Why Scanning Alone Doesn’t Solve Your Problem

“I love my paper!”

That’s probably the most common thing I hear within the first 15 minutes of meeting a new partner. And I get it! Paper feels good. It’s physical, familiar, and gives us something tangible to hold during meetings or workshops.

But here’s the honest truth: most of those packets never get used again. They sit on desks, get put in filing cabinets, and eventually get shredded without ever contributing value to your work.

That’s not because people don’t want to go back to them — it’s because paper doesn’t work the way we work today.

The Real Problem Isn’t Paper: It’s Availability

When information lives on paper:

• Only one person can use it at a time
• It’s stuck in one physical place
• It’s hard to find unless you remember exactly where it is
• It doesn't actually do anything for you

After meetings, most of us walk back to desks with dual monitors, calendars full of tasks, emails that need answers, and work that needs action. Paper doesn’t help you do any of that.

This is why scanning becomes a logical first step. It’s the moment an organization acknowledges that paper can’t support modern work. But scanning alone is just a conversion. It doesn’t make information useful.

But What Does the Data Say?

People often ask, “Is this just my opinion?” No. There’s real evidence that traditional document storage is a drain on productivity and efficiency. But don't take it from IMS, take it from Adobe (Source: How digital organization impacts employees and the workplace)

• 47% of employees say their company’s digital organization system is not easy or effective to navigate.
• 30% of Gen Z employees have considered leaving a job due to their company’s poor digital organization.
• Nearly 3 in 4 employees say poor digital organization interferes with their ability to work effectively.
• Over 1 in 4 employees say their company never conducts regular digital cleanups.
• 83% of employees recreate files that already exist in their business’s system simply because they can’t find them.
• 76% of office workers spend up to three hours per day performing manual data entry tasks.

These aren’t “soft benefits.” They’re measurable impacts on time, responsiveness, and customer experience, all tied to how information is managed, not just whether it’s in a filing cabinet or on a hard drive.

Why Scanning Alone Falls Short

Scanning paper into a digital image or PDF does remove the physical storage issue, but equally important questions remain:

• Can you search the document?
• Can you find the right version?
• Can you share and control access?
• Does it integrate with workflows and tools your teams use every day?

A scanned file stuck on a shared drive or local folder is barely better than paper... it still doesn’t work for you.

So What Makes Scanning Work?

To make scanning actually useful, and not just a digital version of a paper filing cabinet, you need these elements:

Centralized Digital Repository (Document Management System)

A single source of truth where documents are indexed, searchable, and accessible across teams. A centralized system turns scattered files into discoverable information, rather than random digital clutter. If you are looking for one, our IMS team is ready to help put you in the right document management system software. 

Search & Indexing (Not Just Storage)

Optical character recognition (OCR) and metadata tagging let you find documents in seconds, not minutes or hours. In some analysis, digital retrieval can cut search times dramatically compared to paper. Every document we digitize for our clients is OCR'd at no additional cost because we aren't in the scanning business, we are in the "make your data work for you" business. 

Version Control & Governance

A document management system tracks changes, prevents version conflicts, and ensures people work from the most current information. This is something paper never could.

Automated Workflows

Digital systems are capable of routing documents through processes (approvals, reviews, escalation) without manual handoffs. This simple idea alone frees teams to focus on work, not paperwork.

Access & Security Controls

Unlike paper in a filing cabinet, digital systems let you restrict access by role, audit access history, and protect sensitive information which is a must for compliance and risk management.

Real Value Shows Up When Information Works for You

Scanning becomes transformative when it’s not an endpoint, but a starting point for:

• Fast retrieval instead of frantic searching
• Collaboration instead of copying and emailing versions
• Workflow automation instead of paperwork bottlenecks
• Accessibility instead of archiving

In other words:
when information doesn’t just exist digitally. It serves work, scanning starts to pay off.

So How Do I Actually Do That?

Here’s a simple roadmap to make scanning work for you:

1. Start with Outcomes

Define what you want information to do for your business. 

2. Prioritize What Matters

Begin with high-value documents: contracts, legal files, client records, audit-prone materials.

3. Choose the Right Tools

A standalone scanner without management software is a step, not a solution. Look for systems via IMS Technology Group with search, indexing, and governance built in.

4. Apply Standards & Metadata

Consistent naming, tagging, and indexing make retrieval predictable and fast. That’s where real time savings come from. Don't worry if you can't come up with them yourself, IMS has a ton of recommendations. 

5. Integrate and Build Workflows

Scan → route → action. The faster you embed documents into real work processes, the more value they deliver.

Let IMS Technology Group Help Get You Started

Paper feels good, but it doesn’t do work.

Scanning acknowledges that paper is an obstacle.
Document management turns scanning into usable information.

And once you make information work for you, not the other way around, that’s when the business starts to see measurable impact.