Articles Tagged with: Energy/Industrial

6 Reasons to Outsource Your Document Scanning

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses face the immense challenge of managing a growing sea of documents, from contracts and invoices to employee records and customer information. As the volume of paperwork continues to surge, organizations strive to find effective solutions that not only streamline their operations but also lead to substantial cost savings. This is where the transformative benefits of outsourced document scanning come into play.

In this blog, we delve into the realm of outsourcing document scanning services, uncovering the numerous advantages it offers to businesses of all sizes and sectors. Beyond the convenience of going paperless, outsourcing document scanning presents a strategic shift in the way companies handle their valuable data.

Join us on a journey through the key benefits of outsourced scanning and discover how it can empower organizations to optimize their resources, enhance productivity, bolster security measures, and ultimately, stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape.

Through a comprehensive exploration of eight compelling reasons, we will showcase how outsourcing document scanning is not merely a trend but a critical strategic move that can positively impact your bottom line. Whether you are a small enterprise seeking cost-effective solutions or a large corporation aiming for seamless scalability, the insights shared in this blog will illuminate the path to a more efficient and sustainable future.

Embrace the transformative potential of outsourcing document scanning, and witness how the convergence of advanced technology and professional expertise can revolutionize your document management practices. Let’s embark on this insightful journey together, as we unveil the power of outsourced scanning and its capacity to unleash unprecedented benefits for your organization.

July 14, 2023

Data Entry Companies in Edmonton

Jump to lists

For most organizations, data entry can be a tedious chore that drains valuable time and energy from your employees. To streamline your processes and conserve your teams’ energy, it may be a good idea to turn to outsourced services to handle the tedium for you.

Why use data entry services?

There are two reasons why an organization would seek these services: either they need paper forms transformed into digital documents (digitization), or they need to aggregate raw data.

Digitization

Most paper documents can be converted into digital formats without manually typing them in. Digitization can be done with a quick scan to create a digital image. Optical Character Recognition software (OCR) is then used to instantly identify text, allowing the digital copy to become a fully searchable, and sometimes even editable, digital document.

However, some documents can’t just be scanned. Whether due to damage, faded text, or handwriting, some paper documents present serious challenges for OCR software. Digitizing these documents requires human intelligence.

Aggregation

“Aggregating” information means bringing it all together and organizing it.

For example, suppose you wanted to compare a number of possible business partners to see which can offer your organization the most value. To help inform your decision, you would need to take information about each company from their websites, promotional materials, client testimonials, etc. and aggregate it all together into a report or spreadsheet.

A significant amount of data entry work is merely entering information from disorganized sources like reports and forms into an organized database.

Local vs International Outsourcing

Through the power of the internet, people from anywhere in the world can offer digital products in services to people located anywhere else in the world. As a result, a lot of online work that involves aggregating information from one digital format to another is often sent to the lowest bidder, regardless of where they are located.

This is more difficult for digitizing, however, as the physical documents that need to be transformed have to be transported to wherever the service provider is located. The bigger the distance your documents need to travel, the more expensive it will be, and the greater the risk that they will be damaged en route. Beyond a certain distance, outsourcing just isn’t worth the risk, and if you go far enough, it becomes more expensive than outsourcing locally.

Another factor to consider is security and confidentiality. Laws about the security and privacy of your information vary across different countries and jurisdictions, so unless you research the local legislation of your service provider, you can’t be sure what rules they’re following. While very few businesses would want to alienate customers by breaking their trust, there are ways to secretly sell your data to third parties, and without strong privacy and confidentiality protections, some businesses may think it’s worth the risk.

Data Entry Providers Located in Alberta

These are all of the data entry providers with service locations and employees located in Alberta. While international solutions may be viable for digital-to-digital conversions, a local solution is safer and more cost-effective for paper-to-digital data entry projects.

1 – Consentia

Consentia offers reliable, accurate, streamlined data entry services to transform your information quickly and efficiently. Founded in Edmonton, Consentia continues to be a proudly local Albertan company, from who we employ to where we store data.

Click here to learn more about our data entry services.

Location	Edmonton, AB
Offers Manual Data Entry?	Yes
Offers OCR scanning?	Yes
Offers Custom Managed Solutions?	Yes
Typical Project Size	Any

With roots stretching back over 50 years, Consentia is a reliable one-stop shop for all your data transformation needs. We also offer scanning and storage solutions!

2 – WCD

Locations	Edmonton & Calgary, AB
Offers Manual Data Entry?	Yes
Offers OCR scanning?	Yes
Offers Custom Managed Solutions?	Yes
Typical Project Size	Business Solutions

WCD is a print and business solutions firm located in Calgary and Edmonton.

Syl’s Data Entry

Location	Edmonton, AB
Offers Manual Data Entry?	?
Offers OCR scanning?	?
Offers Custom Managed Solutions?	?
Typical Project Size	?

We couldn’t find any information about Syl’s available online, but they seem to be a data entry company located in Edmonton.

Virtual Gurus

Virtual Gurus is a professional/office assistants firm, not a dedicated digitization service provider. One of their assistants would be a great option if you’re looking for some extra help with a small amount of tedious office work like data entry. But if you’re looking for a scalable, turnkey solution to transform many paper documents into digital information, they may not be your best bet.

Location	Calgary, AB
Offers Manual Data Entry?	Yes
Offers OCR scanning?	Yes
Offers Custom Managed Solutions?	No
Typical Project Size	Individualized

Virtual Gurus data entry applicability. VG specializes in individual professional assistants, not full-scale business solutions.

International Outsourcing Options

These service providers aren’t located in Alberta, and most don’t have locations anywhere in Canada. While the distance may make their services unfeasible for digitizing documents, they may be a good option for digital-to-digital tasks or projects.

