountability with key performance indicators (KPIs) can be a major challenge. Most organizations track some KPIs, such as the number of invoices or orders processed per hour per employee. Even this reporting can leaves gaps so big that the information may not be meaningful, especially if there is no way to determine accuracy, due to manual tracking.Tue, 25 Mar 2014 15:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]a54c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Responsbility Pointing Fingers" alt="Staff Accountability with Document Management Software" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/responsbility-pointing-fingers.jpg?sfvrsn=4" /></span>Measuring staff productivity and establishing accountability with key performance indicators (KPIs) can be a major challenge. Most organizations track some KPIs, such as the number of invoices or orders processed per hour per employee. Even this reporting can leaves gaps so big that the information may not be meaningful, especially if there is no way to determine accuracy, due to manual tracking.</p> <p>In a perfect world, you would have a mechanism for accurately and automatically tracking KPIs that don&rsquo;t bog down either employee or manager. Is this possible? Yes, with workflow automation software.</p> <h2>Gain Visibility into Your Business Processes</h2> <p>Every business process within your organization has a workflow. It may involve a paper invoice going through various levels of approval, traveling from one person&rsquo;s desk to another while hopefully getting to its final destination in time. With limited insight into where an invoice is in the process, this can mean missed early payment discounts or even double payment.</p> <p><a title="workflow automation software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">Workflow automation software</a> streamlines this by automatically routing the invoice from one employee to another for action to be taken based on your business rules. Management has complete visibility and can see how far along this and any other process is and who is currently responsible for moving the process along to the next step.</p> <h2>Identify Processing Bottlenecks</h2> <p>Once your processing workflows have been automated, you can easily and automatically track the KPIs that are most meaningful to your business such as the number of early payment discounts you are taking or orders processed in 24 hours. The automated workflow can give you insight into how long an invoice takes to go from receipt to payment and identify which employees are holding up the process. This makes it easier to identify exactly where the bottlenecks are and deal with problems head-on.</p> <h2>A Powerful Combination</h2> <p>Workflow automation software is a function of document management software, the combination of which allows you to both streamline all of your business processes and have a secure document archive with instant search and retrieval capabilities from any computer with cloud document management. By harnessing workflow automation and document management software together, you are able to create accountability of your staff to easily identify bottlenecks and ensure your business processes are running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Improve performance management with workflow automation"><img title="Staff Accountability" alt="Contact us to improve performance management with workflow automation" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/staff-accountability.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a>urn:uuid:64668e46-9b08-4b98-98af-ac48660e4746http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/never-accidentally-delete-a-document security document management software Document Management Have you ever deleted a document or folder on your desktop without meaning to? We all have, and it’s not usually a problem because you can quickly retrieve and restore documents from the trash. But what about accidentally deleting a document or folder on a shared drive?Tue, 18 Mar 2014 13:50:29 Z<p><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/secure-folder.png?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" alt="Secure your documents with document management software" title="Secure your documents with document management software" />Have you ever deleted a document or folder on your desktop without meaning to? We all have, and it&rsquo;s not usually a problem because you can quickly retrieve and restore documents from the trash.</p> <p>What about accidentally deleting a document or folder on a shared drive? Shared drives do not usually have a trash from which you can easily retrieve deleted documents. Instead, you have to restore deletions from the last backup &ndash; this isn&rsquo;t terrible if your IT department backs up your shared drive daily, but what if it hasn&rsquo;t been backed up recently? Even if it has, retrieval is painfully slow on a good day. And what if something was accidentally deleted and not noticed for several days or weeks?</p> <p>Just ask the Veterans Administration, where 464,000 veteran home loan files were accidentally deleted. Only half of these documents were recovered.</p> <h2>Problem Cause: Document Access Rights</h2> <p>Document deletion is one of the most dangerous perils of storing documents in a shared drive. While sharing is useful, access rights to each folder are determined by whoever creates it and are rarely defined at the document level.</p> <p>This allows more employees having access to shared drive files and folders than probably should and, the more people that have access, the higher the risk that documents are accidentally deleted.</p> <h2>Problem Solution: Document Management</h2> <p>Document management software and cloud solutions offer the ability to define document and folder level access rights in conjunction with the organization&rsquo;s document retention policies. This mitigates the risk of accidental document deletion by allowing only certain individuals the ability to delete documents and sets of documents (e.g. managers).</p> <h2>Document Security to the Fifth Power</h2> <p>Because even managers can accidentally delete individual documents and sets, best-of-breed document management solutions route deleted documents to a trash folder, so they can be easily retrieved if necessary. As a third level of security, a different manager can be given access rights to empty the trash. As a fourth level of security, documents that have been emptied from the trash can be restored within a period of time, e.g. one week. Finally, best-of-breed document management software offers the ability to implement document retention schedules that dictate when a document or set of documents can be deleted with no ability to delete them before expiration of the retention date.</p> <h2>An Ounce of Prevention Worth a Pound of Cure</h2> <p>At a minimum, document management access rights help eliminate the need to back-up shared drive data and having to restore anything. Best-of-breed document management helps you prevent unwanted deletions and human error in the first place, with document security to the fifth power so you can avoid a similar fate of the VA. The ability to set document access rights also has the side benefit of helping you avoid fines by ensuring industry/legal document retention compliance.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to never accidentally delete your critical business documents again"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/dm-access-levels.png?sfvrsn=6" alt="Don't accidentally delete your critical business documents again" title="Contact us so you never accidentally delete your critical business documents again" /></a>urn:uuid:9aa8f1df-b043-447f-a66d-80273651eae3http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/choosing-a-document-scanning-company-tip-three document scanning services Document Scanning Though you would expect that the largest document scanning providers offer the greatest breadth of services and customer service flexibility, the opposite is true more often than not.Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:19:49 Z<img title="Your document scanning &amp; management solution shouldn't put you in a box" alt="Your document scanning &amp; management solution shouldn't put you in a box" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/trapped-in-a-box.jpg?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" /> <p>Though you would expect that the largest document scanning providers offer the greatest breadth of services and customer service flexibility, the opposite is true more often than not.</p> <p>Many of these national organizations lure you in with bottom-of-the-barrel pricing but will only scan medical records or invoices and may require you to use their <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a>. They can only offer this low pricing based on extremely high volumes of very specific types of scanning, performed in a very specific manner, which forces many into a box.</p> <p>However, most organizations need to scan many different types of operational documents as well as those from the back-office&mdash;from backfiles trapped in filing cabinets and basements to documents that come in every day. Some need to outsource all of their scanning, while others would like to capture at least some of these documents in-house. Others need a hybrid solution potentially spanning multiple departments and divisions. Some even want to use their own document management software or at least evaluate more than one of the many options available on the market today.</p> <p>Only nimble and flexible document scanning providers can address all of these document scanning needs effectively and holistically.</p> <h2>Scanning Options</h2> <p>While many companies need offsite <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">document scanning</a>, this might not be the case for all of their documents. It&rsquo;s possible that documents stored in file cabinets and boxes need to be scanned and outsourced to a document scanning company, while it might be better to scan new and incoming documents onsite/in-house.</p> <p>On the other hand, it might be better to have your incoming documents received directly by your scanning provider acting as your virtual mailroom, providing &ldquo;PO box scanning,&rdquo; especially for invoices, expense reports, and other documents being mailed or emailed in.</p> <p>Additionally, it may be better to outsource the scanning of those documents handled internally by your team, or at least the overflow at peak times.</p> <p>Whatever the case, you will want to work with a document scanning provider that will evaluate your needs and recommend the best solution based on a wide breadth of options.</p> <h2>Document Management that Works for You</h2> <p>After your documents are scanned, what&rsquo;s the best place for them to reside and how do you find them quickly afterwards?</p> <p>Some large document scanning providers require you to use their own software. What if you already have document management software or would like to consider software that can be used across multiple applications and departments? Some may only output to limited file formats, or can upload only to limited software platforms or burn your images to CDs and DVDs for loading onto your shared drive, making them nearly impossible to find afterwards.</p> <p>Savvy document scanning companies give you document management options, from in-house software to cloud to <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation">workflow automation</a>, all of which can integrate with your ERP system&mdash;far more effective solutions.</p> <h2>Choose Wisely</h2> <p>For the optimal and most cost-effective document scanning and management solutions for your organization, you need a provider who will identify the best solution based on what you really need, including solutions that work within your current information management infrastructure&mdash;instead of a narrowly defined offering, sold in high volumes that only work within inflexible systems.</p> <p>Flexible providers are also far more likely to offer unanticipated value-adding services, sometimes for no extra charge, instead of forcing you into their box. In this way, there&rsquo;s something bigger than big when it comes to document scanning and management.</p> <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us" title="Contact us to find out why size isn't everything in document management"><img title="Contact us to find out why size isn't everything in document management" alt="Find out why size isn't everything in document management" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/dm-size-isnt-everything.png?sfvrsn=7" /></a>urn:uuid:fa964bb3-7c7f-4a04-b45f-743805d8e128http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/ensure-success-with-document-management-software human resources document management software Document Management To maximize your return on investment when implementing document management software, it’s important to develop a sound business strategy with specific and measurable goals based on key metrics. We recommend you start in a single department, identify key metrics, implement the document management solution and then compare the results against the key metrics to determine your return on investment.Tue, 25 Feb 2014 16:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]ea493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Maximize ROI" alt="Maximize your ROI with document management software" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/maximize-roi.jpg?sfvrsn=6" /></span>To maximize your return on investment when implementing document management software, it&rsquo;s important to develop a sound business strategy with specific and measurable goals based on key metrics. We recommend you start in a single department, identify key metrics, implement the document management solution and then compare the results against the key metrics to determine your return on investment.</p> <h2>Human Resources Is A Good Place to Start</h2> <p>When &ldquo;enterprise content management&rdquo; (ECM) started catching on in the late 90s, the concept of rolling out document management on an enterprise-wide basis emerged. As with many large Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems these implementations were complex, prone to scope creep and often ended in failure.