Is Digital Imaging Right for Your Organization? Part One

Considering digital imaging as part of your RM program? How do you know if it is right for you? How quickly can you expect to see ROI? What things do you need to consider?

These are common questions for most organizations, so we put together a needs assessment that will help you get some answers.

In Part 1, we concentrate on your imaging objectives and your current filling environment. In Part 2, we will look at imaging in terms of collaboration and access, compliance and disaster recovery, as well as records management strategy.

Your Digital Imaging Objectives

1. Do you currently use digital imaging in any capacity in your environment? You need to understand your current context before starting any new projects.

2. What are the top reasons you are considering a digital imaging project? For example, do you want:

• Storage efficiency (space/management/archiving/backup)
• Improved information retrieval and access
• Streamlined workflow
• Enhanced collaboration
• Improved file tracking capabilities
• Compliance support
• Augment our disaster recovery/business continuity plan
• Improved customer service

Your Current Filing Environment

1. How large is your filing system? What is your organization’s total current number of:

Active records

• Onsite
• Offsite

Inactive records

• Onsite
• Offsite

2. Does your file storage include multiple locations? Where are they?

3. What is the total footprint (in sq ft) your organization has dedicated to file storage? Estimate the cost associated with that for:

• Active files
• Historical files

4. If you use offsite records storage, estimate the total percentage of total collections retrieved:

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly

5. What is the current number of employees involved in performing filing and retrieving tasks?

6. Estimate the time in hours per day those personnel spend retrieving, filing, refilling and searching for files.

7. Within your current file organization model, rank the effectiveness of your file retrieval:

• We are always able to find files (95-100% within reasonable time frame)
• We are usually able to find files (75-95%)
• We can find files most of the time (50-75%)
• Frequently we can’t locate files (35-50%)
• File retrieval is a major issue for us (0-35%)

8. How are you currently tracking your files?

• Honor System
• Manual Sign In/Out
• Software/Barcode System
• RFID tags

9. How much are you currently spending annually on filing supplies like file folders and labels?

In Our Experience . . .

We hope that the exercise of going through this needs assessment has been helpful in illustrating where digital imaging might strengthen your overall RM program. These questions are designed as a starting point, a way for you to gather information that will help you match solutions to your needs.

At TAB, our long-standing experience in helping companies with their imaging requirements has taught us that every situation is unique. In many cases, a complete conversion to electronic isn’t desirable or feasible, but instead converting day-forward files, historical files, or critical files is what is needed. Whatever you are looking for, if you are want to find out how imaging can help your organization, please call us.

Next Steps

• After you have reviewed the questions and considered your answers, feel free to contact us and we can help you interpret your findings.
• You can also get our Imaging Readiness Tool or watch a video detailing how we helped the Retina Group get rid of 40% of their files with imaging.