Company	Location(s)
microsourcing	Philippines
supportninja	Philippines, Romania, United States
Data Entry Outsourced	India
FGC	Philippines
Peak Support	Philippines, United States

July 7, 2023

What to Look for in a Data Entry Company

In today’s data-driven business landscape, organizations rely heavily on accurate and well-managed data to make informed decisions, gain valuable insights, and drive growth. However, managing vast amounts of data can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to data entry. Doing your own manual data entry is time-consuming, prone to errors, and diverts valuable resources from your core focus.

To mitigate this challenge, organizations often turn to data entry service providers. These specialized companies offer expertise in efficiently and accurately inputting data, allowing organizations to focus on their core competencies. However, not all data entry service providers offer equal value, and it’s crucial to choose a partner that aligns with your organization’s specific needs and objectives.

In this blog, we will explore the essential characteristics that organizations should look for when selecting a data entry service provider. We’ll delve into factors such as accuracy and quality assurance, data security and confidentiality, scalability and flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and pricing structure.

By understanding and evaluating these characteristics, you can make an informed decision when choosing a data entry service provider that will not only meet your data management needs but also contribute to your overall business success.

1 – Accuracy & Quality Assurance

Accurate and reliable data is the cornerstone of effective decision-making and business operations. When selecting a data entry service provider, it is essential to prioritize accuracy and quality assurance measures.

1.1 – Data Accuracy

Accurate data serves as a foundation for making informed business decisions, identifying trends, and developing effective strategies. Errors in data entry can lead to faulty analyses, misinterpretations, and misguided actions. Therefore, partnering with a service provider that prioritizes data accuracy is crucial.

Here are some tips for evaluating a service provider’s data accuracy track record:

Look for certifications or accreditations that demonstrate the provider’s commitment to quality and accuracy.
Request references or case studies from the provider’s existing clients to gauge their satisfaction with the accuracy of the delivered data.

1.2 – Quality Assurance Measures

A reliable data entry service provider should have robust quality assurance measures in place. Consider the following aspects when evaluating their quality control processes:

Multiple layers of data verification: Ensure that the provider implements double-checking and cross-validation techniques to minimize errors.
Quality monitoring and audits: Ask about their internal quality monitoring systems and whether they conduct periodic audits to assess their performance.
Error correction procedures: Determine how the provider handles and rectifies errors promptly. An effective process should include clear communication channels for reporting and addressing discrepancies.

2 – Data Security & Confidentiality

In an era of increasing data breaches and privacy concerns, safeguarding sensitive information is of paramount importance. When outsourcing data entry services, organizations must prioritize data security and confidentiality. Here are the key factors to consider in this aspect:

2.1 – Compliance with Data Protection Regulations

Depending on your industry and geographical location, you may be subject to specific data protection regulations. Ensure that the service provider has a solid understanding of these regulations and demonstrates compliance to avoid potential legal and compliance issues.

In Canada, all organizations are subject to specific document management and retention regulations to ensure that the information you possess is safeguarded and maintained. Learn more about these regulations in our document management guide.

2.2 – Robust Cybersecurity & Encryption Protocols

The service provider should employ industry-standard encryption methods to secure data during transmission. Encryption ensures that data remains confidential and protected from unauthorized interception.

2.3 – Non-disclosure Agreements & Confidentiality Policies

Establish clear agreements regarding the confidentiality of your data. The provider should have stringent non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in place to safeguard your sensitive information. Review their confidentiality policies to ensure they align with your organization’s requirements.

2.4 – Access Controls & Restricted Data Access

Inquire about the provider’s access controls and authentication mechanisms. They should have strict protocols in place to ensure that only authorized personnel can access the data. Role-based access control (RBAC) systems can limit access rights based on job roles and responsibilities.

2.5 – Employee Training & Background Checks

Verify if the service provider conducts thorough background checks on its employees and provides comprehensive training on data security and confidentiality. A well-trained workforce that understands the importance of data protection reduces the risk of internal data breaches.

3 – Scalability & Flexibility

In today’s dynamic business environment, organizations must consider the scalability and flexibility of a data entry service provider. As your business grows and evolves, your data entry needs may change. Here are key considerations when evaluating scalability and flexibility:

3.1 – Scalability

Ensure that the data entry service provider has the infrastructure, resources, and expertise to handle your current and future data volumes. Scalability is crucial to accommodate increasing data demands without compromising quality or turnaround time.

Also, inquire about the provider’s track record in scaling operations for their existing clients. Assess their ability to adapt and grow alongside your organization. Consider their capacity to handle peak periods or sudden increases in data entry requirements.

3.2 – Flexibility

Different organizations have unique data entry needs. Look for a provider that can customize their services to align with your specific requirements. They should be able to accommodate different data formats, templates, or industry-specific data entry processes.

Business needs can evolve rapidly. The service provider should be flexible and adaptable to accommodate changes in data entry processes, software integrations, or workflow adjustments. This adaptability ensures a seamless transition during periods of growth or organizational changes.

Finally, a flexible provider should encourage open communication and collaboration. They should be receptive to feedback, willing to make adjustments, and proactive in suggesting improvements. Effective collaboration enhances the overall data-entry process and fosters a productive partnership.

4 – Pricing Structure & Cost Effectiveness

When selecting a data entry service provider, cost-effectiveness and a transparent pricing structure are crucial considerations. While seeking high-quality services, it’s important to ensure that the chosen provider aligns with your budget and offers a fair pricing model. Here’s what you should keep in mind:

4.1 – Balance Quality with Affordability

It’s essential to strike a balance between cost and quality. While cost-effectiveness is important, prioritize providers that offer a reasonable price without compromising on accuracy, security, or service levels. Remember that overly cheap services may result in subpar outcomes.

4.2 – Understand the Provider’s Pricing Structure

Request a detailed breakdown of the pricing structure from the provider. Understand how they calculate costs, including any additional fees or charges for specific requirements or rush orders. Clarify if there are any hidden costs that may impact the overall expenses.

4.3 – Look for Value-add Services & Cost Savings

Inquire about any value-added services the provider offers. These could include data cleansing, deduplication, or integration with other systems. Consider the potential cost savings and efficiency gains these additional services may provide in the long run.