</p> <p>Today, a more effective and less risky strategy for implementing <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a> starts with selecting a department where the cost and time needed to process paperwork is high, such as in <a title="human resources solutions" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/human-resources">human resources</a>.</p> <h2>Evaluating Your Human Resource Processing Costs</h2> <p>Here are a few key metrics that will help you identify how much time and cost is involved in paper-heavy HR processes:</p> <ul> <li>The number of hours staff spends capturing, processing, tracking, and handling vacation request forms, T&amp;E forms, benefits enrollment forms, employee review forms and supporting documentation</li> <li>The personnel cost needed to manually enter data into your HRM system</li> <li>The error rate affiliated with manual data entry and the cost of potential liabilities due to erroneous data</li> <li>The amount of time and staff needed to locate retired employee payroll records for estimating pension and benefit calculations, taking into account the time needed to retrieve those documents from off-site storage facilities</li> <li>The cost of penalties incurred for compliance violations </li> <li>Costs affiliated with records storage and retrieval for I-9s and other documents you must retain for 7 or more years </li> <li>The cost per square foot in your office taken up by filing cabinets and storage boxes with employee records and other related documentation </li> </ul> <h2>Setting Your Goals</h2> <p>Once you know your costs related to managing your HR documents, you can set goals to reduce them and simultaneously improve efficiency throughout the department. Some examples are:</p> <ul> <li>Cut the time and number of staff needed to process new employee paperwork, T&amp;E reports, vacation requests or any other HR related documents by x%</li> <li>Eliminate compliance fines by ensuring secure and reliable access to digital archives of employee records that must be kept for years, such as I-9s</li> <li>Reduce real estate and retrieval costs by x% by eliminating document storage in your office and at off-site storage facilities</li> </ul> <h2>Analyzing Your Success</h2> <p>Once your document management software is implemented, you&rsquo;ll want to measure these metrics over time and compare them with your baseline numbers to evaluate the degree of improvement and related costs savings. Once known, you can estimate your return on investment. You can also analyze other non-cost-based benefits such as happier employees and staff being able to focus on value added services vs clerical work.</p> <h2>ROI &amp; Expansion into Other Departments</h2> <p>By starting with a single paper-heavy department and analyzing the impact of document management software on key processes with the use of metrics, you will know the solution&rsquo;s ROI and will have created best-practices for document management in your department. Doing so will make it far easier to roll out the system to other business units and/or departments, such as order fulfillment, customer service and <a title="accounts payable automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable">invoice processing</a>. Just imagine what streamlining all of these processes could have on your business.</p>urn:uuid:26996c4f-7f75-4e0d-9ca3-743828cec5e0http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/go-paper-free-painlessly efficiency document scanning services Document Scanning For many, going paperless can seem like a huge undertaking, but finding the right document scanning company can make it a painless experience.Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:17:34 Z<p><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/content/make-me-paper-free-200.png?sfvrsn=6" alt="Make Me Paper Free" title="Make Me Paper Free" />For many, going paperless can seem like a huge undertaking, but finding the right document scanning company can make it a painless experience.</p> <h2>What&rsquo;s Holding You Back?</h2> <p>It can feel overwhelming trying to decide the best way to begin your <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">document scanning projects</a>. Instead of looking to tackle everything at once, identify your biggest paper pain points. Most often, these are the departments with the most paper-heavy processes such as human resources and accounts payable.</p> <p>Speaking with a document scanning company can help you identify where you want to begin work and develop a plan that aligns with your paper free goals. Your document scanning partner handles all of the heavy lifting once the proposed solution is finalized so you can focus your energy on your business.</p> <h2>The Perks of Going Paperless</h2> <p>Companies that have already gone paperless gain benefits beyond resolving their initial pain points. By going paperless, companies:</p> <ul> <li>Are more efficient</li> <li>Reduce their operating costs</li> <li>Require less office and storage space</li> <li>Have been able to accelerate growth</li> <li>Can have their employees can work from anywhere</li> </ul> <h2>Make Me Paper Free</h2> <p>The plan your document scanning company creates for you should be designed to make your transition from paper-heavy processes to digital ones as seamless as possible. Learn more about our &ldquo;5 Step Make Me Paper Free&rdquo; process by watching the video below or clicking the &ldquo;Make Me Paper Free&rdquo; button to get started today.</p> <p><iframe height="270" frameborder="0" width="480" scrolling="no" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/lsdj55qeeo" allowtransparency="true" class="wistia_embed" name="wistia_embed"></iframe></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><a title="Make Me Paper Free!" direct&amp;utm_medium="blog+post+cta+button&amp;utm_campaign=make+me+paper+free" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/marketing/contact-forms/make-me-paper-free-contact"><span class="ctabtn">Make Me Paper Free</span></a></div>urn:uuid:ff221dd9-6160-48fc-9b8b-b299e7a9ed32http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/when-outsourcing-document-scanning-makes-sense document scanning services Document Scanning So, you want (or need) to scan your company’s documents, but you don’t know if you should have someone scan them for you, use in-house employee resources or utilize a hybrid of both. How do you decide what is best for your business? Below are three simple questions that, once answered, will help you identify the right document scanning solution.Tue, 11 Feb 2014 16:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]fc4b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Make a Decision" alt="Make a decision" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/make-decision.jpg?sfvrsn=4" /></span>So, you want (or need) to scan your company&rsquo;s documents, but you don&rsquo;t know if you should have someone scan them for you, use in-house employee resources or utilize a hybrid of both. How do you decide what is best for your business? Below are three simple questions that, once answered, will help you identify the right document scanning solution.</p> <h2>Document Scanning Question #1</h2> <p>Are there outside companies that can scan more efficiently and cost-effectively then doing the work in-house?</p> <p>The short answer is &ldquo;yes.&rdquo; However, many companies offer <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning services</a>, so just make sure that you look beyond the per page scanning price to see if they have experience working with your documents, can quote an accurate turnaround time, can articulate their quality control procedures, and can either upload scanned images into your environment or provide you with <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a>.</p> <h2>Document Scanning Question #2</h2> <p>Is your document scanning a one-time or recurring need?</p> <p>Digitizing a room full of client files, scanning the last seven years of paid invoices or scanning the contents of your file cabinets before you move are examples of a one-time scanning job. Projects like these are usually best to outsource due to the high volume of documents, a scanning company&rsquo;s ability to meet quick turnaround and their ability to remove all of the documents from your premises at once.</p> <p>Recurring scanning needs are when inbound paper documents need to be scanned on an ongoing basis, either before or after processing, such as invoices and related documents, order forms and human resource files. These documents can be picked up on a daily, weekly or monthly basis for scanning, or received directly by a document scanning provider as part of a <a title="mailroom scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services">virtual mailroom or PO box scanning solution</a>. Some who have an in-house scanning solution may also want to send their overflow to their document scanning partner during peak times or when internal resources are stretched.</p> <h2>Document Scanning Question #3</h2> <p>Is it cost-effective to scan your documents in-house?</p> <p>If you outsource scanning, there is a one-time project expense and/or a predictable monthly expense based on document volume. If you scan in-house, you need to calculate the following costs:</p> <ul> <li>Document scanner(s), consumables such as paper, annual maintenance, and the cost of equipment downtime</li> <li>Document capture software and its annual maintenance/license fees</li> <li>The value of real estate taken up by the scan station(s) and file storage, especially when it could be repurposed for revenue generating activities</li> <li>The cost of labor required to do the work</li> <li>The opportunity cost of employees scanning documents vs. doing higher value work, particularly when internal resources are stretched</li> </ul> <h2>Bottom Line</h2> <p>Scanning your documents for archival purposes or business process automation is a necessary but labor intensive task. Outsourcing this to a scanning partner that offers the most streamlined and cost-effective scanning, processing and quality control honed by many years of experience and tested by large economies of scale may make the most sense. Spend a few minutes in our case studies section and you will quickly see how other companies have benefited from outsourcing their document scanning.</p>urn:uuid:b2923994-8644-4ece-b91e-ea3a68a2da33http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-to-ensure-business-continuity document scanning services cloud document management software Document Management What do Hurricane Sandy, the polar vortex and Bridgegate all have in common? They’re all recent disasters, from natural to man-made, that made it difficult for employees to get to the office and impossible for others. For most organizations, the result is a painful loss of productivity from idle employees at home.Tue, 04 Feb 2014 14:19:04 Z<p><img title="Cloud Document Management Software" alt="Cloud Document Management Software" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/cloud-connected-devices.jpg?sfvrsn=6" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" />What do Hurricane Sandy, the polar vortex and Bridgegate all have in common?</p> <p>They&rsquo;re all recent disasters, from natural to man-made, that made it difficult for employees to get to the office and impossible for others. For most organizations, the result is a painful loss of productivity from idle employees at home.</p> <p>Many companies realize that having a business continuity plan is essential for being prepared in case of a disaster or power outage, but most have business-critical information trapped on paper and within internal networks that can&rsquo;t be accessed from home.</p> <h2>Your Ace in the Hole</h2> <p>Instead of losing a day or more of work for everyone on your staff, <a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management software</a> eliminates business continuity problems by giving employees access to business documents by working from home.</p> <p>Some businesses have resisted document management because they think it&rsquo;s too complicated and too expensive. The first generations of document management software were only affordable by the largest organizations and were expensive to implement and maintain. Fortunately, cloud document management offers a simple, cost-effective alternative.</p> <h2>The Right Kind of Cloud</h2> <p>Today&rsquo;s cloud document management solutions are securely accessible by any browser (much easier than VPN), are simple to use and cost a modest monthly expense vs. a large capital expenditure. Once implemented in one department, such as <a title="accounts payable scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable">accounts payable for invoice processing</a>, cloud document management can easily be leveraged in another, such as HR for new employee on-boarding and benefits administration.</p> <h2>The Lynch Pin</h2> <p>Cloud document management is only as good as the documents it manages. From invoices to employee tax forms to purchase requests to shipping documents, paper documents need to be made available to employees working from home by <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">scanning</a> them in-house or, if you have a large volume, sending them out to a third-party document scanning company that can upload them to the cloud.</p> <p>The result is peace of mind knowing that your organization will continue to operate and be productive in the face of whatever comes next.</p>urn:uuid:db700da0-3ece-4eb9-83fd-1df6c51143f4http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/accounts-payable-workflow-metrics accounts payable workflow automation Office Automation Before automating your business process, it’s important to identify the most meaningful metrics so that you can measure and analyze the results. This sounds easy, but where do you start? What metrics are the most important? And why do this at all? We will answer these questions by looking at an example: accounts payable workflow.Tue, 28 Jan 2014 16:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]91493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Measure Success" alt="Identify key metrics to measure the success of your automation projects" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/measure-success.png?sfvrsn=4" /></span>Before automating your business process, it&rsquo;s important to identify the most meaningful metrics so that you can measure and analyze the results. This sounds easy, but where do you start? What metrics are the most important? And why do this at all? We will answer these questions by looking at an example:&nbsp;<a title="accounts payable automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable">accounts payable</a> workflow.