Scanning vs. Digitizing Documents: What Are The Differences?

Enhancing Workflow Automation: A Closer Look at Scanning vs. Digitizing Documents

Many professionals mistakenly use the terms 'scanning' and 'digitizing' interchangeably, assuming they define the same process of converting paper documents into digital form. However, in workflow automation, these terms carry different implications. Both are integral to efficient document management but differ in the processes involved and their subsequent outcomes. Our software engineers, well-versed in optimizing workflow automation, have put together this guide to clarify the differences between scanning and digitizing documents.

Workflow Automation: Understanding the Key Differences Between Scanning and Digitizing Documents

The first step towards streamlining workflow automation involves understanding the distinguishing features between scanning and digitizing documents.

Document Scanning forms part of the broader category known as document imaging. It essentially creates a static image or snapshot of the document, converting it into a digital file. Although these digital files can be stored, shared, and modified, any changes to the text or content need to be manually executed.

On the other hand, Document Digitizing, another type of document imaging, creates a dynamic digital file rather than a static image. This file can be edited or manipulated as required, thanks to the integration of Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Machine Learning (ML), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in digitizing software.

The Role of Document Scanning in Workflow Automation

Document scanning offers numerous advantages, especially when automated, contributing significantly to efficient workflow automation. The following benefits are among the most notable:

1. Improving Productivity: Businesses can enhance their productivity by scanning transactional documents, reducing the time to file and retrieve paper documents, and facilitating remote access to these files.
2. Reducing Costs: Document scanning can also result in significant cost savings by lessening the time and effort required for document organization, management, and retrieval. Moreover, it also optimizes office space utilization.
3. Simplifying Security: Scanned documents enable easier information tracking, reducing the risk of theft, damage, or loss. Such digital files can be securely stored on or off-site, safeguarded with encryption and other digital security measures.

Our blog, 'Streamlining Document Scanning: Direct Scanning to SharePoint,' provides further insights on enhancing the document scanning process.

How Document Digitizing Amplifies Workflow Automation

Document digitizing not only offers all the benefits of document scanning but also brings in additional advantages:

1. Enhancing Document Functionality: Document digitization, using OCR, extracts data and converts characters into machine-encoded text. Intelligent Document Capture (IDC) technology leverages ML and AI to recognize and interpret complex content, enhancing the quality of the documents while making them editable and manipulable. Furthermore, these digitized documents can be indexed by metadata such as date of creation, author, and other unique identifiers, making them searchable.
2. Boosting Security: Document digitization can irreversibly redact sensitive information, simplifying the process compared to manual redaction.
3. Streamlining Tracking: Digitization facilitates the establishment of automated retention tracking systems, simplifying record retention management and avoiding noncompliance penalties.

Our blog, 'Efficient Document Digitization: Exploring the Best Ways,' offers more in-depth knowledge about this process.

Workflow Automation: Deciding Between Scanning and Digitizing Documents

Knowing when to use scanning versus digitizing is vital to enhance workflow automation effectively. If a static digital record of a document is sufficient, scanning is the best option. However, digitizing is the preferred choice if you need to edit or search for a digital document. Although digitizing may appear more complicated than scanning, with the right software, the process becomes much more manageable than manual scanning and document organization.

Our DeskConnect solution is designed to streamline the document capture and management process. This tool uses AI and Machine Learning to simplify handling documents on your desktop. By recognizing and processing repetitive documents, DeskConnect eliminates manual tasks, minimizes human error, and ensures consistency. This significantly enhances user experience and workflow automation, exemplifying our commitment at FabSoft to optimize data capture with minimum effort.