Selecting the right data entry service provider is a critical decision that can significantly impact your organization’s data management and overall business success. By considering the essential characteristics discussed in this blog, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your specific needs and objectives.

At Consentia, we understand the importance of these factors in a data entry service provider. All of our trusted employees have undergone rigorous background checks and signed NDAs, and our streamlined data entry and verification process limits access to information based on role, so no one ever sees more information than is absolutely necessary for doing their job.

We pride ourselves on our scalability, flexibility, and transparency. We customize all of our solutions to meet your specific needs, providing informed consultation and transparent explanations.

Contact us today to learn more about how our data entry services can streamline your data management processes and propel your business forward.

June 23, 2023

What to Look for in a Paper Scanning Company

In today’s digital age, businesses across various industries are recognizing the importance of transitioning from physical paper documents to efficient and streamlined digital workflows. Paper scanning plays a crucial role in this transformation, allowing companies to unlock the benefits of enhanced accessibility, improved data management, and increased operational efficiency.

However, selecting the right paper scanning company is a critical decision that can significantly impact the success of your digitalization efforts.

To ensure a seamless transition and achieve optimal results, businesses must carefully evaluate potential scanning partners. In this blog post, we will explore the key considerations that companies should prioritize when choosing a paper scanning company.

By understanding these factors, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your specific needs and sets the foundation for a successful digital transformation.

Paper Scanning Expertise and Experience

The first and foremost criterion for selecting a scanning company is their expertise and experience in the field. Evaluate their track record, industry reputation, and the number of years they have been providing paper scanning services. Look for a company that has a proven track record of handling projects similar to yours and possesses a deep understanding of your industry’s unique requirements.

Comprehensive Range of Services, Not Just Scanning

Consider the range of services offered by the paper scanning company. Besides basic scanning, do they provide additional services such as document preparation, indexing, data extraction, and secure disposal? Opting for a company that offers end-to-end solutions can save you time, effort, and potential complications in coordinating multiple vendors.

Quality Assurance

Accuracy and reliability are paramount when it comes to paper scanning. Inquire about the company’s quality assurance processes, including their scanning techniques, image enhancement capabilities, and quality control measures. Ask if they adhere to industry standards, such as ISO certifications, to ensure the highest level of quality and consistency in the digitization process.

Security and Confidentiality

Confidentiality is of utmost importance when entrusting your sensitive documents to an external scanning company. Inquire about their security protocols, data encryption practices, and employee background checks. A reputable paper scanning company should have robust security measures in place to protect your data throughout the entire scanning process.

Scalability and Flexibility

Consider the scalability and flexibility offered by the scanning company. Will they be able to handle your current volume of documents efficiently, as well as accommodate future growth? Additionally, evaluate their ability to adapt to your specific requirements, such as handling various document sizes, formats, or specialized documents like legal or medical records.

Pricing and Cost-effectiveness

While cost should not be the sole determining factor, it is essential to evaluate the pricing structure and overall cost-effectiveness of the paper scanning services. Obtain detailed quotes and compare them against the quality of service and expertise provided. A reputable company will offer transparent pricing, ensuring you understand the costs involved upfront.

Conclusion

Choosing the right paper scanning company is a crucial step toward a successful digital transformation journey. By considering these factors when making their decision, businesses can make an informed decision that aligns with their unique requirements.

Remember, this partnership is not just about scanning documents; it’s about finding a trusted partner that can handle your sensitive data with the utmost care and deliver accurate and reliable results. Take the time to evaluate different options, ask for references, and thoroughly assess the capabilities and reputation of potential paper scanning companies.

With the right partner by your side, you can embark on your digital transformation confidently and unlock the countless benefits of a streamlined and efficient digital document management system.

Consentia has been providing reliable and secure paper scanning services for decades, including document preparation, indexing, and data extraction. With roots in the data transformation business stretching back 50 years, digitization services like paper scanning are our forte.

Client files are kept totally secure and confidential, up to and including their eventual disposal or return to the client. Our trusted scanning experts perform multiple quality assurance checks on every file to ensure our scans are as accurate as possible, and our dynamic and innovative processes allow for rapid scaling and flexibility so clients only ever pay what they need to.

Contact one of our digitization experts today to learn more about our paper scanning services. We provide maximum transparency and offer free guidance and consultation for any project.

June 16, 2023

Can Scanned Documents Be Edited?

We create physical documents for many purposes, and it’s important that scanned documents can fulfill the same roles after scanning as the original physical documents did. Whether a file can be edited or not has a huge effect on its suitability for various roles: a legal contract or agreement can’t be reliable if it can be edited easily or secretly, but a draft document needs to be editable before it can be fully useful.

Get Document Scanning & Editing Services Now!

Luckily, many programs, tools, and functions allow digital documents to fulfill many roles, including making a file editable or non-editable. In this post, we’ll explain how to make your scanned documents editable or non-editable, as well as how to make them editable for only certain people, as well as explore some other functions of editable scanned documents. But first, it’s important to consider your goal…

Contents:

How Do I Make Scanned Documents Editable?
How do I Make Scanned Documents Non-editable?
What if I Only Want Some People to be Able to Edit My Document?

Why make scanned documents editable?

Whether physical sheets of paper or scanned digital documents, every document has a purpose, and sometimes that purpose involves further editing. For example, imagine you have a sheet of handwritten notes, a document draft, or a whiteboard sketch of a new plan or idea you developed with colleagues during a brainstorming session. Scanning these documents into editable formats yields two main advantages:

Leverage the general advantages of digital formats without losing the ability to add to them in the future (e.g. searchability, ease of storage and access)
Make further edits and additions that aren’t possible with physical files, like adding hyperlinks, dynamic annotations, and AI assistance, among many others.

Jump to: How to make Scanned Documents Editable

Why make scanned documents non-editable?

Some documents, whether digital or physical, serve the purpose of being permanent or semi-permanent archival records; written evidence of an event (i.e. transaction records like invoices and receipts) or an agreement (e.g. contracts, waivers).

