Archive for the ‘document scanning service’ Category

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

The Wall Street Journal recently reviewed a couple of pieces of hardware that you could use to help you manage your paper in your home office. Katherine Boehret looked at the PlanOn System Solutions Inc.’s $300 PrintStik PS905ME (a printer) and the ScanSnap S1300 (a scanner). While she liked the small size of each, she did not love either device. The small printer sounds like it comes with a number of drawbacks, including using a funny + expensive thermal paper and printing on paper that comes in a single, long roll.

She appreciated the ScanSnap’s software because it is very easy to use and install. Katherine’s main complaint on the ScanSnap is that it is probably not good at handling old or fragile documents. I’d agree with this, but point out that even OfficeDrop’s expensive industrial scanners are not meant for fragile paper. Instead, we flatbed these materials - as should you. I’ve got an older ScanSnap on my desk, and while it does not provide the same level of beautiful scans as our multi-thousand dollar scanners, it does a great job for the size and price. We continue to recommend ScanSnaps to our customers who want to do their own scanning.

Posted in Document Scanners, Paperless, Paperless Champions, Small Business, document scanning service | No Comments »

Pixily Mentioned in VentureBeat and the Virtual Legal Assistant

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

OfficeDrop’s document management and document scanning solution has had a couple of great mentions in some good blogs.

VentureBeat

Brent Frei, co-founder of Smartsheet.com, and previously the CEO of Onyx Software wrote a piece for VentureBeat on the coming battle of “software portals.” Brent is discussing how businesses are becoming more and more comfortable using cloud based software, and believes that certain software providers (SalesForce, Intuit and Google) will become the dominant platforms where small businesses purchase all of their software products and services. Basically, different online software companies will develop integrated products that run on and are sold through specific large company cloud/distribution platforms.

As Brent discusses the Intuit Workplace and suggests small businesses “Round out your … Intuit Workplace with Document Management from OfficeDrop.”

The Virtual Legal Assistant

The Virtual Legal Assistant mentions OfficeDrop as a great way to get your law office organized for the new year. They suggest that OfficeDrop is a good solution for the “solopreneur” looking to manage a reasonable amount of paper documents.

Posted in Document Management, Marketing, Pixily, Press coverage, document scanning service, partnerships | No Comments »

Small Business Tax Dates: W-2 and 1099 forms due January 31

Monday, January 18th, 2010

We know it isn’t fun, but staying organized for tax season can save you many hours of sorting through piles of paper and receipts come deadlines like January 31. It is usually recommended that you keep a number of categorized folders to keep all of your tax-relevant documents in check. With OfficeDrop’s online document manage system, you can do just that, except without the sharpie and paper folders. Assign digital folders and labels to keep all of your tax info organized in one electronic storage.

Scan wage records for the W-2

The W-2 form, used to return information about wages paid to employees is required of employers by January 31^st. If you have a number of invoices or other documents relating to employee expenses, they can be easily scanned and organized with OfficeDrop. Once they are in your OfficeDrop account, you can organize them with labels, folders, and search all documents - giving you instant access to the resources you need for a W-2 form.

Scan non-employee invoices and more for the 1099

Also due by January 31^st, the 1099 form requires information return of many expenditures besides employee wages. Information required includes: Subcontractor payment, healthcare payment, royalties, rents, and attorney fees. That’s a lot of information, so it’s imperative that you keep it all organized, and in one place. This can all be done on your OfficeDrop account.

OfficeDrop makes taxes easier

Our online document management system makes it simple to organize your tax documents, and keep them organized. Our mail-in system allows you to mail us your documents securely, and we will do all the scanning for you. Scan receipts, invoices, bills, and organize them from your account anywhere the internet is accessible. If you are uploading files already on your computer or in your email, you can now upload those documents directly to a folder or labels you have made.

If you are making tax decisions, you should consult your tax advisor since the rules change often and may be different in your are. We aren’t tax attorneys or tax advisers, so make sure you are getting the right advice for your situation.

Posted in Benefits, Taxes, document scanning service | No Comments »

Top Nine of ‘09

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

We’re all looking forward to the New Year here at OfficeDrop, but have found ourselves thinking back on the events of the last 12 months. To bring closure to the passing year, we’ve compiled a list of the top 9 most helpful/ popular blog posts of 2009.

Our Top Nine of ‘09:

1. OfficeDrop Scans Google QR Code

Google brought about a new level of business advertising with the new QR code. We showed you how to scan your code and spread your business. You’ll be sure to see more of the QR code in 2010.

2. How Long Should I Save Tax Documents?

OfficeDrop makes storage of your tax documents easy and hassle free, but how long are you meant to hang on to this information? This post was especially popular and will become especially helpful come April.

3. Scanning Documents to OfficeDrop using Snow Leopard and Preview

Apple’s new OS made document scanning easier by allowing you to scan, view and correct files through the image preview. In this helpful blog post we provide a video informing you of how to get the most out of document scanning with Snow Leopard.