</p> <h2>Identifying Metrics</h2> <p>The right metrics to measure are the ones that help to identify how much time and cost are involved in any given business process. For an AP workflow, here are some key metrics:</p> <ul> <li>Invoice volume</li> <li>Time needed to process each invoice</li> <li>Number of people needed to process all invoices and their compensation</li> <li>Early payment discounts received and missed</li> <li>Late payment penalties assessed</li> </ul> <p><em>Recommendation:</em> start simple with a small number of metrics and then add to them over time as needed.</p> <h2>Measurement &amp; Analysis</h2> <p>You&rsquo;ll want to begin with a baseline for all key metrics. You&rsquo;ll then want to use the same baseline measurement process to evaluate these metrics on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis to determine gains, losses and plateaus. Then address any metric falling short of your business goals.</p> <p>For example, you may want to increase the number of invoices paid within 30 days of receipt from 65% to 95% by March 15 &ndash; 65% is your baseline number and the rest are goals. If you find yourself at 75% by March 10, you know you&rsquo;ve got work to do. If you&rsquo;re at 100% by March 10, you know you&rsquo;ve exceeded expectations and your automated workflow is working.</p> <p>Recommendation: make one person accountable for both defining these metrics and measuring them over time.</p> <h2>Why Bother?</h2> <p>If you don&rsquo;t track your business process metrics, you will never know how productive you are, have become or can be. Decisions will be made on &ldquo;gut feel&rdquo; instead of data. Additionally, the investment made on&nbsp;<a title="workflow automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation</a> may actually be very profitable. However, unless there is evidence of this, there may be doubt of its effectiveness and a temptation to pull the plug for those whose gut feel and/or internal agenda tells them otherwise.</p> <p>In this way, measuring and analyzing business process metrics is as important as implementing workflow automation itself. Doing both will help ensure that your organization achieves your goals, such as lowering costs, improving service quality and increasing efficiency&mdash;as in our AP workflow example.</p>urn:uuid:2dc70b6a-09c1-43fb-8d10-1be9ca1942b3http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/choosing-a-document-scanning-company-tip-two document scanning services customer service Document Scanning Choosing a document scanning company based on its size seems like a logical choice – the bigger the company, the more power behind it, right?Tue, 21 Jan 2014 14:56:28 Z<p><img title="Customer Service" alt="Customer Service" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/customer-service.jpg?sfvrsn=4" />Choosing a document scanning company based on its size seems like a logical choice &ndash; the bigger the company, the more power behind it, right?</p> <p>Size isn&rsquo;t always the strongest predictor of how a company will support you, but a company&rsquo;s customer service record will let you know if a document scanning company is right for you or leave you with buyer&rsquo;s remorse.</p> <p>There are three aspects of customer service to look for when selecting a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/why-digiscribe" title="Why Choose Digiscribe">document scanning partner</a>, the quality of which is independent of company size: being nimble, flexible and responsive.</p> <h2>Nimble</h2> <p>Document scanning providers who are nimble can easily handle changes in scope of work, turnaround time and client requests in general&mdash;all of which may happen over the life of a project, especially ongoing projects. As a result, a document scanning provider&rsquo;s nimbleness extends to their clients so they can adapt to their changing needs quickly and painlessly.</p> <h2>Flexible</h2> <p>The best document scanning companies frequently provide extra services that add value for their customers. For example, some companies don&rsquo;t have the time to pack up all their documents for scanning. Customer-service oriented providers will often send their own people to your location to pack your documents into boxes&mdash;and they do so faster and more effectively while your team concentrates on core business responsibilities.</p> <h2>Responsive</h2> <p>A good example of responsiveness is on small projects, such as a once a year job with a relatively small quantity of pages in a single shipment. This can be such a small and inconsequential job for larger document scanning companies that the job does not receive the attention it deserves in turnaround time, proper setup, quality control, etc. A document scanning company with a strong commitment to customer service will have an appreciation for your <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">document scanning projects</a> whether it&rsquo;s a small annual job or a large, weekly recurring one.</p> <h2>Size Isn&rsquo;t Everything</h2> <p>Nimble, flexible and responsive document scanning providers are so because the ownership and the executive team put their clients first. They proactively find ways to add value for customers and effectively resolve problems when they occur. This lies in stark contrast to those with a nationwide footprint who treat you like a number and may let your project fall through the cracks if it is not up to a certain size or profitability quota. Choosing a larger document scanning company doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean you are going to receive the best service available, so be sure to choose a partner who treats you and your scanning projects as their top priority.</p>urn:uuid:86477ad1-964c-4b7b-b350-adc4850cf90bhttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/empowerment-with-simplified-document-retrieval document scanning services document management software Document Management We are inclined to believe that big problems can only be solved by big, complicated and expensive solutions. However, our experience tells us that simple solutions can have a major impact on even big problems. The following is an example of how the simple transition to document management software helped one organization go from paralysis to empowerment.Tue, 14 Jan 2014 16:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]16493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Easy Document Management" alt="Simple Document Management Software Solutions" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/easy-document-management.jpg?sfvrsn=6" /></span>We are inclined to believe that big problems can only be solved by big, complicated and expensive solutions. However, our experience tells us that simple solutions can have a major impact on even big problems. The following is an example of how the simple transition to document management software helped one organization go from paralysis to empowerment.</p> <h2>A Step in the Right Direction, But&hellip;</h2> <p><a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">Scanning documents</a> is always a big step in improving efficiency and reducing costs in your organization. But, if not done correctly, your scanning solution can actually make retrieval of critical documents more time consuming, more frustrating and more difficult. A small change in how your documents are stored and retrieved can have a big impact on employee productivity and your bottom line. Consider the following situation faced by a large social services agency.</p> <h2>A Big Problem</h2> <p>Every year, the social service agency would scan thousands of terminated employee files. These documents were critical for determining employee benefits and retirement calculations. Scanning them was the right idea, but there was just one problem: it took hours to find the documents after they were scanned, wasting time and paralyzing productivity.</p> <p>When the documents were scanned, they were saved as PDFs and output to multiple CDs with no central database. Employees needing to find something had no way to search across all CDs simultaneously. They didn&rsquo;t know which files were on which CDs, so they had to guess, load a CD into a computer, search for the document, unload the CD if the file wasn&rsquo;t there, and repeat the process until the file was found. Doing so was a maddeningly frustrating and time consuming effort.</p> <h2>A Simple Solution</h2> <p>By implementing the simple change of uploading and storing the PDFs of the scanned documents to <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a> vs on CDs, employees now have one document repository to search with a central database pointing to all of the documents. This uncomplicated and inexpensive solution ushered in a new era of productivity: agency employees can now instantly locate requested HR documents from their computers instead of having to search through multiple CDs, and can quickly email, print and share them.</p> <h2>Empowerment</h2> <p>As a result, the agency&rsquo;s new document management solution took them from paralysis to empowerment. Transitioning from PDFs on multiple CDs to document management software with a central database was a small and simple change, but one that had a profound effect on productivity. Now, employees spend much less time searching through outdated media and more time on value-adding work.</p>urn:uuid:ce283ede-092b-43f4-9c26-13cf5ed4162fhttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/choosing-a-document-scanning-company-tip-one document scanning services document management software Document Scanning The largest firms may offer the lowest rates for a product or service which is great…until you need them. Big companies that are price leaders are usually the least likely to support you in time of need. These companies tend to be profitable based on generating the highest volume of business and offering the lowest quality of service. This creates a paradox between your price and your true cost. The same is true with document scanning companies.Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:36:08 Z<p><img title="Watch out for hidden fees from document scanning companies" alt="Watch out for hidden fees from document scanning companies" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/hidden-fees.jpg?sfvrsn=6" />The largest firms may offer the lowest rates for a product or service which is great&hellip;until you need them. Big companies that are price leaders are usually the least likely to support you in time of need. These companies tend to be profitable based on generating the highest volume of business and offering the lowest quality of service. This creates a paradox between your price and your true cost. The same is true with document scanning companies.</p> <p>Often times, a large document scanning company with the lowest price doesn&rsquo;t include the cost of other required services for your project. The initial price to <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">scan your documents</a> may seem like a great deal, but what does that price include?</p> <h2>4 Reasons Why Cheap Costs More</h2> <ol> <li><strong>Price by box.</strong> Paying for scanning by the box seems like a much better deal than paying per image. So what&rsquo;s the catch? A standard Bankers box fits approximately 2,500 pages, but companies charging per box are probably using smaller boxes that hold fewer pages. In this case, you may end up paying more per image.<br /> <br /> </li> <li><strong>Incomplete pricing: no prepping, no indexing, no quality control.</strong> In almost all situations, your documents will require some prep work. Prepping includes removing staples, taping receipts to larger sheets of paper, or adding sheets for document breaks (to know where one document begins or ends). It is essential to have your documents indexed by at least one field, such as customer name or invoice number, so that you will be able to easily locate the document. This service is not always included in low cost document scanning prices.<br /> <br /> </li> <li><strong>Limited output options and retrieval software.</strong> Depending on the company, there may be limitations on how your scanned documents can be output. Some companies may require documents to be saved in a particular file format, such as PDF only, rather than the output of your choice. Some low cost leaders require you to use specific <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a> in order to get the cheapest price on scanning or to even use their scanning services at all.<br /> <br /> </li> <li><strong>Turanournd time.</strong> Depending on how many pages you need scanned can largely impact how quickly your job gets scanned and priced. The smaller the project and the lower the cost, the longer you may have to wait for your project to be done, especially with larger document scanning companies.</li> </ol> <h2>Don't Choose on Price and Size Alone</h2> <p>As with just about anything, you get what you pay for with document scanning. Pricing is always important, but value is even more so. You will get the best bang for your buck with a provider, regardless of their size, that offers transparent pricing, great customer service and delivers a high-quality service, not the lowest price.</p>urn:uuid:768d2b03-848d-4968-9477-b1880a7d0cd0http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/5-resolutions-for-the-new-year document scanning services mailroom services Office Automation With the new year quickly approaching, it’s time to start setting some goals. While it’s great to set some personal resolutions, it’s also worthwhile to map out resolutions for your company. One resolution may be to reduce paper in your office, something that is easily achievable with document scanning services.Tue, 31 Dec 2013 15:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]314d3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="New Year Resolution" alt="Reduce paper in your office with document scanning &amp; document management in the new year" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/new-year-resolution.jpg?sfvrsn=4" /></span>With the new year quickly approaching, it&rsquo;s time to start setting some goals. While it&rsquo;s great to set some personal resolutions, it&rsquo;s also worthwhile to map out resolutions for your company. One resolution may be to reduce paper in your office, something that is easily achievable with <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning services</a>.