To fulfill their role as reliable documentary evidence, these records must remain unchanged and unedited from their original state (unless the relevant parties agree to make a change, in which case such a change is usually recorded in the document itself).

If scanning a document meant always meant that it became editable, digital formats would not be appropriate for secure, reliable record-keeping. Fortunately, however, options are available for secure and reliable digital documents. In fact, digital documents can even be more reliable than physical documents with the right functions.

Jump to: How to make Scanned Documents Non-Editable

How do I make Scanned Documents Editable?

Regardless of how they’re scanned, you can use various programs and tools to make your scanned documents editable. In order to edit a scanned document, it will need to be in an editable format like PDF.

How did you scan your document?
- With a scanning machine: It should already be saved as a PDF file on whichever computer is connected to the scanner. If your scans are not being saved as PDFs, go into the scanner program settings to make sure that scans are being saved in the right format.
- By taking a picture of it: Many ERM programs allow you to scan documents by taking a photo with your phone camera. These images will likely be saved in an image format like .jpeg or .png, so you’ll need to convert them to PDF before you can edit them. However, if you use the ERM program itself to take the picture, it may automatically save it as a PDF.

How to convert a file to PDF
- Using Windows:
  - Open the file and go to “File” → “Save as”
  - Change the file format to PDF and click save.
- Using Mac OS:
  - Open the file and go to “File” → “Print”
  - Click the PDF button or open the pop-up menu with the down arrow and choose “Save as PDF”
- Batch conversions with Acrobat: if you have adobe acrobat installed, it should allow you to batch convert multiple PDFs at once from your file browser.
  - Select the files you want to edit.
  - Right-click and select “Convert to PDF using Adobe Acrobat.”

Still not editable? By default, most PDFs should be editable when they’re first created, but sometimes they will default to “Read-only” mode
- What program are you using? Some programs only allow you to view PDFs, not edit them. Make sure the program you’re using has PDF editing features.
Change the settings: most programs which allow PDF editing have settings you can use to allow edits as long as you have the right permissions.
Example: Adobe Acrobat
- In Acrobat, select “Tools” and navigate to “Protect,” then “Encrypt,” and then click “Remove Security”

Outsourced Scanning

If you have many documents to scan, we can help.

Consentia has been providing reliable and secure document scanning services for decades. Save yourself the work of scanning your documents into digital formats so you can focus on your core business instead.

Our scanning experts can provide your digital copies in whichever digital format you prefer, editable or uneditable, and provide free consultation and guidance throughout the process.

Get in touch with our scanning experts today to learn more, or read more about the benefits of outsourced scanning here.

The Role of OCR

Scanned files are only editable because of Optical Character Recognition software (OCR). This tool is already built into most PDF editing and scanning programs and automatically identifies individual letters from an image and encodes them in the document so that the computer can recognize them as such. Without OCR, the text in documents scanned as images would not be recognized by the computer, and there would be no way to interact with it digitally.

Click here to read more about how OCR enhances scanning.

How do I make scanned documents non-editable?

There are several ways to discourage editing PDFs or making them more difficult to edit, and some ways to prevent access altogether.

However, there is no completely secure way to make a document “read-only” or readable but not editable. This section will explore ways to keep your files secure and when to use each.

Read-only Files

Mainstream computer operating systems like Windows and MacOS allow you to designate a file as “read-only,” preventing any further edits or changes until reversed. Here’s how you can do it on either OS:

Windows:
- Right-click on the PDF file in your file browser
- Select “Properties”
- Click “Read-only” → “OK”
Mac OS
- Select the PDF file
- Click on “File” → “Get Info”
- Set access rights under the “Sharing & Permissions” tab

While this is the simplest and easiest way to make your files uneditable, it can be reversed by anyone with the same or higher permissions than your own in the system.

PDF Editing Program Permissions

Many PDF editing programs include read-only, and permissions restrictions that are tied to the user accounts required to use the programs, and these can be more secure than your OS read-only settings, depending on your system.

One of the most common PDF editing programs is Adobe Acrobat, which requires users to sign in with an Adobe account to prove that they’ve paid for the software. When you restrict editing with Acrobat, the change is registered to your Adobe account, so it can only be reversed by your account. Without your Adobe account information, others won’t be able to make the file editable again, regardless of the OS permissions.

However, this solution can be unreliable. Different PDF editors use different settings and permissions to restrict editing, so restricting access in one program may not carry over to another. For example, if you restrict access in Acrobat and then send the file to someone using a different PDF software, the restrictions you put in place may not even register on their end, allowing them to make whatever changes they want, possibly without even making them aware that the document is meant to be read-only.

Password Protection

Most PDF editing programs also allow you to lock a file behind a password specific to that file. This prevents anyone without the password from editing or reproducing the file but also prevents people from reading it, so it’s not really a read-only solution.

Password protection allows you to distribute access to a file by distributing its password to the people who need it, not anyone else. However, by tying your files to specific passwords, this option ties the security of your file to the quality of your password management. If you keep track of your file passwords securely and share them responsibly, you can maintain a secure distribution of access.

Additional Document Security

While these options have pros and cons, none are perfect solutions for document security. Here are a few additional things you can do to keep your digital documents secure.

1 – Maintain Strong Cybersecurity. All of the solutions discussed thus far have been about controlling access and editing permissions to files within the same network or organization. Strong cybersecurity measures ensure that this is all you have to worry about because they keep bad actors outside your network from getting in.

2- Use Comprehensive Metadata. Metadata is information about your information. Most digital document formats already include metadata like the date created, date modified, file type, file size, etc. If your document management system automatically maintains metadata about who makes changes to a document and when no one can make unauthorized changes without it being noticed.

3 – Keep Master Copies. The main purpose of making a file read-only is so that you can communicate or collect information (e.g. contracts or forms) without risking the original text being tampered with. If someone you send the file to can alter the document’s text without you noticing, there could be serious consequences, especially with legal documents.

