Here’s your chance to learn the truth behind the 2^nd half of myths concerning the transition to a paperless office.  Like the first 5, these 5 pop up in almost every industry and from the largest corporations to the smallest companies.  Here are 5 more paperless office myths that are preventing people from using digital document imaging to save time, money and space:

1. Reading on a Monitor is Difficult – While traditional paper documents are clearly easier to read, when it comes to the ease of scanning through long documents, reading on a monitor is the way to go.  Also, with the innovation of e-ink on devices like the Kindle and Sony Reader, mimicking paper has improved leaps and bounds.
2. Going Paperless is too Expensive – As we mentioned before, the costs of going paperless are far less than many believe.  While purchasing the equipment necessary can be high, by outsourcing to a digital document imaging professional service, you can reap the benefits of a paperless office without incurring the high equipment costs.
3. Paper is Safer than Digital – Many believe that as hard-drives can fail, paper documents are safer in the event of data loss.  In reality, if you have a proper back-up plan that involves a variety of storage media in a variety of locations, digital document imaging can be infinitely safer than paper. 
4. Digital Formats are All Equivalent – How a digital document is scanned and saved depends on what you can do with it.  PDF documents allow for a great deal more searching, editing and integration into workflows than a traditional image file.  Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of each file type is key to determining which type of file you should begin using.
5. Going Paperless is Time Consuming – While the initial time investment of scanning and preparing your documents can be a lot to handle, the whole point of the transition to a paperless office is to save time going forward.  Finding new tools to do old tasks is vital in making the switch to a paperless office efficient

As you move towards an increasingly paperless office, keeping the truths in mind about these and the other myths is important.  Knowing what you’re getting into will help guarantee that your switch to a paperless office is as seamless as possible.

If you’re ready to learn more about how your small business can become a paperless office with the use of the proper digital document imaging, feel free to check more of the services offered by microMEDIA.

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Paperless Offices – Top 10 Myths Part 2 was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

Unfortunately for the paperless office, there are 10 myths that have permeated the issue and put a fear into the minds of people who could be reaping the benefits of adopting it.  Here are the first 5 of the Top10 Myths of The Paperless Office:

1. Technology Isn’t Ready – Not only is the technology here, as digital document imaging and document scanning are widely available and simple to use, but it’s also cost-effective.  The technology  is here that can scan your existing documents, and also eliminate the need of creating new paper.
2. Going Paperless is “All or Nothing” – Would it be better if everyone everywhere went paperless?  Maybe.  Does it have to be that way?  No.  You don’t have to go completely paper-free, but by switching in some areas you can reap the benefits from using less paper.  From saving money to saving space, even little switches make big differences.  In the event your business can’t make the total switch, find out which areas can; if your company was able to make one area, say payroll, paperless you will be saving time and money while still keeping your company’s most important documents in paper form.
3. Paperless is Less Secure – This could not be any less true.  With traditional paper documents being sent, it gets handled by dozens of people before finally sitting in an unsecure mailbox.  With digital document imaging, encryption, passwords and stringent security can be implemented to guarantee its security.  Try doing that with a traditional letter.
4. Scanners are the Most Important Part of Going Paperless – Scanners are important if your company wants to have paperless storage.   However, in a completely paperless transition you will you’re will also need digital signature and encryption tools.
5. Going Paperless is Always Good for the Environment – Yes, it is but this myth comes with an addendum:  Going paperless only truly helps the environment if you produce less paper waste.  If you are just scanning and then throwing away your incoming paper, your company is doing it wrong.  To truly help save the environment and use less paper your company must reduce the overall amount of paper you are consuming.

These 5 myths are usually the most prevalent surrounding the paperless office transition.  Learning the truths behind these myths is a key way to start learning how you can adopt new technologies and reduce your paper consumption drastically.

Check back for part 2, for the next 5 myths surrounding the paperless office coming soon.

To learn more about how your small business can become a paperless office with the use of the proper digital document imaging, feel free to check more of the services offered by microMEDIA.

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Paperless Offices – Top 10 Myths Part 1 was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

Small businesses, as they operate on a smaller scale, have the unique ability to employ digital document imaging to make the switch to a paperless office.  The following facts are the top 4 reasons why small businesses should use digital document imaging to cut out the paper, and bring on the benefits of a paperless office.

