C suites around the world are buzzing about digital transformation. But here’s the truth: A huge number of business processes still run on paper. More than three-quarters of global professionals are reliant on paper at work. In fact, more than half are “emotionally attached” to paper documents.¹ So why do we mistreat our documents during the capture process?

Torn or crumpled papers result in headaches down the line, adding costs and impeding efficiency. And without intelligent capture solutions, critical data never makes it into business workflows. Here’s how smart scanning features protect business data as it moves through the organization:

1. Sorting: The Key to Reducing Pesky Pre- and Post-scanning Tasks

Scanning is only part of the workload. Before information can be captured, employees have to remove staples, insert header sheets or sort documents by type or department. After scanning, they index documents, correct errors or remove exception pieces that need to be returned to their owners.

“The amount of labor that goes into prep and post work is often far greater than the amount that goes into scanning,” says Tony Barbeau, vice president of products and solutions, Information Management, Kodak Alaris.

These tedious tasks are a major roadblock to productivity. New sorting functionality provided by high-production Kodak Scanners reduces both the pre- and post-scanning workload. Whether it’s automatically depositing patch sheets into a separate bin for reuse or isolating documents like stock certificates or driver’s licenses, sorting is a valuable time-saver.

2. Four-layer Document Protection: Keeping Papers Intact

Sorting alone isn’t enough, Barbeau says. “Even with the best document preparation, there are a number of conditions that can cause challenges for the scanning operation,” he says. Enter, four layers of protection. This capability prevents what Barbeau calls the “train wreck of documents”—when one sheet gets caught in the transport and sets off a chain reaction of trapped or torn papers. Length detection protects against papers getting stuck or overlapped and appearing as one long document, when in fact they are two documents. Ultrasonic double document detection also ensures that only one document enters the scanner at a time, which is especially helpful when a small document sticks together with a larger document. Intelligent document protection “listens” for a telltale crumpling sound and immediately stops the scanning process to protect the papers. Lastly, metal detection prevents forgotten staples and paper clips from throwing a wrench into the process and scratching the scanner glass. These features are available in the Kodak i5250, i5650 and i5850 Scanners.

3. Barcode and Data Extraction: Getting the Most Out of Your Data

Barcodes provide essential data needed to index documents. When barcodes aren’t interpreted until after documents have been scanned, critical data can be lost. New scanners, like the KODAK i4000 and i5000 series, read the barcodes during scanning. They capture a high-resolution raw version of the barcodes, which is more easily interpreted through barcode recognition engines. This results in fewer cases in which employees have to manually enter data due to a blurry barcode that software couldn’t “read,” Barbeau says.

4. Intelligent Printing: Making it Easier to Track Documents

Disorganized documents are a pricey threat to business workflows. A global survey by market intelligence firm IDC found that inefficient document management costs organizations $19,732 per information worker per year.² One solution? Intelligent features that help track paper documents. The Kodak i5850 Scanner comes equipped with three intelligent features to physically or digitally print on documents and images. Image addressing, indexing and patch counting all help track data in business systems, automating tedious tasks and boosting efficiency.

When handling just a couple of documents, rescanning one page may not be a big deal. But in a high-volume environment, that kind of rework is a major drag on morale, productivity and efficiency. These Kodak Scanner features solve the biggest problems posed by capture processes today—and set businesses up for success.

1. Paper Jam: Why Documents Are Dragging Us Down,” Adobe Systems, March 2015
2. Bridging the Information Worker Productivity Gap: New Challenges and Opportunities for IT,” IDC, September 2012