That’s why keeping a copy of the document on your own system is important: you have it for reference should any dispute arise. Fortunately, any time you send a digital file to someone, you’re already sending them a copy; changes they make on their end won’t show up on your own.

However, sharing a file is a different story. With cloud storage and remote access now so common, it’s become common to “share” files with people rather than send them. Using the “share” feature for files in cloud storage locations like Google Drive or Microsoft’s OneDrive gives the recipient remote access to that specific file rather than sending them a copy.

If the file you share with them is the “master” or reference copy, they now have the ability to alter it however they want. This is very helpful when you’re collaborating on a document with colleagues, but can be a big risk when sending files to others outside your organization.

If your master copy of a document is kept in a cloud storage location, make sure you only ever send a downloaded copy of it to people outside your organization.

What if I want only some people to be able to edit a document?

Some documents need to be editable, but not by everyone. For example, you probably don’t want everyone in your organization to be able to edit your company policies, formal proposals, or draft contracts, but you need to make sure that the people responsible for creating and revising those documents are able to edit them. This is where document permissions and password protection come into play.

If your organization uses an Electronic Records Management system (ERM), it should include settings and features that allow you to restrict access to certain files and folders to different users within the organization. Contact your organization’s ERM administrator for assistance if you want to restrict access to a certain file. If you are the ERM administrator, contact the ERM provider’s support team or consult their product guides to find the settings you’re looking for.

If your organization does not use a sophisticated ERM and instead just uses a PDF editing program like Adobe Acrobat, you can either restrict access to a document to select users in the program’s settings or add a password to the file that needs to be entered before it can be opened. Click here to learn more about password protection.

June 9, 2023

Where are Scanned Documents?

Have you ever wondered where digital documents go once scanned or how digital storage works? Then you’re in the right place. In this brief explainer, we’ll explore how digital documents work, the options for digital storage, and how to get the most out of your digital documents.

How Do Scanned Documents Work?

Here’s a brief explanation of our scanning process which explains how digital documents are created, stored, and moved. Curious about the benefits of digital? Click here to learn why you should scan your documents.

Step 1) Scanning Documents

When we scan one of your documents, the scanning equipment creates a digital image which is an accurate copy of the page. To create the image, the scanning equipment arranges magnetic charges on a storage device, which computers can read as code. You can think of a digital file as a packet of instructions your computer uses to recreate the content. So a digital image file, like the one created by the scanner, is a packet of instructions for recreating the image of your document on your monitor.

Step 2) Local Storage

As the machine scans your document, the digital file is created on a hard drive on one of our computers. It will remain there while we do quality assurance (QA) and apply Optical Character Recognition software (OCR). Whenever it needs to be moved from one drive or computer to another, the computers read the data in the first location and rewrite it onto the new storage device.

Step 2.1) Quality Assurance: Our dedicated quality assurance personnel then compare the digital image to the original physical page to ensure the copy is accurate.
Step 2.2) Optical Character Recognition: If requested, we then apply Optical Character Recognition software (OCR) to identify and encode any text on the page. Without OCR, the text in your digital document is just another part of the picture that the computer can’t tell apart from the blank space around it. By encoding the text, OCR makes each letter recognizable to the computer so that you can search, highlight, or copy it, just like a digital document.

Step 3) Returning Scanned Documents to You

After we’ve completed QA and OCR, we transfer the files back to you in one of the following ways:

Removable Storage: we can move the digital files onto one or a number of portable storage device(s) and give it to you. You can then connect it to your own computer to move the files over.

Secure File Transfer: using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), we can securely return the files to you through the Internet.

Cloud Storage: If your organization already uses a cloud storage service (e.g. GoogleDrive, Dropbox, Mega, OneDrive) or has its own cloud storage system, we can simply upload the scanned documents to a folder in your drive. If you don’t already use a cloud storage service, we can help you set one up and upload the files there, or we can build a customized cloud storage platform for you to access at your leisure.

Though we offer all three of these options, we recommend cloud storage for a number of reasons. Here are the top three:

Allows you to access your files from anywhere, whether you’re at home, in the office, or travelling for business.

Allows you to access your files as soon as we scan them, rather than having to wait until we’ve finished scanning all of them

Excellent security and reliability enabled by advanced centralized servers.

Click here to learn more about cloud storage, including how it works and why it’s beneficial.

What are My Options for Storing Scanned Documents?

Storage Location

In general, you have two options: local storage or cloud storage. We strongly recommend cloud storage for a number of reasons; click here to learn more

Local Storage: Keeping your files on your own computer(s).
Cloud storage: Keeping your files on a secure, centralized storage server you can access through the internet.
- Subscription Service: you can upload your files to a storage provider’s secure servers for a nominal monthly or annual fee.
- Custom Cloud Storage: we can help you set up a custom cloud storage platform tailored to your organization’s specific needs.

Storage Hardware

It’s also important to understand the hardware involved in digital storage. There are two types of storage devices: Hard Disc Drives (HDDs) and Solid State Drives (SSDs). A hard disc drive uses magnetic charges on small spinning discs to read and write data, whereas a solid state drive has no moving parts and reads and writes data using magnetic charges alone.

The important differences between HDDs and SSDs are cost and speed. HDDs are cheaper but less efficient, taking longer to move or copy files. SSDs are much faster than HDDs but are also far more expensive for the same capacity.

Regarding local storage, HDDs are a cost-effective way to store files you don’t need to access or move very often, whereas files you move or access frequently are best stored on faster, lower-capacity SSDs.

Some cloud storage providers let you choose whether to keep your cloud files on HDDs or SSDs, charging a higher rate for SSDs. Your provider may even offer hybrid storage, in which some folders are stored on SSDs and others on HDDs.

Best Practices for Organizing Scanned Documents

Here are some simple best practices to remember when organizing your digital files that will help you leverage the most value out of the advantages of digital formats.