</p> <p>Below are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" title="World Paper-Free Day Revolution Handbook" href="http://www.aiim.org/Research-and-Publications/Research/AIIM-White-Papers/WPFD-Revolution-Handbook">5 ideas from AIIM</a> on how you can start evaluating and tackling the paper problem in your office in 2014.</p> <ol> <li>Audit your processes to see where paper slows throughput, adds process steps, or restricts transparency and reporting. By documenting your workflows, you can see where your bottlenecks are, what steps are unnecessary and which steps can be automated.</li> <li>Look at how physical handling of incoming mail might better be centralized, processed in higher volume and distributed electronically. By using <a title="mailroom scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/mailroom-services">outsourced mailroom and P.O. Box scanning services</a>, your employees never have to touch physical mail again. This helps ensure documents are processed in a timely manner, saving you time and money.</li> <li>Aim to scan documents or capture data as close to the source as possible&mdash;in the branch office, on the shop floor, in the field or at the customer&rsquo;s premises. A combination of desktop scanners and cloud document management software with workflow automation helps reduce paper from piling up and ensures documents are acted upon if further processing is necessary.</li> <li>Brainstorm how mobile devices&mdash;portable scanners, smartphones, tablets and specialist devices&mdash;could transform your processes by eliminating elapsed time, lost forms, poor data, and rekeying. Mobile document management software ensures your company&rsquo;s documents are accessible wherever your employees are. Employees are able to retrieve a document on the go or can submit an expense report while on the road.</li> <li>Do not print or copy any documents unless absolutely required. Process your documents electronically by sending all documents via email or electronic fax as the preferred method to your customers. This one&rsquo;s simple &ndash; don&rsquo;t create unnecessary paper, especially if it arrived in a digital format.</li> </ol> <p>We hope this is a helpful starting point for your organization to begin reducing paper and improving efficiency. Everyone at Digiscribe New England hopes you have a happy and healthy 2014!</p> <p><em>AIIM provides the education, research and certification that information professionals need to manage and share information assets in an era of mobile, social, cloud and big data.</em></p>urn:uuid:27b6bf07-ec41-42f7-a5b3-883b9067ee31http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/4-easy-creative-ways-to-wrap-your-holiday-presents It’s the holiday season once again, and with it comes presents, food, and time with family. This is also the time of year when household waste increases by more than 25%. We love helping companies reduce paper with document scanning (and become greener in the process), so we went digging on the internet to find creative ways to reuse some products you’d normally throw away as creative gift wrap. Here are 4 of our favorite examples of how to reuse some everyday items.Tue, 24 Dec 2013 14:16:29 Z<p>It&rsquo;s the holiday season once again, and with it comes presents, food, and time with family. This is also the time of year when household waste increases by more than 25%. We love helping companies reduce paper with <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning</a> (and become greener in the process), so we went digging on the internet to find creative ways to reuse some products you&rsquo;d normally throw away as creative gift wrap. Here are 4 of our favorite examples of how to reuse some everyday items.</p> <h2>Is That a Blueprint on My Present?</h2> <p>After scanning your <a title="large format document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/Large-Format-Scanning">large format documents</a> such as blueprints or maps, what will you do with all that paper? One creative use is wrapping your holiday gifts with the documents and dressing them up with a bright, colorful bow.</p> <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/look-recycled-architectual-pla-103703" title="Look! Recycled Architectual Plans as Wrapping Paper" target="_blank"><img title="Blueprint Wrapping Paper" alt="Blueprint Wrapping Paper" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/blueprint-wrapping.jpg?sfvrsn=6" /></a> <p><span style="font-size: 11px;"><em>Image &amp; idea from <a target="_blank" title="Look! Recycled Architectual Plans as Wrapping Paper" href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/look-recycled-architectual-pla-103703">Apartment Therapy</a></em></span></p> <h2>Roll &lsquo;Em Up</h2> <p>Gift cards are a quick and easy present for the pickier or harder-to-shop-for people on your list. Instead of buying a card or envelope to stuff the card in, why not use toilet paper rolls? It&rsquo;s easy to dress them up with some ribbon or strips of recycled gift wrap.</p> <a href="http://bellsinspires.blogspot.com/2011/07/tutorial-tp-roll-pillow-boxes.html" title="TUTORIAL: TP roll pillow boxes" target="_blank"><img title="Toilet Paper Gift Containers" alt="Toilet Paper Gift Containers" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/toilet-paper-rolls.jpg?sfvrsn=6" /></a> <p><span style="font-size: 11px;"><em>Image &amp; idea from <a target="_blank" title="TUTORIAL: TP roll pillow boxes" href="http://bellsinspires.blogspot.com/2011/07/tutorial-tp-roll-pillow-boxes.html">Bells in Spires</a></em></span></p> <h2>Breakfast Never Looked So Good</h2> <p>Whether your morning breakfast comes out of a cereal box or a cylinder canister, it&rsquo;s easy to dress up these containers for a creative gift box. Simply wrap up the container in recycled gift wrap, tie a ribbon on it, and you&rsquo;re good to go!</p> <a href="http://www.thegiftedblog.com/2009/11/paminboots-product-feature-giveaway.html" title="paminboots Product Feature - Gift Wrapping Ideas" target="_blank"><img title="Cylinder Gift Wrap" alt="Cylinder Gift Wrap" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/wrapped-cylinder.jpg?sfvrsn=6" /></a> <p><span style="font-size: 11px;"><em>Image &amp; idea from <a target="_blank" title="paminboots Product Feature - Gift Wrapping Ideas" href="http://www.thegiftedblog.com/2009/11/paminboots-product-feature-giveaway.html">The Gifted Blog</a></em></span></p> <h2>The Best Part of Waking Up</h2> <p>Many start their morning with a cup of coffee, but the containers they come in often aren&rsquo;t useful for anything else. Simply soak your container in vinegar and water to remove the coffee smell and dress it up with some holiday themed pictures. Folgers has provided images for you to use and a blank template if you want to stretch your creative muscles.</p> <a target="_blank" title="Design Your Very Own Holiday Container" href="http://www.folgerscoffee.com/holiday/canister/index.aspx"><img title="Holiday Folgers Container" alt="Holiday Folgers Container" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/holiday-folgers.jpg?sfvrsn=6" /></a> <p><span style="font-size: 11px;"><em>Image &amp; idea from <a target="_blank" title="Design Your Very Own Holiday Container" href="http://www.folgerscoffee.com/holiday/canister/index.aspx">Folgers</a></em></span></p> <h2>It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year</h2> <p>We hope this has inspired you to think about other unconventional and creative ways to wrap not only holiday gifts, but presents year round. By reusing items we use every day, we reduce new waste from being created. The same applies in your business &ndash; by generating less paper documents, your company not only is helping the environment, but is also boosting efficiency and your bottom line.</p> <p>Everyone at Digiscribe hopes you have a wonderful holiday season. We wish you every happiness this holiday season and throughout the upcoming new year.</p>urn:uuid:33eebdc1-2bd6-4178-bc88-3b3059953f7ahttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/8-steps-for-automating-business-processes-with-document-management-software workflow automation document scanning services document management software Document Management An Inc. magazine article, “How to Automate Your Business for Fast Growth,” features an 8-step plan on how businesses large and small can introduce and implement automation. As a document management solution provider, we’ve adapted these eight steps to show how you can automate business processes with document management and workflow automation software.Tue, 17 Dec 2013 16:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]55493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Workflow Automation Gears" alt="Automate your business processes with workflow automation software" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/workflow-automation-gears.jpg?sfvrsn=4" /></span>An Inc. magazine article, &ldquo;<a target="_blank" title="How to Automate Your Business for Fast Growth" href="http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/how-to-automate-your-business.html">How to Automate Your Business for Fast Growth</a>,&rdquo; features an 8-step plan on how businesses large and small can introduce and implement automation. As a document management solution provider, we&rsquo;ve adapted these eight steps to show how you can automate business processes with document management and workflow automation software: </p> <ol> <li>Automate the easiest processes first: for many businesses, the process inflicting the most paper pain is either accounts payable or human resources. Processing paper and manually obtaining approvals is not a value-adding activity and can be streamlined with <a target="_blank" title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning services</a> and workflow automation software</li> <li>Build a culture that embraces automation: automating invoice processing can help turn accounts payable from a cost center into a strategic partner ; automating HR on-boarding can get new employees trained and producing faster and help meet regulatory guidelines</li> <li>Start small and focus on one business function: accounts payable is often where businesses first implement <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management</a> and workflow automation; the same system can then be seamlessly leveraged for you in HR, accounts receivable, shipping/receiving, engineering, and legal</li> <li>Automate the process away: automating a process inevitably &ldquo;collapses&rdquo; it as document management and <a title="workflow automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation</a> technologies allow a business to not only execute the current process faster but also to cut out steps or &ldquo;re-engineer&rdquo; the process for additional efficiency gains</li> <li>Create an automation service bureau: having a member or two of your team that is in charge of monitoring and documenting internal workflow processes will likely more than pay for itself</li> <li>Build a history: by keeping track of the processes you automate, employees re-purposed, time cut out of the process, and ROI, it will be easier to justify future automation projects</li> <li>Learn from the leaders: document management and workflow automation has been around for a while so you&rsquo;ll want to leverage the expertise and efficiency of a document management provider rather than going it alone. This can also dramatically reduce the risk of a failed automation project</li> <li>Pick a technology partner: look for a document management provider that works within your industry, has experience with your type of documents, has a secure facility (if outsourcing document scanning), and one that has strong reference clients for you to contact</li> </ol> <p>By following these business process automation steps, your business can encounter dramatic cost savings and productivity gains, particularly within cost centers. Automate 2-3 processes and you just may find yourself becoming a leader in your industry with multiple competitive advantages. Just remember to start simple.</p>urn:uuid:93ee8fd0-2214-4281-a46e-8492a6c91f91http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/5-tips-for-maximizing-efficiency-with-workflow-the-cloud-mobile document management software workflow automation efficiency Office Automation Document Management Efficiency through technology is essential to running a business and maintaining a competitive edge in the marketplace.Wed, 11 Dec 2013 14:18:05 Z<p><img style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/busy-man.jpg?sfvrsn=6" alt="How efficient are your employees?" title="How efficient are your employees?" />Efficiency through technology is essential to running a business and maintaining a competitive edge in the marketplace.</p> <p>Cisco has put together a list of <a target="_blank" title="Ten Tips for Making Your Business More Efficient" href="http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/solutions/small_business/resource_center/articles/be_more_productive/business_efficiency_tips/index.html">ten tips for using network technology</a> to help companies &ldquo;work more efficiently, cut costs, improve customer satisfaction, and stay ahead of the competition.&rdquo; Five of their points directly relate to document management technology, including workflow automation, cloud document management and mobile access, and are covered below.</p> <ol> <li>Give employees secure, consistent access to information: <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management software</a> provides secure and reliable access to critical business documents from any internet browser at anytime from anywhere in the world. Your employees will be empowered with information.</li> <li>Deliver anytime, anywhere access to employees on the go: cloud document management software allows documents to be accessible from any mobile device, while alerts from <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation software</a> allows for on-the-go document review and approval. Employees can be productive anywhere &ndash; in the office, from home and on the road. </li> <li>Make it easy to work together: cloud document management allows for all scanned documents, faxes, email, and electronic documents to reside in the same electronic repository and often are accessible directly from within ERP, accounting and other back-office software applications. This eliminates confusion of which document is the most recent and should be used to work with.