Day-Forward Scanning: Benefits and Workflow

1. What Is Backfile Scanning?

Backfile scanning converts paper documents, microfilm, and other hard-copy records into digital files. It focuses on records that were created and stored before the scanning project begins.  These records can cover years of past records, from a few files to a large archive. The work brings those older records into the electronic system so they can be stored and used as digital files.

2. What Are the Benefits of Backfile Scanning?

Once an old archive is digitized, staff do not have to rely on the paper copy for every request. The archive takes up less space and creates less routine work.

Reduced Storage and Administrative Costs

Large paper archives take up office space and might require offsite storage. Staff also have to spend time retrieving files and putting them away again. A digital archive reduces the amount of paper that needs to be stored and handled.

Faster Access to Records

A digitized record can be opened from the electronic system without a search through cabinets or storage areas. People in different departments can use the same file at the same time. There is no need to pass the paper original between users.

Fewer Filing and Retrieval Errors

Misfiled documents are harder to find in a large paper archive. Records can also end up in the wrong place after use. A digital copy stays in the system while the original remains in its assigned location.

Improved Security and Backup

Access controls can limit who can use a digital record. Access logs can show when a file was viewed or changed. Backup copies also give the organization another way to recover records after data loss. Physical records can be damaged by fire or flood. They can also be stolen or accessed without permission.

3. What Is Day-Forward Scanning?

Day-Forward Scanning is the ongoing capture of paper records as they are created or received. It moves new records into the electronic system instead of letting them build up as paper files.  The process starts with a go-forward date. From that date on, new paper records are scanned and added to the electronic system. The date marks the point where new records start going through the day-forward process.

4. What Are the Benefits of Day-Forward Scanning?

Day-Forward Scanning keeps new records in the same electronic system as they come in. That helps prevent a second paper filing system from growing alongside the digital one.

Simplify Records Maintenance

New records can go into the same system used for the rest of the work. Staff then spend less time dealing with paper files. There is less filing and refiling, and fewer paper copies need to be kept.

Keep Records Organized

A steady flow of new scans keeps paper from building up again. Filing cabinets do not keep filling with records that are still in use, and there are fewer loose files to misplace. That also leaves more physical space for records that still need to stay on paper.

Centralize Information

Day-Forward Scanning can bring new records into one electronic system. Departments can then work from the same information instead of keeping separate paper files. Text can also be extracted from printed or handwritten records when the system needs searchable or usable content.

Support Compliance Requirements

A central digital archive can make audits and other reviews easier to handle. Staff can find the records they need without searching through separate filing areas. Digitization alone does not meet every rule, but having records in one system can make them easier to locate and produce.

Reduce Future Backlogs

Once new records follow the day-forward system, they are less likely to pile up into another large paper archive. The business can keep handling new records as they arrive instead of building up another batch for a later mass conversion.

5. Backfile Scanning vs. Day-Forward Scanning: What’s the Difference?

Backfile scanning covers records that have already built up. Day-Forward Scanning starts with new records as they come in. The split is based on when the records enter the archive.

The two approaches can also be used together. An organization can work through its old files while new records follow the day-forward path. That keeps the existing archive and the incoming records on separate tracks.

Neither method has to stand alone. Backfile scanning deals with the records already on hand. Day-forward scanning picks up the records that come after the chosen starting point.

6. Should You Start With Backfile Scanning or Day-Forward Scanning?

Day-forward scanning is ideal for businesses that regularly receive paper documents, allowing new records to be digitized as they arrive while existing archives are scanned separately.

If the existing archive takes up too much space, a move or downsizing is coming up, or staff still use physical files every day, you can go with Backfile Scanning.

The age and frequency of use of records also influence the scanning priority. Older records that are rarely accessed can be digitized with minimal disruption, while files used daily should remain readily accessible to avoid interrupting regular operations.

Decision Factors:

• Existing backlog size

• How often records are used

• Amount of new paper

• Storage space

• Upcoming moves or downsizing

• Time staff have for scanning

• Current scanning needs

7. How to Build a Day-Forward Scanning Workflow

A Day-Forward Scanning workflow gives new paper a set path through the business. Pick a start date, decide which records enter the scan queue, and define where the finished files will go. From there, the same path is used as new records come in.

1. Determine Which Documents Should Be Scanned

Start with the go-forward date. Look at where paper enters the business and mark the records that belong in the scanning path. This gives staff a clear rule for what happens to each new document.

2. Scan New Documents as Part of the Normal Workflow

Scanning works best as part of the regular handling of new records. Small batches can be handled as paper comes in, which keeps another pile from building up. Once a batch is scanned and indexed, the files go into the system of record.

3. Use OCR When Searchable Text Is Needed

OCR converts text on a scanned page into searchable text. That makes it possible to find words in printed or handwritten records and extract text from them. When the record only needs to be viewed as an image, OCR may not be needed.

4. Apply Consistent File Naming and Folder Rules

Use the same naming, indexing, and folder rules that apply to the rest of the electronic records. New scans should fit into the existing filing system without creating a separate set of rules. That keeps the files in the places staff already know to use.

5. Store Files in the Appropriate Digital System

Each scanned record needs a clear storage location after it is indexed. The file may go into a Document Management System or cloud storage. It may also stay in an existing electronic filing system. Access controls and backups should match the rules already used for that system.

6. Define When Paper Originals Can Be Archived or Securely Disposed Of

Keep the paper until the digital record has been scanned, indexed, and placed in the right system. The paper can then be stored or destroyed based on the record's retention rules. When destruction is allowed, secure shredding can be used.

Choosing a Scanner for Day-Forward Scanning

For Day-Forward Scanning, you need to pick based on the volume of incoming scans and their types. An office scanning a few hundred pages a day can use 20-30 ppm. A steady stream of forms or invoices may call for 40-60 ppm. Bigger batches call for 70 ppm or more, while overhead scanners can suit books, bound records, and other items that do not feed well through an ADF.

Figure2-CZUR Scanner

The daily page rating shows how many pages a scanner can scan in a day. Around 1,000 pages suit light use, while regular batch work can reach 3,000-7,500 pages. A 50-sheet ADF is enough for shorter stacks, while larger feeders let you load more pages at once.

The pages also affect the resolution. 300 dpi works for standard office pages. Small print and fine lines may need 400-600 dpi. Poor originals may need the same range. Double-sided scanning saves time when both sides contain useful information. The scanner also needs software that can send the files to the system used for indexing and storage.

Conclusion

An existing paper archive calls for backfile scanning. New records fall under Day-Forward Scanning once the ongoing process is in place, giving each approach a separate role in records management. This can keep the old archive in place while new paper follows the digital system. The timing depends on how much paper is already stored, how often records are needed, how much space is available, and what the business can take on at the time.