• Going Green – Perhaps the single, largest reason for going to a paperless office is how the environment benefits from this process. Cutting out so much paper and waste not only promotes a cleaner, more organized workplace, it also allows the environment to prosper.
• Save Money –The reason most small businesses will want to convert to a paperless office is to see the money savings.  Printers, paper and ink are expensive to purchase and maintain. The ability to keep an electronic file, digitally imaged and saved, instead of hundreds of duplicates of a single piece of paper will save a great deal of money.
• Searchable Data – Fumbling through filing cabinets filled with paper documents can take hours.  Wasting time trying to use old-fashioned methods of sorting is silly and inefficient.  With digital document imaging and the paperless office, your data is all searchable within seconds.
• Reduced Storage Space – As previously mentioned, filing cabinets filled with documents can take up a great deal of space.  With the paperless office, digital imaging enables all of those traditional paper documents to be scanned and saved electronically.  Now, instead of wasting entire rooms or warehouses with documents, simple storage drives or even online storage can do the job.  Less wasted storage space means fewer bills to pay for it, saving you even more money.  Bottom line, document imaging conserves space and saves money.

The pros of switching to digital document imaging and the paperless office are plentiful for small businesses.  These are just four of the many other reasons to make the change.

To learn more about how your small business can become a paperless office with the use of the proper digital document imaging, feel free to check more of the services offered by microMEDIA.

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Paperless Offices – Top 4 Reasons Small Businesses Should Switch was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

Ever since events like September 11^th and Hurricane Katrina, contingency planning and disaster recovery have been at the forefront of many executives minds.  Often, it’s not just the big disasters that lead to crucial data loss.  Many times it’s simple things like misfiled and lost documents, flood or fire damage or even destroyed and deleted files that can lead to time-consuming problems. Digital document imaging can step in and digitize all of your traditional paper-based information.  There are a plethora of options as to how you can safely store all of your data in multiple hard-drives, servers or even back-up copies online.  Now, in the event of any kind of disaster, the back-up copies of all your crucial information are able to be restored quickly, efficiently and with no data loss.

Since 1975, microMEDIA has been in the business of document imaging even before digital document imaging came to the forefront of operations back in 1987.  Here are some of the special services you can take advantage of to ensure that your company is ready to handle and leap over any disaster or hurdle that might step into your way:

• Systems design and development
• Conversions performed on-site at client locations
• Integration with operational systems
• Web-based document management
• Redundant storage of client vital records
• Vendor independence – we interface with all imaging systems

Are you ready to learn more about how you can successfully create contingency plans and set up a proper disaster recovery plan?  Visit microMEDIA and check out all of the scanning services we offer.  Whatever your goals, whatever your current disaster recovery solutions, digital document imaging can step in and alleviate the costs, the wasted time and the nightmare of data loss.

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Disaster Recovery – How Digital Document Imaging Can Help was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

The German Digital Library is using a digitization technique that currently is processing 1,216 pages per hour and to date has already scanned almost 45,000 works.  Clearly, time is the only issue in their process and reports say the first trial version might hit the web in 2011.  The library expects to have 5.5 million books digitized within the next decade.  Google, on the other hand, has reportedly scanned over ten million books as of October 9, 2009 (www.googleblog.blogspot.com).  Can the German Digital Library offer any real competition for Google?  Should they simply allow Google to take over their works as well?

It’s hard to say, at this point.  While The German Digital Library has many factors playing against their cause, including cost and accessibility, the project would be a huge win and progressive step for the library.  At the root of it all, specialized document scanning services offer the ability to digitally preserve everything from rare books and folios to unique local community records preserving our thoughts, images and words for the future.  Be it Google or the German Digital Library, the idea is exquisite.

To learn more about how libraries can employ the very same type of digital conversion techniques, check out the document scanning services offered by microMEDIA.

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Digital Conversion To Help Germany Compete with Google? was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

Besides the benefits of cost reduction and space conservation, digital imaging is the number one way to avoid document duplication.  Paper files often lead to multiple copies, via copy machine, fax or printer, leading to stacks of paper spread over multiple locations.  The amount of space needed for filing cabinets and storing boxes in back rooms is drastically reduced using document imaging.  This creates additional employee workspace or incremental storage while housing all critical files in a single location, readily available to any employee.

The expenses of duplication can exceed what most people would believe, including the cost to store paper to even heating, air conditioning and cleaning costs required to maintain storage units and rooms.  By not choosing to image your documents, you’re spending more money than ever necessary.

Are you ready to make the switch and put an end to document duplication?  Find out how when you discover the scanning services microMEDIA has to offer.  Whatever your goals, document imaging can alleviate costs, waste and the storage issues associated with paper-based offices.

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Document Imaging & the Death of Duplication was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

Maybe.

While printer manufacturers, paper salespeople and others connected to the paper industry may be opponents, many in the “pro” camp think the technology is here, and are ready to do away with paper waste.

