How do I scan my file cabinets?

How do I go paperless?
What type of scanner should I buy?

These questions are becoming common in today's business world as the inefficiencies of paper can be eliminated through the use of the proper hardware and software.
The back-scanning of large file rooms can be a huge task, requiring the purchase of equipment, software and usually, some extra employees. Below is an outline of steps to take before moving out on this "paperless" adventure:

Evaluate your current paper files.

How much paper do you have? A good benchmark is that each four drawer file cabinet has bout 10,000 to 12,000 pages depending on how tightly the doors are packed (if you cannot fit any more files in, lean towards the upper number). Now, each page consumes approximately 50K of server space, so an eintire cabinet is about a CD of data, or 500-600 MB. Also take a look at the prep work that will be involved. It amazes me the number of staples folks use when archiving paper files. One simple staple in the left corner never seems to be enough, and I have even seen 5 per packet or document. This will all add to the prep time as you remove staples, post-its, etc. How long will it take to scan the files? Do a benchmark test on a sinlge files and then multiply it out.

Should I outsource the scanning of my file cabinets?

Once you have evaluated your file room, and seen how many files you have, you can get a feel for how long the task will take. With a 90 page per minute scanner, a file drawer will take about a 1/2 hour to scan (that includes a few jams). Then there are the index fields, which depending how many you have per document, can add some additional time. After looking at all these factors, and what it would cost in time, some folks just decide to outsource. Document Scanning Bureaus usually charge a per page fee, plus some additional labor charges. Depending on your market, the cost per page will range from 5-12 cents per page, plus an hourly labor fee. So that 4 drawer cabinet will run you anywhere from $500-1200 plus some labor fees.

How do I figure out what scanner and software to buy?

THere are a ton of options out there, and several websites that can help. http://www.scanguru.com/ is a good place to start. There are some additional articles, and links to many of the vendor sites.
I will go deeper into each of the questions above in separate entries in the future.