4. Steps to Create the Paperless Office

Going paperless is both productive for your office, and friendly toward the environment. In this blog post we’ve provided you with some important steps to move you in a paperless direction.

5. Count Your Documents (Series)

In our ‘count your documents’ series of blog posts, we help you answer the question “how much paper do I have?” You can use these guides to determine the paper count in your boxes, shelves, cabinets and unbound paper.

6. Online, DVD, USB, and Hard Drive: Finding the Best Storage Medium for Your Digital Documents

There are a lot of ways to store your digital documents. This post will give you a price breakdown of each option, and description of when each is most effective.

7. OfficeDrop Launches Information Site on Document Scanning Services

Some big news of ‘09 was the launch of Documentscanningservice.com. Powered by OfficeDrop, Document Scanning Service is a free resource for those who want to know all the facts on document scanning.

8. Remember Everything, including paper, with OfficeDrop and Evernote

At OfficeDrop, we are really happy to have integrated with Evernote. With OfficeDrop and Evernote, you can get to your scanned documents without an internet connection. Find out how to use OfficeDrop and Evernote!

9. OfficeDrop iPhone Interface: The other side of ubiquitous capture

These days, mobile access is huge. OfficeDrop offers a mobile optimized web page so you can access all of your documents on the go on your iphone.

Those are our top nine of ‘09. Hope you found them helpful. Let us know your thoughts on OfficeDrop, blog topics, or the past year by commenting below!

Posted in Document Management, Document Scanners, Evernote Document Management, Organization, Paperless, Paperless Champions, Pixily, Product Features, Taxes, document scanning service, partnerships | 1 Comment »

Pixily Launches Information Site on Document Scanning Services

Friday, December 18th, 2009

We are very excited to announce the launch of documentscanningservice.com, a resource center for small businesses looking for information on document scanning. As OfficeDrop continues to grow we’ve noticed that there are recurring questions from business owners about how to best use an outside vendor for document scanning services.

We hope that documentscanningservice.com will be a resource center that helps educate people on the important questions to ask when embarquing on a scanning project. The document scanning learning center includes information on making documents text searchable, DPI, storage mediums for digitally scanned images and more.

Of course, visitors will also be able to sign up for OfficeDrop’s document scanning services right from the site! We hope you find this resource helpful; let us know your thoughts.

Posted in document scanning service | No Comments »

Count Your Documents: Unbound Paper

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Estimating how many documents you have is the first step in starting to convert your paper documents. However, with paper hiding in all sorts of forms, it can be difficult to know how much paper is in each store. Here is the second of several posts to help you estimate the paper volume in your office.

Paper Piles

Maybe you don’t exactly have your papers stored in a box or cabinet. Maybe they’re just…in piles. No need to worry, we have you covered. Paper stacks can be measured and estimated by the inch so you can start scanning them away.

Unbound Paper

Unbound paper piles have approximately 150 to 175 pages per inch.

Posted in Paperless, Pixily, document scanning service | No Comments »

Count Your Documents: Boxes

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Estimating how many documents you have is the first step in starting to convert your paper documents. If you are going to go paperless, you need to know how much paper you have! However, with paper hiding in all sorts of forms, it can be difficult to know how much paper is in each storage medium. Here is the first of several posts to help you estimate the paper volume in your office. Hopefully this will help you get ready for your document scanning project!

What’s in all these Boxes?

They’re square, heavy, and hold a lot of paper. How much paper, you’re wondering? Here are some standard estimates to help you see how much paper you have hiding in boxes.

standard-file-box2 banker-style-boxes3

15″ x 12″ x 11″ standard file box would contain approximately 2,000 to 2,500 pages

30″ x 12″ x 11″ large banker box would contain approximately 4,500 to 5,000 pages

box-page-count3

*Keep in mind these are estimates for full boxes.

Posted in Paperless, document scanning service | 1 Comment »

Online, DVD, USB, and Hard Drive: Finding the Best Storage Medium for Your Digital Documents

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

When you sign up with OfficeDrop document scanning service, we give you options as to where your data can be stored. In addition to online data storage, OfficeDrop provides data storage in the form of DVDs, USB memory sticks, and external hard drives. Options are great, but you may be wondering which one is right for you. Size, price, and storage methods will determine the best storage medium.

Here are some suggestions to make your document scanning service most convenient for you:

Online Database (Multiple Scale Storage)

We believe that storing your files online is by far the most versatile, time effective way to access your document images. Documents can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection, anytime, and don’t require any physical storage. Online storage is billed per month by page and you can store 3,000 pages for under $20 per month. We highly recommend online storage for any business but provide the following alternate storage options to meet consumer preferences.

DVDs (Small to Medium Scale Storage)

The average DVD can store around 5 gigabytes of document images (5,000 – 10,000 images). DVD storage is cheap and effective if your office is well suited to store DVDs, which are used infrequently enough that locating and storing disks doesn’t become most of your workday. Physically storing DVDs is relatively simple, as they can be stacked easily in just about any bookshelf.

