To scan or not to scan, that is the question. Okay, maybe that is not exactly how the quote goes, but with so many amazing written words, certainly Shakespeare himself could have benefitted from a copy machine. Fast-forward to today. When it comes to business environments, knowing which piece of office equipment is the best option for a particular job can be confusing. Many employees expect to have the right tools available when needed to complete a task. As a business owner, it’s up to you to ensure they have what they need, regardless of whether it is a copier, scanner, or printer.
Assess and Address
One of the best first steps you can take is to assess what your employees need to complete their work. For example, if staff only occasionally need to scan and email a document, then a standard copier or multifunction printer will suffice. However, if you are implementing a document or print management program and require vast amounts of detailed document scanning, a separate scanner is a necessity.
Think of it this way—copiers are designed to do many things well; scanners are created to excel at one specific task. High-tech scanners make easy work out of turning a hardcopy document into a digital file.
Opt for Options
When it comes to scanning, there are various types of files to be converted. Look for scanners with features to address your specific tasks, such as wide format, small format, color, dual-sided, and more. Some scanners even come equipped with auto detection, so that you need not worry about the size or shape of an item, such as a small receipt—the scanner will detect and resize the document to an appropriate size. This saves you the hassle of cropping or resizing, and reduces the amount of space it takes up on the hard drive. Have a ton of colored paper or packing slips? Look for a “color drop out” option that transforms color docs to black and white.
Wants Versus Needs
Your regular office printer is sufficient for executing basic tasks, but anything more specific requires precise equipment to complete the work. Although having multiple machines is not always the better option, look at what your needs are versus what you would love to have. If you scan a lot of oversized or legal documents, then a wide format printer or scanner is a great option for you. Most marketing and advertising companies cannot live without a wide format machine. On the flip side, if you consistently print documents, but only scan occasionally, a multifunction printer should meet your daily needs.
When it comes to scanning and printing, the most important element is first to look at the tasks required to keep your business running, then find the proper equipment to manage the workload. Still have questions? No worries, we are happy to answer them. Contact us today!