</li> <li>Reduce unproductive travel time: with mobile access to cloud document management with workflow automation, employees can be as productive while in transit as at the office.</li> <li>Improve employee satisfaction: if employees can be productive anywhere at any time, and have less tedious, manual tasks to perform as a result of workflow automation, they&rsquo;re likely to be a lot happier.</li> </ol> <p>By implementing workflow automation software, cloud document management and mobile access, you&rsquo;ll help ensure sustained productivity gains, happy employees and a thrilled executive management team.</p>urn:uuid:9f67f01d-cf74-457c-80d5-81c162036d53http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/gartner-2014-tech-trends-mobile-cloud-document-management workflow automation document management software cloud document management software Document Management Gartner recently released their annual list of strategic technology trends for companies to watch in 2014, many of which are focused on mobile and the cloud. As these areas continue to grow, it’s essential for organizations to determine how they integrate mobile and cloud technology with workflow automation and document management to make better decisions faster.Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]374c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Gartner 2014 Tech Trends" alt="Gartner 2014 Tech Trends" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/gartner-2014-tech-trends.png?sfvrsn=6" /></span>Gartner recently released their annual list of strategic technology trends for companies to watch in 2014, many of which are focused on mobile and the cloud. As these areas continue to grow, it&rsquo;s essential for organizations to determine how they integrate mobile and cloud technology with workflow automation and document management to make better decisions faster.</p> <h2>Gartner&rsquo;s Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2014</h2> <ol> <li>Mobile Device Diversity and Management</li> <li>Mobile Apps and Applications</li> <li>The Internet of Everything</li> <li>Hybrid Cloud and IT as Service Broker</li> <li>Cloud/Client Architecture</li> <li>The Era of Personal Cloud</li> <li>Software Defined Anything</li> <li>Web-Scale IT</li> <li>Smart Machines</li> <li>3-D Printing</li> </ol> <p>To learn more about the top trends Gartner has identified, <a target="_blank" title="Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2014" href="http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2603623">click here</a>.</p> <h2>Mobile Access Management</h2> <p>From smartphones to tablets, mobile devices are ubiquitous and offer new ways to access information that is critical to running your business. This provides an opportunity to accelerate business processes even when key decision makers are out of the office.</p> <p>The challenge is for companies to integrate this form of access into their systems, how to manage updates and upgrades, as well as to govern access from authorized company devices and/or the creation of a &ldquo;bring your own device&rdquo; (BYOD) policy covering what can be accessed and integrated from an employee&rsquo;s personal mobile device.</p> <h2>Cloud Document Management</h2> <p>Whether from a mobile device, electronic form, email, PDF or scanned paper document, employees increasingly need and expect fast, secure access to company information wherever they are and from whatever computing platform they&rsquo;re using. This is possible with [cloud document management software], which meets the needs of your employees while complying with company policies and security requirements.</p> <h2>Putting It All Together: Mobile Document Access</h2> <p>Document management companies are increasingly providing mobile document access by linking [workflow automation software] with approved mobile devices. This gives you the ability to approve a purchase order, submit an expense request or invoice payment while on the go. All relevant documentation can be accessed easily and securely from a cloud document management repository (without the hassle of VPN). The result: more well-informed decisions made faster from wherever you or your employees are.</p>urn:uuid:ebe7259f-cee8-48b9-863d-b6942347c8e1http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/document-scanning-double-key-indexing data entry document scanning services Document Scanning Document scanning is the first step for cutting costs and improving process efficiency but is useless if you cannot find the scanned files afterwards. How can you ensure that your employees can reliably locate critical documents and information quickly and easily after scanning? In a word: indexing.Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:12:03 Z<p><img title="Double Key Indexing" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" alt="Double Key Indexing" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/data-entry.jpg?sfvrsn=2" />Document scanning is the first step for cutting costs and improving process efficiency but is useless if you cannot find the scanned files afterwards. How can you ensure that your employees can reliably locate critical documents and information quickly and easily after scanning? In a word: indexing.</p> <h2>What Is Indexing?</h2> <p><a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/document-indexing">Indexing scanned documents</a> involves capturing unique information from the document. Common indexing values for accounts payable documents might include invoice number, invoice date, vendor name, or PO number. For HR documents it may be employee number, name, social security number or title. How is indexing performed in a way that ensures the highest level of confidence so your team will be able to find what they need quickly? From our experience, double key indexing is the answer for ensuring near 100% accuracy, and there are three methods to consider.</p> <h2>Double Key Indexing Methods</h2> <p>The most traditional way of indexing is double key indexing, sometimes referred to as double blind verification. Two separate operators both key the same indexing values while data entry software compares the information on the fly. If there is a mismatch, the second operator, known as a verifying operator, requires them to key the values again until there is a match. Both entries must be keyed exactly the same for a possible total of four required matching entries for verification.</p> <p>Another indexing strategy also involves two operators keying the same indexing values. After both operators complete their keying, the 2 values are compared and if there is a mismatch it is sent to a third and final operator, known as the arbiter. The arbiter looks at the image and keyed values and accepts the properly keyed values or rekeys the value correctly if both are incorrect.</p> <p>A third strategy is semi-automated. The first pass of data capture is done with zonal optical character recognition (OCR) software, which automatically extracts typewritten/machine printed text from the scanned image of a document instead of having an operator keying all text manually. A second pass is done by an operator who then manually compares the indexes to ensure data accuracy.</p> <h2>Locate Critical Information Quickly</h2> <p>Indexing is the answer for finding critical information quickly and, if you want near 100% accuracy, double key indexing is likely your best bet. Otherwise, you could spend a lot of money <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">scanning documents</a> but not be able to locate them afterwards, defeating the purpose. Make sure your documents are scanned and indexed properly the first time with an experienced document scanning company.</p>urn:uuid:bb29a404-c555-4c85-af0b-5d218849f96ehttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/surprise-move-how-you-can-easily-take-your-companys-documents-with-you moving document scanning services document management software cloud document management software Solutions Moving to a new place is disruptive. Whether your company is moving to a new floor in an office building or an entirely new location, picking up everything to go to a new place is time-consuming and stressful. This inherit stress is complicated further in situations where your company is forced to move unexpectedly due to financial reasons, broader company changes, or outside circumstances.Tue, 19 Nov 2013 16:00:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]f04b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Moving Office" alt="Moving offices? Document scanning &amp; document management can help" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/moving-office.jpg?sfvrsn=5" /></span>Moving to a new place is disruptive. Whether your company is moving to a new floor in an office building or an entirely new location, picking up everything to go to a new place is time-consuming and stressful. This inherit stress is complicated further in situations where your company is forced to move unexpectedly due to financial reasons, broader company changes, or outside circumstances.</p> <h2>What About My Files?</h2> <p>The last thing you want to think about is moving all of your company&rsquo;s documents stored in file cabinets or file boxes to a new location. Rather than figure out the logistics of moving your files, take this opportunity to have your&nbsp;<a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">documents scanned</a> and stored in document management software.</p> <h2>A Weight Lifted</h2> <p>A document scanning company can quickly and efficiently pack, pick-up, scan and index your documents for fast turnaround. Your scanned documents can be uploaded into&nbsp;<a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management software</a> for immediate and secure retrieval from your computer, laptop or mobile device. This will ensure your information will be readily accessible once you have settled into your new office space, eliminating one worry from your plate.</p>urn:uuid:b2ca9890-9a91-4809-a7c9-0265fba7dfechttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/onionskin-scanning-how-to-avoid-the-tears document scanning services Document Scanning In all of our years of scanning, one of the most difficult types of paper to scan that we’ve encountered is onionskin—a thin, almost translucent form of cotton that looks and feels a bit like the skin of an onion. Because of its lightweight yet surprisingly durable construction, onionskin was commonly used in the past for carbon copies, airmail letters and archiving when a large volume of paper became unwieldy.Tue, 12 Nov 2013 14:06:20 Z<p><img title="Onionskin Paper: Handle with Care" alt="Onionskin Paper: Handle with Care" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/handle-with-care.jpg?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" />In all of our years of scanning, one of the most difficult types of paper to scan that we&rsquo;ve encountered is onionskin&mdash;a thin, almost translucent form of cotton that looks and feels a bit like the skin of an onion. Because of its lightweight yet surprisingly durable construction, onionskin was commonly used in the past for carbon copies, airmail letters and archiving when a large volume of paper became unwieldy.</p> <p>Onionskin documents can be very difficult to scan properly to ensure a high quality image because of its delicate nature, especially when mixed in with other paper types like standard copy paper. Regardless, some people need them scanned as part of a larger batch of documents, and some even want to retain their original look particularly when they are historic documents. So, what&rsquo;s the best way to scan onionskin?</p> <h2>Onionskin Scanners &amp; Paper Handling</h2> <p>Only professional-grade scanners that excel in paper handling can scan onionskin documents without damaging them, especially when scanned intermingled with other paper types. Onionskin can easily become jammed in a lesser quality scanner, which leads to tearing, sometimes an &ldquo;accordion&rdquo; effect, and non-repairable damage to the paper.</p> <h2>Onionskin Experience Matters</h2> <p>Onionskin documents are relatively uncommon, so it makes the most sense to send your onionskin <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents" title="document scanning services">scanning projects</a> to a document scanning company. Not all scanning companies can handle this delicate form of paper and output a quality image while retaining the historic look of the document. To find one who can, you&rsquo;ll want to make sure they:</p> <ul> <li>Use professional-grade scanners that excel in handling different types, sizes and weights of paper</li> <li>Have onionskin scanning experience and a direct line to the scanner and scanning software vendor in case specialized support is needed</li> <li>Can scan onionskin in color if you want to maintain each document&rsquo;s original look</li> <li>Ensure image quality and legibility is optimized with software and quality checks</li> </ul> <h2>No More Tears</h2> <p>A <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/why-digiscribe" title="Why Choose Digiscribe">document scanning company</a> that is experienced working with onionskin that is intermingled with other types of paper can usually handle just about any type of paper or document, as it&rsquo;s one of the most challenging scanning projects. Just make sure you find one that has actually done this type of scanning so you can rest assured the image quality matches your expectations.</p>urn:uuid:1ceb2826-3c36-4475-a197-15f7a24ef95fhttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-amazon-s3-document-management-work-together document management software cloud document management software Document Management Flexibility is important when implementing a document scanning and cloud document management solution. The ability to have your documents saved in any format, such as PDFs or TIFFs, is important, as is having them uploaded into any software or cloud service you may be using as part of your document management process.Tue, 05 Nov 2013 14:47:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]434c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Amazon Web Services" alt="Amazon Web Services" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/logos/amazon-web-services.png?sfvrsn=6" /></span>Flexibility is important when implementing a document scanning and cloud document management solution. The ability to have your documents saved in any format, such as PDFs or TIFFs, is important, as is having them uploaded into any software or cloud service you may be using as part of your document management process.