USBs (Small to Medium Scale Storage)

The USB drives we provide have a capacity similar to a DVD, but are the more expensive choice. Extra costs for USB drives will pay off in their added durability, portability, and easier file sharing. If the data you’re storing finds itself being passed around a lot, a USB may be the more convenient choice for you. Storing a single USB drive is easy, but if you need more than a couple, locating the correct one right away in a drawer can be inefficient.

External Hard Drives (Large Scale Storage)

An external hard drive is a great choice for those huge document blocks that can’t fit anywhere else. An external hard drive is the recommended storage medium for storage projects that are 250 gigabytes and up. Pricing for hard drives is done by images, starting at $25 for 5,000 images with discounts for higher volumes. If you’re up to your ankles in DVDs or USB drives, it’s probably a good time to consolidate that information on an external hard drive. Over 50,000 images, an external hard drive almost always makes sense due to its ease of use and price. Storing all of your information in one place is organizationally sound as well as ideal for sharing a high volume of information over your network at once. External hard drives are also a preferred choice when security is a priority. External hard drives can be locked away physically if frequent access is unnecessary.

Data Storage Comparison Table:

Here is a table to help you compare our storage options and pricing.

Hopefully we have helped you choose the document scanning service that is right for you. If you are still unsure of which method would work best for your business, feel free to contact us directly with questions via email or phone. At OfficeDrop, our aim is to make your digital document storage simple, easy, and affordable.

Posted in Document Management, Pricing, document scanning service | 2 Comments »

OCR Software: Giving You The World’s Greatest Filing Assistant

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Every business wants to be organized. When it comes to paper documents, it used to be that organization was proportional to hours of meticulous filing and labeling. After all, what good is storing a file if you can never find it again?

OCR Software Makes it Easy

Nowadays, we have OCR software to find documents instantly, no matter how it’s stored. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) means that, once scanned, the words on a document can be recognized, searched, and retrieved by a computer. Think of it as an assistant who has every word, phrase and topic of every document you have ever filed memorized. Not only that, but this assistant can retrieve any document you’ve described instantly, along with others like it.

Document scanning services like OfficeDrop provide you with that very assistant. Hours spent organizing paper documents physically can be replaced by sending them to OfficeDrop for digital conversion. The best scanning + OCR projects need:

High quality OCR. Without highly accurate OCR software, your text will not be searchable. Our tests have shown that Abby’s OCR engine is the most accurate.
Intelligent index. The index is just like the index in a book; it references where the words, characters and numbers appear in your set of documents and can point you to them.
High enough DPI. DPI is an indication of the detail of the scan. We recommend 200+ DPI. With 200 DPI, your images will be clear enough so that your OCR can cleanly read the words in your documents.
Central digital storage. If you are going to easily search your files, you need them in a single location. The best scanning and OCR aren’t helpful if you have to search through dozens of DVDs to find file that you are looking for.
Easy to use search. Complicated search (highly structured search) works for some engineering intensive fields, but is usually not user friendly enough to be helpful for the typical small business. A simple search tool (think of it as your own personal Google search box) is the easiest way to sort through your files.

Once stored, you are able to search all documents via search terms, and never have to stress about organizing or finding those documents again. Document storage and retrieval is easy with OCR and OfficeDrop.

Posted in Document Management, Organization, Pixily, document scanning service | No Comments »

Magazine Back Issue Scanning Services

Friday, November 13th, 2009

At OfficeDrop, we’ve been approached by a few magazine publishers who are looking to digitize their old issues. Their magazine scanning projects are really interesting. It makes sense that magazines would want to make their old issues text searchable PDFs that can be shown online and crawled by search engines. All that content is perfect for some SEO love from Google, and people are very likely searching for that sort of content everyday! Yet another neat use of OfficeDrop’s document scanning services.

Picking a magazine scanning services provider

Magazine scanning services require special attention. Most scanners can’t easily scan bound material. Older issues have the problem that ink from the other side of the page can seep through. Older, larger sized magazines may not fit in conventional scanners. If magazines haven’t been properly stored they can have creases or wrinkles that need to be flattened out prior to scanning. Remember that bound material may require cutting or hand scanning - which can become quite expensive.

If you are launching a magazine scanning project, you should first send a few samples to your scanning provider to make sure they can handle your scanning job. We recommend sending both a recent issue and one of the older issues as well. The older issues are the ones that tend to have the most yellowing/color issues and the most ink bleed through, so you’ll want to make sure you can get the quality of scanning that you’ll need.

Also, you’ll want to test the OCR software that your provider will use. Without OCR, your PDFs won’t become text searchable. You need OCR to get search engine traffic to your past issues; otherwise they are images that search engines like Google and Bing can’t see into.

DPI also becomes important if you are going to be displaying the images/PDFs online. If the DPI you pick is too large then you’ll end up with very, very large files and images - and thus they won’t be easy for your magazine readers to view online.

Let us know if we can help you out with a magazine scanning project! Call us at 1-888-674-6493. Good luck with your digitization project!

Posted in Paperless, document scanning service | No Comments »