1) Maximize your Metadata

Metadata is information about your information (data about your data; e.g. date and time created, size, author, etc.). Ensure your system is set up to create metadata about each file created within it or added to it from other sources. Most kinds of metadata will already be automated, such as the date and time it was created or modified, but other kinds will need to be programmed into the system, especially any information specifically important to your industry or operation. Your system should have a metadata variable for every piece of information about your file that would be important to know. Though there are better and worse variables to include in a metadata system, more is generally better.

2) Optimize your Metadata

Automatic metadata is one of the biggest advantages of digital formats, but it isn’t valuable unless it’s accurate. The value of metadata is that it makes your documents easier to navigate, organize, and access, so having no metadata for your documents means you’re not getting the full value of digital technology. However, having inaccurate or outdated metadata is the opposite of that value. Make sure your files’ metadata is accurate when they’re created and that it remains accurate over time with regular updates.

3) Organize Efficiently

Whether you’re using digital or physical files, this is always a good rule. Make sure that the layers your files are sorted into make intuitive sense, such that broader categories contain smaller categories; important characteristics take precedence over less important ones. If you’re organizing a newly created collection of digital copies of physical documents, retaining the way in which the originals were organized is often a good idea.

Get the Most Out of Your Information

Have a scanning project in mind? Consentia has been a top scanning and digitization provider in Alberta for decades, and we’d love to help drive your digital transformation. Contact our scanning experts today if you have any questions, or click here to request a quote or consultation.

June 2, 2023

Cloud Storage 101: Why Use the Cloud?

In today’s digital era, businesses and individuals increasingly turn to cloud storage as a convenient and flexible solution for their data management needs. Cloud storage offers many benefits, such as easy access, scalability, and data redundancy.

In this blog, we will delve into the advantages and potential risks of cloud storage. We will explore how cloud storage can enhance data management, streamline workflows, and improve collaboration. Additionally, we will address some potential risks associated with security, privacy, and reliance on third-party service providers and explore how these risks are mitigated. By understanding the benefits and risks, you can make informed decisions when considering cloud storage solutions for your organization or personal use.

How does Cloud Storage work?

The “cloud” in cloud storage is a collection of remote storage locations and servers accessible through a secure internet connection. Instead of storing files on your computer’s hard drives, cloud storage works by storing your files on a remote server and then accessing them through a secure internet connection.

Your organization could create and maintain its own cloud server if it has the resources to do so. However, many organizations pay for cloud storage through one of the major cloud storage services, such as Google Drive, IDrive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Dropbox. In exchange for a monthly fee, these services will store your files on their servers for you, saving space on your individual computers and making it easier to share and collaborate.

Advantages of Cloud Storage

Better Security

Unless your organization is large enough to build and maintain its own secure file repository, your digital security probably won’t be as good as a cloud storage provider’s security would be. Major providers use huge, centralized server banks that they have the resources to protect with the best physical and digital security measures available. Having a good reputation for security and reliability is a huge part of their business model, so they have a vested interest in keeping your information secure from outside attacks.

Better Preservation

Though they’re really just made out of a collection of magnetic charges, digital files can actually be much more securely preserved than physical documents. This is because of how easy it is to duplicate digital files. While you could create and store your files’ duplicates (or backups) on your own hard drives, this can take up a huge amount of storage space.

Whether your organization pays for cloud storage through a service provider or maintains its own centralized cloud storage, having access to all the additional space cloud servers offer makes storing copies of the same digital file in multiple locations easier. Syncing features also allow teams to stay updated with each other’s changes while maintaining multiple redundant copies on each team member’s computer. If anything happens to one copy in one location, other copies can be used as a backup.

Better Collaboration

By storing a central master copy of a file on a cloud server, your team can collaborate on it live, seeing each other’s changes in real-time. Without live collaboration, each person’s edits must be made one at a time and then copied via email to each other, each newest copy becoming the new official draft.

This process can be very time-consuming and inconvenient, especially if the rest of the team needs to wait a long time for the person with the most current version of the file to pass it on. With live collaboration, your team members can each make the edits they need to make when it’s convenient for them.

Collaborating via cloud storage also allows access to a powerful suite of collaboration tools and features, like highlights and comments, edit suggestions, and edit tracking. Combined with a good internet connection, this centralization makes remote work easy and effective, improving the flexibility and resilience of your teams and your organization more broadly.

More Storage Space

This one is pretty obvious, but one of the major benefits of cloud storage through one of the big providers is simply that there is always more space available.

As your organization continues to do business, especially if you grow rapidly, you will eventually run out of digital storage and need to scale up. If your organization maintains its own digital storage system, scaling up can mean adding new hardware and software to handle the increased demands. These additions aren’t just expensive; they can sometimes take a while to set up, potentially delaying your scale-up.

However, scaling up your digital storage space is as simple as ticking a box and sometimes paying a slightly increased monthly fee when using a cloud storage provider.

Less to Worry About

Keeping all of your digital files stored on your own hardware means you’ll have to maintain that hardware, which takes up valuable time and energy for you or your employees. Cloud storage providers make keeping your files secure, organized, and available much easier, so you have more time to focus on your core business.

Better Cost-Efficiency

Unless your organization has the resources to match the security, capacity, and reliability of the major cloud storage providers, getting all of these features for a nominal monthly fee is well worth it.

Why should I trust cloud storage? What are the risks?

Though the idea of storing your important digital documents on another organization’s servers may feel uncomfortable, it’s actually a very low-risk option. To explain why, here are some of the possible risks involved in cloud storage and how they’re mitigated:

What if the storage provider gets hacked?

While it’s important to take cybersecurity risks seriously, cloud storage providers typically have the resources to protect your data with some of the best digital security measures available. These large companies’ business model is based on offering secure, reliable storage, so they go to great lengths to ensure that something like this never happens. Additionally, unless your organization is very large, the cloud storage provider likely has better security measures than your organization could afford to implement.

What if I lose internet access?

One of the only drawbacks of cloud storage is that means accessing your files will depend on the strength and reliability of your internet connection. Fortunately, internet connections have been getting faster and more reliable for years. At the same time, outages have been getting shorter and less frequent. Depending on where you work and where your organization is based, you should be able to access reliable, high-speed internet for a nominal fee.