</p> <p>Your scanned documents can be uploaded via secure FTP (SFTP) directly to your network, to your <a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud-based document management software</a> or to an online file storage web service such as <a target="_blank" title="Amazon S3" href="http://aws.amazon.com/s3/">Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3)</a>.</p> <h2>An Example of Output Flexibility</h2> <p>Any document scanning company can scan your documents, but not all of them have the technical expertise and experience needed to quickly and reliably upload batches of your digitized files to whatever software or online service you are working with.</p> <p>Let&rsquo;s take Amazon S3 as an example. While there are many tedious ways to manually upload scanned documents into this web service, most are cumbersome and time consuming. In order to automate the upload process to Amazon S3 and be able to upload batches of scanned documents, it is necessary to work with the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Application Programming Interface (API). Not every document management company has the expertise to work with APIs. It takes coding proficiency and programming knowledge to understand and utilize the APIs to develop a custom solution to upload the scanned documents.</p> <p>As more options become available for digitized file storage, make sure you work with a document scanning company who has the experience and flexibility to scan and upload batches of documents to whatever software or service you are working with.</p>urn:uuid:0ff5f53d-0915-4c3d-9c3f-fc665c1d83cchttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-the-aec-industry-reduces-real-estate-needs-with-large-format-scanning large format scanning services document scanning services document management software Document Scanning Architects, engineering firms and construction companies all have large amounts of paper drawings, blueprints and other oversized documents that take up real estate and are difficult to manage and share with partners and sub-contractors. By scanning them, organizations are able to easily access and share large format documents when in the field or in the office.Tue, 29 Oct 2013 13:07:25 Z<p><img title="Large Format Document Scanning" alt="Large Format Document Scanning" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/large-format-documents.jpg?sfvrsn=6" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" />Architects, engineering firms and construction companies all have large amounts of paper drawings, blueprints and other oversized documents that take up real estate and are difficult to manage and share with partners and sub-contractors. By scanning them, organizations are able to easily access and share large format documents when in the field or in the office.</p> <h3>Finding the Right Scanning Partner</h3> <p>You can buy a large format scanner and scan the documents yourself, but they are expensive and organizations are increasingly putting their capital towards more important core business projects. When outsourcing <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/Large-Format-Scanning">large format scanning</a>, make sure your document scanning provider uses a high-end large format scanner and also has production-level scanners to digitize supporting documents including contracts, proposals, parts lists, project files and other related documents.</p> <h3>Why You Should Scan Your Large Format Documents</h3> <p>Once scanned, your large format images, which are often cleaner than the original, can be loaded into your project management software, other line-of-business systems or <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a>. This will eliminate the time and hassle of searching through flat drawers, tubes and hanging files&mdash;especially when you need these documents in the field. Scanning also ensure these critical documents are archived while freeing up valuable real estate. Drawings are no longer lost or damaged by the wear and tear of handling and copying them, and they can be searched for by any employee from anywhere and emailed to third parties.</p> <h3>Focus on Your Core Business vs. Managing Your Paper</h3> <p>Scanning your drawings and other oversize documents ensures that mission-critical information is both preserved and accessible by all authorized parties. When architects, engineering firms and construction companies no longer have the worry, inefficiency and expense of managing large format documents in paper form, they can focus on their core business of designing and building the world&rsquo;s next great structures.</p>urn:uuid:95a97a2f-f774-42dd-a485-b485c92bb80ehttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/remote-document-access-a-new-customer-service-best-practice document scanning services document management software cloud document management software Document Management Competition in all industries has never been stronger, so businesses, medical practices and non-profit organizations seek to provide the highest level of customer service as a key differentiator. The challenge for organizations with multiple locations is getting easy access to customer information to quickly serve their customer no matter where they are.Tue, 22 Oct 2013 15:30:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]694c3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Customer Service Checklist" alt="Offer superior customer service with cloud document management software" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/customer-service-checklist.jpg?sfvrsn=5" /></span>Competition in all industries has never been stronger, so businesses, medical practices and non-profit organizations seek to provide the highest level of customer service as a key differentiator. The challenge for organizations with multiple locations is getting easy access to customer information to quickly serve their customer no matter where they are.</p> <p>A new customer service best practice has recently emerged utilizing <a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management</a> for centralized and instant access to critical documents from any location.</p> <h2>Cloud Benefits</h2> <p>By scanning documents wherever they are received and uploading them to secure cloud document management software, all office locations will now have instant access to information that was previously impossible to access or that likely took days to be delivered to multiple locations. This expedites delivery of services no matter what location a customer or client is in. CFOs will also appreciate that document transportation costs can be reduced to zero.</p> <p>Additional cloud document management benefits include:</p> <ul> <li>Increased processing efficiency for higher levels of customer/patient service</li> <li>Secure web browser access from any location on any computer, laptop or mobile device</li> <li>Dramatically reduced risk of losing documents</li> <li>Gaining a competitive advantage</li> </ul> <p>The nominal monthly fee of cloud document management may actually cost less than what it costs you to copy, fax and send documents to the other office locations today. Cloud document management also allows you to serve more customers faster and more efficiently.</p> <h2>Document Scanning Best Practices</h2> <p>Once documents are in the cloud, they can be accessed anywhere and anytime, but what&rsquo;s the best way to securely scan them into cloud document management software? We recommend using desktop document scanners and document scanning software to ensure the fastest and highest quality scanning of customer documents&mdash;otherwise your team may have instant access to illegible information, defeating the purpose. A document scanning company can provide the necessary hardware, software, training, and support for the best desktop scanning solution.</p> <h2>How Cloud Document Management Enhances Patient Care</h2> <p>A physical therapy group with multiple locations utilizes document scanning and cloud document management software to provide access to client files in any of their offices immediately following the on-boarding of a new patient. Now, any office can access prescriptions and other medical records in seconds, regardless of which location the patient goes to for services. Additionally, the time once spent on filing, copying, faxing, and emailing patient information can instead be used to provide better patient care.</p> <h2>Experience Instant Remote Document Access</h2> <p>If you have remote locations and difficulty sharing critical paperwork between offices, it&rsquo;s time to look at the cloud as a way to ensure secure, remote and instant document access. Desktop scanning and cloud document management software may be the best way to make your documents easily accessible.</p> <a title="Gain instant access to your customer information from any location" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us/?utm_source=blog+dne&amp;utm_medium=multi-location&amp;utm_campaign=dne+blog+post+cta"><img title="Multi-location Document Management" alt="Contact us to gain instant access to your customer information from any location" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/multi-location-document-management.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a>urn:uuid:d5c24a04-caaa-416a-83c9-efcd9872a195http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/protect-your-books-lab-notebooks-against-loss-damage-or-theft disaster recovery book scanning services Document Scanning Book scanning is the optimal way for research labs, biomedical firms, municipalities, schools, and other organizations with critical information in books to protect and archive unique content. Whether you scan them yourself or outsource this function, the scanned books can be saved as PDF files which are securely stored and accessed from your computer so this critical information can have more value by being widely available to authorized parties.Tue, 15 Oct 2013 13:21:26 Z<p><img title="Book Scanning Services" alt="Book Scanning Services" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/book-scanning.jpg?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" />Book scanning is the optimal way for research labs, biomedical firms, municipalities, schools, and other organizations to protect and archive unique content contained in books. Whether you scan them yourself or outsource this function, the scanned books can be saved as PDF files and securely stored and accessed from the computer. Your critical information contained within will have more value by being widely available to authorized parties.</p> <h2>V-Shaped Technology</h2> <p>Today, the most prestigious academic libraries, universities and museums around the world use V-shaped book scanning technology to preserve historic and out-of-print books. Placing a book on a 120&ordm; V-shaped cradle allows for both pages to be captured simultaneously as perfectly flat images, each by a separate left and right camera and with the binding perfectly centered. This precludes the need to compensate for the curvature of pages when they are scanned on a flat surface, as with planetary books and flatbed scanners. V-shaped scanning also allows books to be scanned without having to remove or damage the binding&mdash;critical for books with the most sensitive information that must be preserved and not have their bindings cut.</p> <h2>Digital Copy Insurance</h2> <p>Most organizations scan books to protect against loss, damage or theft with a digital "copy" of their books as a <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/disaster-recovery">disaster recovery</a> measure, particularly when they contain intellectual property, unique research and other content not contained elsewhere. Scanned data, research, records, and other information can then be instantly searched and retrieved by authorized individuals on-demand from the computer.</p> <h2>Scan Any Type or Size Book</h2> <p>Book scanners are expensive so most labs and organizations outsource their <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/book-scanning-services">book scanning</a> to a document scanning company with experience scanning research notebooks, deed books, ledger books, log books, manuals, vital records, newspapers, periodicals, yearbooks and more. Most importantly, make sure your document scanning company uses V-shaped scanning technology to ensure optimal image quality of your critical content.</p>urn:uuid:a81da305-a08e-4305-8c0b-54bc0a0c8f30http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/why-third-party-accreditation-is-important Better Business Bureau (BBB) Industry News & Insights Any good relationship starts with trust. But how do you know you can trust someone or some company? For years, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has created a marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other. Accreditation by the BBB ensures that high standards for trust are set and maintained. BBB Accreditation is an honor – and not every company is eligible.Tue, 08 Oct 2013 15:30:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]b6898dee-fa1f-477a-a654-91a6cff67d30"><img title="BBB Accredited Business" alt="BBB" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/partners-certifications/bbb-accredited-business.gif?sfvrsn=4" /></span>Any good relationship starts with trust. But how do you know you can trust someone or some company? For years, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has created a marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other. Accreditation by the BBB ensures that high standards for trust are set and maintained. BBB Accreditation is an honor &ndash; and not every company is eligible.