Understanding the Costs Involved with Outsourcing Document Scanning

In today’s digital age, businesses are continually seeking ways to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. One common strategy is outsourcing non-core tasks such as document scanning. While outsourcing can offer numerous benefits, it’s crucial to understand the associated costs to make informed decisions. Let’s delve into the expenses involved in outsourcing document scanning services.

Service Fees: Outsourcing document scanning involves paying service fees to the chosen provider. These fees vary depending on factors such as the volume of documents, complexity of scanning requirements, and desired turnaround time. Typically, service fees are charged per image or per hour of scanning. It’s essential to obtain detailed quotes from potential vendors to understand the cost implications accurately.

Document Preparation: Before scanning can commence, documents often require preparation, including removal of staples, paper clips, and sorting. While some vendors include document preparation as part of their service, others may charge additional fees for this task. Businesses should enquire about document preparation costs upfront to avoid unexpected expenses.

Indexing and Metadata: Indexing scanned documents facilitates easy retrieval and organisation. Outsourcing providers may offer indexing services where documents are tagged with relevant metadata for efficient categorisation and searchability. However, indexing services often incur extra charges based on the complexity and extent of indexing required.

Quality Assurance: Ensuring the accuracy and quality of scanned documents is paramount. Many outsourcing providers offer quality assurance services to verify scanned images for clarity, completeness, and legibility. However, these services may come at an additional cost. Investing in quality assurance can prevent errors and rework down the line, ultimately saving time and resources.

Security and Compliance: Protecting sensitive information is a top priority for businesses outsourcing document scanning. Reputable service providers adhere to stringent security measures and compliance standards to safeguard confidential data. However, ensuring compliance may entail additional costs associated with implementing robust security protocols.

Storage and Retrieval: Once documents are scanned, businesses must consider storage and retrieval costs. Outsourcing providers may offer digital storage solutions, either cloud-based or on-premises, for storing scanned documents securely. Storage fees typically depend on factors such as storage capacity and retention period. Additionally, retrieval fees may apply when accessing archived documents, especially if retrieval involves manual intervention.

Additional Services: Beyond basic scanning, outsourcing providers may offer a range of additional services, such as document shredding, archiving, or document management software integration. While these services can enhance efficiency and workflow automation, they may involve extra costs that businesses should factor into their outsourcing budget.

At EvaStore Document Management we pride ourselves on offering a no obligation scanning sample service prior to any quote, ensuring that the customer is reassured of the final output before committing to anything. We take this opportunity to evaluate preparation, indexing and QA times and include them within our pricing. You will only pay what you’ve been quoted; there will be no unbudgeted surprises from us when the invoice arrives.

EvaStore are an integrated Document Management provider, specialising in the scanning, storage, and shredding of documents. Therefore, when your paperwork has been digitised, we can take care of the next stages of your workflow with the high-level attention to detail that has made us such a trusted name within the Document Management industry. Our ISO9001 and ISO27001 certifications demonstrate our commitment to the very highest standards of security.

Get in touch today to discuss your needs or arrange your scanning sample.