If you have certain files that you can’t risk losing access to, even temporarily, these can be kept on one of your organization’s computers while backups and other documents are kept in the cloud. If you work in a place with unreliable internet access, cloud storage can still be a valuable tool for storing files that don’t need to be accessed regularly.

What if the storage provider’s servers get damaged?

While this is always possible, the storage provider’s servers being damaged by human error or natural disasters are both unlikely. The facilities where these servers are housed are usually protected by the best weatherproofing and internal climate controls that money can buy, and they typically aren’t built in areas prone to natural disasters.

More importantly, even if one of their server locations was somehow destroyed or damaged, most storage providers keep backup copies of every file in different locations around the world. While the damaged server is being repaired, you can still access your file backups from the other server as if nothing has changed. Once the damaged server is back up and running, your files will be backed up again.

Will the storage provider try to read or sell my organization’s data?

This is not likely for a few reasons. Firstly, there are regulations in most countries preventing the improper use of other people’s data, and accessing or selling the data you upload for the purposes of storage without your explicit consent would almost certainly qualify as improper use in any jurisdiction.

Second, storage providers make their money on their reputation for reliability and security, and files which are not kept secure from unauthorized access or use simply are not secure, whether the one’s accessing it are malicious third parties or the storage providers themselves.

Finally, while your data is obviously extremely important to you, it’s probably not that interesting to a storage provider. Compared with the hefty fines and substantial reputational damage from selling your data without permission, the meagre profit they’d make from doing so simply isn’t worth it.

What is hybrid storage? How does it work?

Hybrid storage involves the use of both HDDs and SSDs. An HDD (or Hard Disc Drive) has been the standard type of digital storage device for decades. They contain multiple spinning discs which are used to read and write data.

On the other hand, an SSD (or Solid State Drive) has no moving parts and uses magnetic charges to read and write data much faster than HDDs. However, that speed comes with increased cost, and although they’re slower, HDDs are still fast enough to work just fine for most purposes.

When you’re looking for a storage solution, what’s more important to you? Speed? Or storage space? If you want speed, you should look for a storage provider that uses SSDs, and if you want more space for the same cost, you should find a provider using HDDs.

But what if you need fast loading speeds for only some of your files but don’t want to pay the steep SSD premium for your entire collection? This is when you need a hybrid solution.

When building your own storage hardware system, you need to buy enough SSDs to store all the files you want to load quickly and then enough HDDs to store everything else. When setting up a hybrid storage solution with a cloud storage provider, all you have to do is let them know how much fast storage you’ll need and how much can be normal storage.

At some point in the future, you may want to increase or decrease the fast storage you can access. If you built and maintain your own in-house storage system, there’s no point in reducing your fast storage, even if you don’t need it all, because you already bought the SSDs. Increasing your fast storage would mean buying more, which is an expensive upfront cost.

However, if you use a cloud storage provider, they will almost always have more storage than you need, so you just have to ask them to increase it when you need more or decrease it when you want to cut back. Because the cost of cloud storage is ongoing, not upfront, you only pay what you need to.

Cloud Storage with Consentia

If you’re looking to leverage the benefits of digital systems and cloud storage for your physical files, then you need to digitize them first. As digitization experts, we can help you seamlessly transition your information into the digital world and help you manage your new digital documents once they’re created. For large collections, we can even build secure, customized cloud storage solutions for your organization.

Get in touch with us today to learn more! Our specialists would be happy to answer any questions you may have and provide a full consultation, and see how we can help you elevate your organization by enhancing your information management.

Man using a scanner to digitize a document with OCR

May 26, 2023

How OCR Enhances Document Scanning

One of the greatest advantages of digital formats is the ability to search through your documents for specific words or numbers. While it may not seem that important, the ability to hit CTRL+F and instantly find a name or title or serial number in a file that may be hundreds of pages long is a huge time-saver.

However, when you take a photo or a raw document scan rather than creating it digitally, all you have is an image of the text. You may be able to read the text clearly, but the computer you’re looking at it on only processes image pixels.

That’s where Optical Character Recognition comes in.

OCR is a technology that enables the conversion of scanned or photographed documents into editable and searchable text. It is a key component of document digitization and plays a crucial role in transforming physical documents into machine-readable data. Here’s how OCR technology works and why it’s beneficial:

How Optical Character Recognition Works

Document Scanning: The process begins with document scanning. Physical documents like paper files are scanned using specialized document scanners or cameras.
Image Processing: The scanned document images are then processed to enhance their quality and prepare them for OCR. This may involve removing noise, adjusting brightness and contrast, and straightening skewed or tilted images to optimize OCR accuracy.
Text Recognition: The OCR software analyzes the processed document images and identifies patterns, shapes, and contours that resemble characters. It recognizes and interprets these characters as individual letters, numbers, symbols, and words. The software employs sophisticated algorithms and pattern recognition techniques to accurately identify and segment text elements.
Character Conversion: After the text is recognized, OCR software converts the identified characters into machine-readable formats, such as ASCII or Unicode. This conversion enables the extracted text to be manipulated, edited, and searched using computer-based applications.
Document Output: Once the OCR process is complete, the output is a searchable and editable digital document. The original scanned image is typically retained alongside the recognized text to provide visual reference if needed. The recognized text can be saved in various file formats, such as PDF, DOC, or TXT, allowing users to edit, store, and retrieve the digitized document efficiently.