</p> <p>That is why it is important to look for BBB Accredited document scanning companies. Digiscribe New England has received full accreditation from the BBB. We are committed to meeting and exceeding the Standards for Trust which includes safeguarding customer data and privacy, honestly representing our <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management</a> products and <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning</a> and <a title="workflow automation software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation services</a>, promptly responding to client issues and concerns, and exemplifying integrity in all business matters.</p> <p>To learn how the BBB can help you check out a business or charity or find an accredited business, <a target="_blank" title="BBB in Central &amp; Western MA and Northeastern CT" href="http://central-westernma.bbb.org/consumers/">click here</a>.</p>urn:uuid:afaad19d-f40d-4544-b20b-375788f093bfhttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/it-matters-who-you-partner-with FileBound technical support workflow automation Industry News & Insights Finding the right partner to provide workflow automation services is a critical first step in automating your business processes. A great way to identify such a partner is by evaluating their partnerships with the companies they resell software for.Tue, 01 Oct 2013 15:12:23 Z<p><img title="FileBound Executive Partner Council" alt="FileBound Executive Partner Council" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/memberships-awards/filebound-executive-partner-council.png?sfvrsn=9" />Finding the right partner to provide <a title="workflow automation software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation</a> services is a critical first step in automating your business processes. A great way to identify such a partner is by evaluating their partnerships with the companies they resell software for.</p> <p>Based upon the level of professionalism, solution knowledge and execution, technical expertise and commitment to excellent customer service, software companies provide different levels of support and service to their resellers.</p> <p>Take FileBound for example. Their Executive Partners receive the highest level of support and service. In return, some Executive Partners serve as members of <a title="Digiscribe Invited to Serve on the FileBound Executive Partner Council" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/press-releases/2013/03/29/digiscribe-invited-to-serve-on-the-filebound-executive-partner-council">FileBound&rsquo;s Executive Partner Council</a>, which is a group of trusted advisors to the FileBound executive team in matters of product, marketing, sales and strategy.</p> <p>So when evaluating who you are going to partner with for your document management services, see who they partner with and the type of relationship they have with the companies they are resellers for. It will provide good insight into the level of expertise and support you can expect when it comes to automating your business processes.</p>urn:uuid:8a33b65e-4743-4691-8b09-eb4fa222ee28http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/the-most-affordable-disaster-prevention-available document management software disaster recovery cloud document management software Document Management For a business, what’s worse than a natural disaster? Consider the enormous legal and financial risk of losing contracts, documents needed to prove compliance, and other critical information kept on paper. Not being able to produce these documents can result in lost business, regulatory fines and increased exposure to legal action. Minimizing this risk has never been more preventable and affordable with secure cloud document management software.Tue, 24 Sep 2013 15:30:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]d64b3ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Prepared for Disaster" alt="Is your company prepared for a disaster?" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/prepared-for-disaster.jpg?sfvrsn=5" /></span>For a business, what&rsquo;s worse than a natural disaster? Consider the enormous legal and financial risk of losing contracts, documents needed to prove compliance, and other critical information kept on paper. Not being able to produce these documents can result in lost business, regulatory fines and increased exposure to legal action. Minimizing this risk has never been more preventable and affordable with secure <a title="cloud document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management software</a>.</p> <h2>Compliance Continuity</h2> <p>Particularly in heavily regulated industries such as government contracting, pharmaceuticals and biotech research, companies need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario before it&rsquo;s too late. Paper can easily be destroyed by fire and water, whether it&rsquo;s a natural disaster or a pipe bursting, so the information contained on these documents needs to be digitized.</p> <p>Because servers on-site can be destroyed along with paper, storing documents electronically off-site in the cloud ensures continuous, secure and reliable access to all of your documents. This is critically important when documents are needed for presentation to regulators, litigators, customers, or whoever needs them&mdash;before, during and after a disaster.</p> <p>Because you don&rsquo;t need to make a capital investment to get started, the minimal monthly cost of cloud document management is sure to cost a fraction of what it costs to lose irreplaceable documents.</p> <h2>Disaster Case in Point</h2> <p>Two years ago, a tornado ripped off the roof of a defense contractor&rsquo;s building, causing some critical documents to be lost. These documents contained parts information for military equipment as well as quality control records that must be kept on file for regulatory reasons.</p> <p>The company now uses cloud document management to ensure no documents are ever lost due to a disaster (or for any other reason). Cloud document management also helps them save space once consumed by file cabinets, allows for instant accessibility from any location with internet access, and ensures <a title="regulatory compliance" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Management-News/regulatory-compliance">regulatory compliance</a>.</p> <h2>Disaster Prevention Next Steps</h2> <p>Cloud document management represents the most affordable disaster prevention in that its cost is nominal and it dramatically reduces the risk of lost documents from disasters, natural or man-made. Not all clouds are the same, so be sure that your data center is SSAE 16-certified for the highest level of security and server up-time.</p> <a title="Prepare your company for disaster today with cloud document management" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us/?utm_source=blog+dne&amp;utm_medium=disaster+prevention&amp;utm_campaign=dne+blog+post+cta"><img title="Are you ready for a natural disaster?" alt="Contact us to prepare your company for disaster with document management software" displaymode="Original" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/cta/disaster-prevention.png?sfvrsn=4" /></a>urn:uuid:70224181-7961-4af7-875e-bcd11e8e5a84http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/order-fulfillment-using-e-forms-a-new-best-practice workflow automation office automation e-forms document management software Solutions Office Automation Have you ever been concerned that your company’s ordering process is too difficult, time-consuming or overly complex? This can kill a business in today’s competitive environment. How do you ensure that orders are placed and fulfilled quickly and easily, are never lost and that the overall positive experience leads to even more orders being placed? Electronic forms are the answer.Tue, 17 Sep 2013 15:05:11 Z<p><img title="Order Fulfillment Automated Process" alt="Order Fulfillment Automated Process" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/process.jpg?sfvrsn=4" />Have you ever been concerned that your company&rsquo;s ordering process is too difficult, time-consuming or overly complex? This can kill a business in today&rsquo;s competitive environment. How do you ensure that orders are placed and fulfilled quickly and easily, are never lost and that the overall positive experience leads to even more orders being placed? Electronic forms are the answer.</p> <h2>Paperwork Eliminated in Four Simple Steps</h2> <p>Using <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms">electronic forms</a>, or e-forms, instead of paper shortens the time your customer takes to place orders and for your sales or customer service team to process them in just four simple steps:</p> <ol> <li>A customer fills out an e-form from a computer, tablet or smartphone. The e-form can have predefined fields with drop-down menus to save time and avoid incorrect data from being entered. Other fields can be automatically populated, such as the company name and address, based on an entry in another field, such as a customer number.</li> <li>Your company receives the completed e-form within a secure <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation" title="workflow automation software">office automation system</a>.</li> <li>The completed e-form automatically kicks off an order fulfillment workflow without needing human intervention.</li> <li>E-form data is automatically collected, scrubbed, reviewed, processed, and passed into order fulfillment, software such as Oracle, to continue the order process.</li> </ol> <p>One of the main differences between e-forms and paper forms is that 100% of paper forms received by fax, email and mail require manual human intervention to kick off processing. With e-forms, the order receiving process is entirely automated, making it possible to streamline and expedite the order fulfillment process and limit human intervention based on business rules &ndash; e.g. approving credit lines over a certain amount and handling other exceptions.</p> <h2>Expedite Your Order Fulfillment Process</h2> <ul> <li>Automatic order validation checkpoints prior to order finalization</li> <li>Integration with order fulfillment software (e.g. Oracle) so that data is automatically captured rather than entered manually</li> <li>Management insight into processing efficiency and potential bottlenecks</li> <li>No need for human intervention to begin the order fulfillment process</li> <li>Elimination of long processing times and the back-and-forth so common with paper forms due to missing or erroneous form information</li> </ul> <h2>Experience Best Practices</h2> <p>For shortened fulfillment times, increased accuracy and minimal human intervention, the use of e-forms can turn your order fulfillment capability into a competitive advantage&mdash;especially when combined with workflow automation and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/cloud-document-management">cloud document management software</a>. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us?utm_source=blog+dny&amp;utm_medium=order+fulfillment&amp;utm_campaign=dny+blog+post+cta">Contact us to learn more</a>.</p>urn:uuid:5fd311a7-778a-4657-a483-1bb321373a1ahttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/a-cfo-executive-briefing-part-2-the-process-of-automating-accounts-payable-with-workflow workflow automation accounts payable Solutions Implementing workflow automation in your accounts payable department is an easy three-step process and one that a document management company well versed in invoice processing automation can do for you in a matter of weeks.Tue, 10 Sep 2013 12:30:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]49493ae8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="Workflow Process" alt="Workflow Automation" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/workflow-process.jpg?sfvrsn=5" /></span>Implementing workflow automation in your accounts payable department is an easy three-step process and one that a document management company well versed in <a title="accounts payable automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable">invoice processing automation</a> can do for you in a matter of weeks:</p> <h2>Step 1: Document and Fine-Tune Your Existing Process</h2> <p>You need to document how invoices arrive and move through your organization. For instance:</p> <ul> <li>In what format and how do invoices arrive? (e.g. paper mail, email, fax, EDI)</li> <li>Who is involved in the invoice approval process?</li> <li>How many invoices are processed monthly?</li> <li>What is the approval process for both PO and non-PO invoices?</li> <li>What information needs to be available to management?</li> <li>How are exceptions and problems handled?</li> <li>How do invoices get posted?</li> </ul> <p>It is also necessary for you to detail your organization&rsquo;s rules for approving invoices. It streamlines the process for a document management partner to set up the necessary workflows so you can begin gaining efficiency and financial benefits of accounts payable automation as soon as possible.</p> <h2>Step 2: Be SMART</h2> <p>Establishing clear goals will help clarify your objectives in automating your processes and evaluating your ROI. Each goal should be:</p> <ul> <li>Specific</li> <li>Measurable</li> <li>Attainable</li> <li>Relevant</li> <li>Timely</li> </ul> <p>For example, you may want to improve invoice processing time, reduce data-entry errors, take advantage of early-pay discounts, avoid late fees etc.</p> <h2>Step 3: Implement Workflow Automation Software</h2> <p>Once your automation goals are established and accounts payable processes mapped, they will be replicated and automated with <a title="workflow automation software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation software</a> that will:</p> <ul> <li>Route scanned invoices to appropriate staff based on your business rules for processing</li> <li>Email alerts and notifications when action has (or hasn&rsquo;t) been taken</li> <li>Determine if all information is present for processing and if not notify appropriate staff</li> <li>Track processing steps and employee productivity</li> <li>Provide management visibility into the processes</li> <li>Electronically share data with your ERP or accounting system</li> </ul> <h2>How to Leverage Workflow for Further Productivity Gains</h2> <p>Once workflow automation is in place you may find ways to further improve the process for even greater efficiency. You may want to remove certain approval and review steps if you see they are unnecessary or add additional steps to further tweak the workflows. You may also want to deploy mobile capabilities so approvals can take place on mobile devices while employees are on the go.