The fact remains that cutting out the use of paper can be an extremely cost-saving for businesses, and while currently many newspapers, magazines and traditional print-bound media are already moving to paperless versions, the business world has yet to fully adopt.  As the popularity and technology of tablets like the iPad continues to grow, the ability to use digital document imaging will allow for offices to fully transition to paperless communication and business.

There will still be hurdles to face, however.  Issues are present and some objections posed include the lighting conditions on such devices, complaints regarding size and weight of carrying around the device, all the way to, “what about battery-related problems that traditional print media doesn’t pose?”.   But it seems the iPad 2.0 is rapidly jumping over them.  Improved lighting, lighter weight and battery-backup systems are all part of future upgrades.

It’s not clear whether or not it will be e-ink, the iPad, iPhone, iPad 2.0 or maybe a technology we’ve yet to see that will finally push the paperless office from dream to reality.  We can’t be sure of which but we know it’s coming, and it’s very soon.

To learn more about the paperless office, read through document imaging services offered by microMEDIA.

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Digital Document Imaging & iPad 2.0 – Paperless Office at Last? was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

• Establish KEEP to ensure digital record authenticity
• Give citizens the ability to access government electronic records like census data, court cases and financial information
• Maintain accuracy and authenticity acceptable in a court of law

House Bill 2195 will have the added benefit of all three branches of government working on the government records project, and this just further impresses the need for a well-structured plan to actually do all of the digital conversion and digital imaging of traditional paper documents.

The importance of transitioning to electronic records by way of digital imaging solutions is monumental. Rep. Mike Burgess of Topeka is supporting the HB 2195 legislation, saying this to WIBW.com, the local station that broke this story:

“As more and more of the state’s business is conducted via e-mail with electronic records, it is imperative Kansas has a process in place that gives the records the same legal authority as those records transferred to the State Archives in paper form.”

If the legislation passes it will be historic for Kansas, and a great step forward into setting future digital record legislation.  With HB 2195 amending existing statutes, creating an option for digital document transmittal, it could resolve the existing issues surrounding long-term preservation of electronic records.  When this occurs, digital imaging solutions will be extremely important. The ability to take those paper documents and quickly, efficiently and accurately convert them to digital files will be paramount.

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Electronic Records Bill Goes to Kansas Governor was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

No, according to a recent report from JP Morgan, “Sustainable Treasury Management: It’s Easier Than You Think”. The report concluded that the feasibility of the paperless office is finally here.  Before, a paperless office was neither technically nor economically possible. But today, with help from digital document imaging solutions, it can be a reality.

The report states the banking mogul has helped more than 25,000 of its clients eliminate more than 24 million paper documents in only 18 months through digital processes and solutions.  Digital processes have helped replace traditional paper documents like paystubs and invoices with digital versions, as well as reduced the volume of paper used by clients by 77 million documents.

This move to digital means a lot more than just saving paper.  According to the report, maintaining an office full of paper carries a huge cost. On average, filing and maintaining 500,000 pieces of paper costs:

• $250,000 in workflow management
• $115,000 to research lost files
• $150,000 in storage and disposal costs

Cutting out the paper could save more than half a million dollars a year – more than a dollar a sheet, according to the report.

Learn about document scanning for banking and financial services offered by microMEDIA, which have empowered numerous global banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and related financial services companies to go digital efficiently and cost-effectively.

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Paperless Offices Are Possible and Profitable, According to JP Morgan was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog

Modern technology is enabling Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) to slowly replace the traditional paper and film versions.

The move to digital medical records is being fueled by President Obama’s economic stimulus, which allows for $19.2 billion for health information technology. Many hospitals will use these funds to implement EHRs.

But what does this mean for medical care and for patients? Quite simply, improved quality of care and physician accuracy, as doctors will no longer rely on incomplete charts, poor memories of patients or even illegible handwriting on deteriorated paper.

An article in the New York Times mentions the following benefits to digital medical records:

• Avoid duplication of tests
• Reduce medical errors
• Make surgery safer
• Encourage better self-care
• Improve care of chronic illnesses
• Identify the right drug and dose

Clearly there is a learning curve associated with new technology, and digital medical records are no different.  But the sooner the learning curve starts, the sooner it will be erased.

Healthcare organizations should ensure the document scanning service:

• Will work with any existing or planned imaging systems
• Offers the option of on-site specialists to ensure digital scanning projects run smoothly
• Provides custom, flexible solutions for any objective, timeframe or budget, rather than an out-of-the-box solution
• Has quality standards in place to ensure no documents are omitted and all data entered to identify patients is accurate

Learn how digital scanning services from microMEDIA helped a New York hospital make the transition to digital medical records.

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Digital Medical Records in Healthcare was posted at Imaging Services Blog. | http://www.imagingservices.com/blog