Benefits of OCR Technology

Improved Searchability: OCR technology enables the conversion of scanned documents into searchable text. This allows users to quickly search for specific words, phrases, or information within a document or a collection of documents. It significantly enhances information retrieval capabilities and saves time spent manually searching through physical or digital documents.
Enhanced Data Extraction: OCR facilitates the extraction of data from scanned documents, such as invoices, forms, or receipts. It automates the extraction process by recognizing and capturing key data fields, such as customer names, addresses, invoice numbers, and amounts. This reduces manual data entry errors, improves accuracy, and increases operational efficiency.
Editability: By converting scanned documents into editable text, OCR enables users to make modifications, corrections, or additions to the content. This is particularly useful when updating or repurposing documents, creating new versions, or extracting specific sections for further analysis or presentation.
Improved Accessibility: OCR technology improves accessibility for individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties. By converting text into digital formats, OCR allows the use of screen readers and text-to-speech technologies, making documents accessible to a wider audience.
Better Preservation: OCR aids in preserving and managing large volumes of historical or archival documents. By digitizing and making them searchable, OCR ensures the long-term accessibility and preservation of valuable documents while minimizing physical storage requirements.

Without OCR, scanned documents are just images, but with it, they become truly digital documents which can leverage all the benefits of digital formats, like searchability, easy editability, and format flexibility.

In order to help you get the most out of your documents, we offer OCR on all of our scanning projects, no matter how big or small. After your files are digitized using our top-of-the-line scanning equipment, our dedicated quality assurance team will make all the necessary adjustments to ensure OCR compatibility. When our OCR tools are finished with your documents, you’ll be able to search any section instantly, making it easier to find important information quickly.

Get in touch with our scanning experts today to learn more about how document scanning and OCR can enhance your document management, saving you time and money with lightning-fast searchability and far more efficient document storage.

May 19, 2023

Digitizing Your Archives to Find Buried Treasures

In today’s digital age, the value of data and information cannot be overstated. However, there is a wealth of information trapped in old archives, often on paper or microfilm, that is difficult to access and sift through. These archives can be a goldmine for researchers, historians, and even business leaders trying to find valuable information about past contracts, transactions, or projects.

Digitization offers a solution to this challenge, providing a way to convert paper documents, microfilm, and other physical media into digital formats that can be easily searched, indexed, and accessed. In this blog, we’ll explore the value of digitization in making information trapped in old archives easier to access and sift through and the many benefits this can offer for researchers and other professionals seeking to unlock the secrets of the past.

The Challenges of Accessing Information in Old Archives

Old archival records are often stored in physical formats like paper documents or microfilm, which can present significant challenges when it comes to accessing and sifting through the information they contain.

Challenges of Paper Files

Paper documents are often the primary source of information in old archives, but they present numerous challenges when it comes to accessing and searching through the content. Some of the most common challenges of paper files include:

Physical deterioration: Over time, paper documents can become brittle, discoloured, or otherwise damaged, making them difficult or impossible to handle or read.
Outdated storage methods: Many old archives were stored using outdated methods that can further contribute to physical deterioration, such as acid-based paper or inadequate climate control.
Time-consuming manual search: Searching through paper documents can be tedious and labour-intensive, requiring individuals to manually sift through pages to find the information they need.
Limited searchability: Unlike digital documents, paper files are not easily searchable, meaning that researchers may need to read through large amounts of text to find specific keywords or phrases.

Challenges of Microfilm Files

Microfilm was commonly used to store documents in the mid-20th century, and while it offers some advantages over paper documents, it also presents unique challenges for accessing and searching through the information it contains. Some of the most common challenges of microfilm files include:

Limited searchability: Even more so than paper documents, microfilm is not easily searchable, formatted either as long reels or small jackets of fiche, both of which require specialized magnification equipment to read.
Risk of Damage: Microfilm is a fragile medium that can be easily damaged or destroyed, especially if it is not stored or handled properly. In fact, most microfilm records are already deteriorating, meaning that the information they contain is at risk of disappearing forever. Even if your microfilm somehow isn’t already deteriorating, opening it to read the information contained within will begin the deterioration process unless handled in perfect environmental conditions by archival experts.

The Benefits of Digitization

Increased Accessibility and Searchability

Perhaps the most significant benefit of digitization is that it makes it easier to access and search through large amounts of information quickly and efficiently. Digital documents can be searched using specific keywords or phrases, allowing researchers to quickly find the information they need without needing to sift through large quantities of text. Digitization also allows documents to be accessed remotely, meaning that researchers can access the information they need from anywhere in the world without needing to physically travel to the location of the archive.

Improved Efficiency and Productivity

Digitization also allows for improved efficiency and productivity when it comes to managing and accessing large quantities of data. Digital documents can be stored and indexed in a centralized database, making it easier to manage, sort, and search through information. Additionally, digitization allows for the use of digital tools like optical character recognition (OCR), which can automatically convert scanned text into machine-readable formats, saving time and effort in the data entry process.

Preservation of Physical Documents

Digitization also allows for the preservation of physical documents, which can be subject to physical deterioration, loss, or damage over time. By converting paper documents or microfilm into digital formats, organizations can ensure that the information contained in these records can be duplicated nearly instantly, and stored in multiple locations, vastly increasing the odds of permanent preservation.

Easier Storage and Retrieval

Storing physical documents can be a logistical challenge, requiring significant amounts of space and resources to maintain. Digitization eliminates the need for physical storage, allowing digital documents to be stored and accessed easily and efficiently.

Digital Indexing

Digitization also allows for the creation of digital indexes, which can make it easier to locate and retrieve specific documents or pieces of information quickly and efficiently. Digital indexes can be created using metadata, such as date, author, or subject matter, allowing researchers to quickly find the information they need.

Overall, digitization offers numerous benefits when it comes to accessing and managing information in old archives, making it easier to search, store, and access large quantities of data quickly and efficiently.

In conclusion, the challenges of accessing and sifting through information in old archives can be significant. However, digitization offers numerous benefits that can make it easier to manage and access the information trapped in these records. By digitizing paper files or microfilm, organizations can increase the accessibility and searchability of their records, improve efficiency and productivity, preserve physical documents, and make storage and retrieval easier. Additionally, digital indexing makes it easier to locate specific documents or information within large quantities of data.

For organizations looking to make their archives more accessible and efficient, digitization is a crucial step. By converting physical documents into digital formats, organizations can save time, space, and resources, while also ensuring that the information contained in these records is preserved for future generations. Contact us today to learn more about how digitization can benefit your organization.

12 3 4 5