</p> <p>You can also leverage your workflow software for use in other departments including human resources (on-boarding), sales (order fulfillment) accounts receivable, legal (contracts), and shipping/receiving.</p> <h2>Workflow Automation Next Steps</h2> <p>From our experience, the best way to painlessly implement invoice processing automation is to find a document management company with the following experience:</p> <ul> <li>Experience working with CFOs, comptrollers and other finance executives in automating accounts payable and invoice processing</li> <li>Ability to integrate invoice processing automation software with your ERP or accounting software</li> <li>Both the options of scanning your invoices off-site with PO box scanning services or implementing an in-house invoice document management system</li> </ul> <p>Finding a partner with these capabilities will help you cut costs, improve efficiency, resolve payment issues quickly and re-purpose staff for higher value activities.</p> <p><em>For more information, read <a title="A CFO Executive Briefing – Part 1: What You Need to Know about Streamlining Invoice Processing with Workflow Automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/a-cfo-executive-briefing-part-1-what-you-need-to-know-about-streamlining-invoice-processing-with-workflow-automation/">Part 1 of our CFO Executive Briefing on invoice processing automation</a><br /> </em></p>urn:uuid:7c1e0be9-916f-4000-aa67-282e929e687fhttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-to-get-more-out-of-eclinicalworks-with-document-management medical record scanning document management software Solutions While eClinicalWorks and other leading EMR providers do an excellent job in creating an electronic system for providing a higher level of patient care and efficiency, they typically do not provide an easy way to scan and import existing medical records into their system. This is where document scanning services and document management software come in.Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:07:13 Z<p><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/eclinicalworks.gif?sfvrsn=4" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" alt="eClinicalWorks" title="eClinicalWorks" />While eClinicalWorks and other leading EMR providers do an excellent job in creating an electronic system for providing a higher level of patient care and efficiency, they typically do not provide an easy way to scan and import existing medical records into their system. This is where document scanning services and <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services" title="document management software">document management software</a> come in.</p> <h2>Leverage Your EMR Investment</h2> <p>Implementing an EMR system takes a lot of money and time. Easy access to older patient files is crucial for you to get the most out of your EMR investment. <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/medical-record-scanning" title="medical record scanning">Medical record scanning</a> allows you to digitize all existing patient files and securely store, access and track them directly from an EMR interface integrated with document management software. As a result, medical practitioners can search and retrieve any chart or document from within your EMR system, including eClinicalWorks, via a hotkey without having to leave the EMR interface. In this way, document management software allows you to leverage your EMR investment by providing an easy way for you to access older patient files directly through the EMR.</p> <h2>Medical Chart Scanning</h2> <p>Here are three good options for scanning your patient charts and integrating them with an EMR system. Some medical practices use a combination of all three:</p> <ul> <li><em>Outsourcing:</em> charts can be scanned and indexed by an experienced <a href="http://www.digiscribe.info/About-Document-Management/why-digiscribe" title="Why Choose Digiscribe">document management company</a> at their facility for expedited handling according to your patient scheduling needs.</li> <li><em>In-House Solution:</em> scan your medical files yourself with a document scanner, document scanning software and document management software that acts as a &ldquo;virtual&rdquo; file room, although this typically takes much more time and man-hours than anticipated.</li> <li><em>Hybrid:</em> have a document scanning provider scan your backfile of legacy charts and have them implement an in-house scanning solution for all incoming paperwork on a day-forward basis.</li> </ul> <h2>Finding the Right Partner</h2> <p>To identify a qualified medical chart scanning company, we recommend finding one that offers the following:</p> <ul> <li>Experience working with patient records and medical groups</li> <li>Flexibility to offer options of scanning your charts on or off-site and implementing a cloud-based or in-house document management system</li> <li>Ability to integrate document management software with eClinicalWorks and other EMR systems</li> </ul> <p>Finding a partner with these capabilities will help you fully leverage the power of your EMR system.</p> <a title="Access Paper Medical Charts Through Your EMR with Document Management Software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Contact-Us?utm_source=blog+dny&amp;utm_medium=eclinicalworks+dm&amp;utm_campaign=dny+blog+post+cta"><img src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/cta/emr.png?sfvrsn=6" alt="Access Paper Medical Charts Through Your EMR" title="Access Paper Medical Charts Through Your EMR with Digiscribe" /></a>urn:uuid:a6ea9080-e609-459c-8397-d2da59efe6c7http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/a-cfo-executive-briefing-part-1-what-you-need-to-know-about-streamlining-invoice-processing-with-workflow-automation workflow automation accounts payable Solutions Workflow automation helps organizations replace the movement of paper with electronic routing and streamlined processing.Tue, 27 Aug 2013 15:30:00 Z<p><span class="sfImageWrapper" data-sfref="[images|OpenAccessDataProvider]01d639e8-3142-62a6-9ecf-ff0000d7a9a8"><img title="AP Efficiency" alt="Automate your AP processes to gain efficiency" displaymode="Original" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/default-source/blog-news/ap-efficiency.gif?sfvrsn=4" /></span>Workflow automation helps organizations replace the movement of paper with electronic routing and streamlined processing. How it works:</p> <ul> <li>Invoices are scanned upon receipt and routed electronically for processing</li> <li>Processing and approval alerts are automatic</li> <li>Data is seamlessly shared with your accounting software</li> <li>You get visibility into the entire process to identify employee performance and bottlenecks</li> </ul> <h2>Dramatic &amp; Measurable Results</h2> <p>As a result, <a title="workflow automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation</a> can cut costs by 70% or more, especially for organizations experiencing:</p> <ul> <li>Duplicate or late payments</li> <li>Missed early-pay discounts and lost invoices</li> <li>Paying for goods and services not received</li> </ul> <p>Additional costs savings stem from AP clerks being re-focused from pushing paper around to handling exceptions and problems with vendors, or re-purposed entirely for revenue-generating activities. Either way, the impact to your bottom line will be measurable and dramatic.</p> <h2>Workflow Automation Next Steps</h2> <p>From our experience, the best way to painlessly implement <a title="accounts payable automation" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Solutions/accounts-payable">invoice processing automation</a> is to find a document management partner with the following experience:</p> <ul> <li>Experience working with CFOs, accounts payable and invoice processing</li> <li>Ability to integrate invoice processing automation with your ERP or accounting software</li> <li>Both the options of scanning your invoices off-site with PO box scanning services and implementing an in-house invoice management system</li> </ul> <p>Finding a partner with these capabilities will help you cut costs and re-focus efforts on resolving billing problems quickly and re-purposing staff for higher value activities.</p> <p><em>For more information, read <a title="A CFO Executive Briefing – Part 2: The Process of Automating Accounts Payable with Workflow" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/blog/a-cfo-executive-briefing-part-2-the-process-of-automating-accounts-payable-with-workflow/">Part 2 of our CFO Executive Briefing on invoice processing automation</a><br /> </em></p>urn:uuid:3b58d2e1-6ed1-4d90-9ce1-4799952831efhttp://www.digiscribe.info/blog/how-to-streamline-expense-reporting-with-e-forms-workflow workflow automation e-forms document management software Solutions Office Automation Document Management Even for organizations that have implemented some combination of document scanning and document management, incorporating receipts into the expense management process can be a major headache for all involved: those employees incurring expenses, their supervisors needing to approve them, and for accounting who needs to make these receipts available to auditors.Tue, 20 Aug 2013 19:41:22 Z<p><img title="Streamline expense reporting with workflow automation and e-forms" alt="Streamline expense reporting with workflow automation and e-forms" style="float: right; padding: 8px;" src="http://www.digiscribe.info/images/blog-news/receipts.png?sfvrsn=4" />Even for organizations that have implemented some combination of <a title="document scanning services" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/Document-Scanning-Services/scanning-documents">document scanning</a> and document management, incorporating receipts into the expense management process can be a major headache for all involved: those employees incurring expenses, their supervisors needing to approve them, and for accounting who needs to make these receipts available to auditors.</p> <h2>Time Consuming &amp; Tedious</h2> <p>Why is the expense reporting process so difficult? Because, up until now, there&rsquo;s been no cost-effective and easy way to capture, submit and correlate receipts with expense reports, or to manage approvals and exception handling.</p> <p>Regarding receipts, employees have had to:</p> <ol> <li>Save and keep track of all paper and electronic receipts for reimbursement</li> <li>Enter data into an electronic spreadsheet and print it out for submission or fill out a paper form</li> <li>Make expense reports and receipts available to their manager, accounting or a third-party processor by copying, faxing or scanning and emailing them (often requiring people to tape them to paper so that they can be run through a copier, fax or scanner), and making sure the receipts correlate to the proper expense report</li> <li>Even when scanned or faxed, paper copies of the originals often need to be physically sent in as well (with fingers crossed that they aren&rsquo;t lost in the process)</li> </ol> <p>The question employers need to ask themselves: do you want your salespeople selling and knowledge workers working, or spending time organizing and submitting expense reports and receipts?</p> <h2>Streamline Expense Submission with E-Forms &amp; Workflow Automation Software</h2> <p><a title="e-forms" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/e-forms">Electronic forms (e-forms)</a> and workflow automation streamline the expense report submission, approval and payment process, easily associate correlating receipts and ensure compliance. Nowadays, you can just:</p> <ol> <li>Take photos of each receipt with your smartphone or tablet and/or easily access electronic receipts from emails</li> <li>Complete an expense report e-form in which drop down values ensure proper itemization and classification of expenses, field-defined rules ensure proper completion and data can be automatically populated</li> <li>Upload a completed expense report e-form with the correlating receipts to your <a title="document management software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services">document management software</a> with a simple keystroke. The e-form will start off an automated workflow for approval and processing based on your business rules. Once approved, data can be automatically extracted from the e-form and sent to your accounting software, eliminating the need for error-prone manual data entry of line item expenses</li> <li>An added benefit is that employees who are traveling can submit their expenses from the road from a laptop, tablet or smartphone, instead of waiting until they return to the office, when they are busy catching up with more pressing responsibilities that often cause the reporting of expenses to be delayed</li> </ol> <h2>Enter Workflow Automation for Exception Handling</h2> <p>Immediately following submittal, each expense report with accompanying receipts is automatically routed for approval and payment with <a title="workflow automation software" href="http://www.digiscribe.info/document-management-services/workflow-automation">workflow automation software</a>. Any problems are routed to the appropriate people for exception handling based on your company&rsquo;s business rules. For example, a manager will be able to quickly see if an expense report is submitted without receipts. The software can even be set up to prevent the report from going through the workflow if receipts are not attached.</p> <p>For example, if an expense exceeds a prior authorization amount, it can be automatically routed to that employee&rsquo;s manager for approval. If the manager needs an explanation of the expense, the employee can respond within the workflow system with the manager being alerted as soon as this information is submitted. The manager can then approve or reject the expense, and the payment for the entire expense report can be automatically submitted to payroll. All of the above documentation and correspondence is then stored for archival purposes in the document management system.</p> <h2>The Real Benefit of Streamlined Expense Reporting</h2> <p>Companies using e-forms and workflow to automate expense reporting will experience reduced compliance risk and fraud, minimize data entry errors, expedite processing and maximize efficiency. The best part: salespeople, remote employees and those traveling can spend more time on revenue generation and adding value instead of being mired in paperwork.</p>