Imaging 101

In the Beginning
   Personal computers first emerged at the onset of the 1980s, many thought they would quickly usher in the era of the paperless office. Currently over 300 million tons of paper per year is used. Offices are drowning in paperwork that sometimes even impedes their ability to compete. One potential solution: computerize the paper, which means to turn pages into computer image documents and then use computers to maintain the information contained therein.

Understanding Document Images
   Document images are the computer-file equivalent to paper documents. In other words, paper documents are scanned by computer scanners, these pictures (images) of pages is then captured in computer memory. These captured pictures (images) are then stored in electronic form as computer files which can be viewed on PC monitors, printed, archived electronically (put in long-term computer storage) or retrieved electronically, virtually instantaneously, via a number of computerized methods.
   Document images differ, for example, from word processed documents, in that image documents are essentially computerized images made up of patterns of tiny dots, whereas word-processed documents code all the numbers and alphabetic letters used in text, so the text can be edited. With image documents, at least initially, any text on a page is handled, as a picture of text, not coded text that can be easily edited.

Some of the potential benefits of image document processing include:

• Automation of some of the endless flow of paperwork that passes through every office
• Reduction of paper piles on people's desks (and associated problems)
• A logical method of organizing the papers that everyone uses
• Reduction of time spent transporting documents from one desk or office to another plus the time it takes for documents to move from point to point
• Reduction of time spent looking for lost and archive documents.

   Using document image systems to create a totally paperless office is expensive and could very well be counter productive. There will always be some paper, but using document image systems to manage certain types of documents for specific applications can be highly rewarding.
   Document Image processing is not a panacea, however buyers must consider not only whether upfront and ongoing costs are justified, but also must make sure that the systems truly provide the benefits they claim to provide. After all, one doesn't replace one, or even twenty $500 file cabinets with a $10,000 image document processing system without good, solid reasoning. The real payoffs of document image processing are as follows:

•   An existing workforce can handle a larger workload by automating certain aspects. Sometimes, where the burden of processing paper documents has become unmanageable and is having an adverse affect on business operation, image processing can bring the situation back under control.
  
•   A reduced workforce can handle existing workloads (i.e., enabling the dreaded "downsizing").
  
•   Business, cycles can be accelerated so that certain transactions are completed more quickly. In some cases, businesses can gain competitive advantages over their rivals by using image processing systems to speed customer service.
  
•   Space can be saved because image document processing systems take up less room than any physical file cabinets they replace.
  
•   Customer satisfaction can be greatly increased, as the documents necessary to respond to requests are made instantly available.

Elements of Document Image Systems
   Document image systems consist of a number of elements:

•   Scanners to start the process of turning paper documents into electronic images
  
•   Software to process and manage image files
  
•   General?purpose PCs or specially?equipped image processing scan stations
  
•   Monitors suitable for handling image documents
  
•   Storage systems, ranging from hard disk drives to optical?disk drives and CD Jukeboxes
  
•   Miscellaneous capabilities, such as duplexing (the ability to process both sides of scanned pages at once); scanning of color documents; book scanning mode (flatbed scanning) and the ability to link multiple scanners to a single system.

Computers
   Computers are required to run document image systems. Some systems may require centralized computers, called servers, where most actual document storage will be located, but all systems require end?user computers where documents are indexed, viewed, printed, faxed or otherwise processed.
   Originally computers were always bundled in with turnkey document image processing systems, because the integrating of various hardware and software was difficult. Now vendors of document image processing systems offer software only and leave the rest up to the MIS department of the organization. There is now a trend to revert back to the turnkey systems as organizations find this to be less expensive than have specially trained MIS staff and so that there is only one place to point to when problems occur.

Monitors
   No longer are special monitors required to deal with images. Monitors used to be a major issue for document image processing systems but now a regular 17" monitor is acceptable, however 19" or larger monitor is preferred only because it provides more area to view multiple images.

Storage Systems
   Storage systems consist of:

•   Storage hardware, which may be comprised of hard drives, optical?disk drives, other types of computer storage or some hierarchical mix of all types of storage.
  
•   Software that manages the storage of image files so they are retrievable and all files can be backed up.

   In the early days of image document processing systems, optical?disk drives were the premier choice for system storage because they alone offered very high capacity storage and random access for virtually instantaneous retrieval of stored documents.
   Today, hard?disk drives have caught up to optical disks in terms of capacity, plus they tend to provide even speedier random access to image files. Moreover, hard drives offer a much better price and performance. For these reasons, hard disk drives are now becoming widely used for document image processing.
   There is one excellent reason, however, to work with CD-ROM or optical drives that use write?once, read?many (WORM) technology and that reason is image document security. Because of the nature of the ways hard drives work…anything on them can be erased and replaced with new data in a split?second. WORM drives, in contrast, allow a file to be "written" on them only once, and then those files cannot be erased. They can be "read" unlimited times, which means they can be retrieved, viewed, printed and so on, but never natively edited or modified. Thus, when image documents must be archived and their "integrity" never compromised, WORM storage is the preferred solution.
   Whether choosing fixed or removable storage technology, it's critical that buyers make certain they can always allow for enough storage to meet their growing needs. Having an image document system that runs out of storage space is like having a car that runs out of gas…you have to stop until you get some more.
   There is a technology, which uses the best of both worlds. It is writing the files onto CD-ROM as a way of permanent record and then moving the files to a special area on the hard disk that is not backed up on tape. If for some reason the hard disk fails the images can easily be restored from the permanent CD's. Incidentally, most hard disk storage uses a RAID technique that allows one disk drive to fail without any loss of data. A new drive is inserted and the RAID system automatically loads up (from the other drives) what was missing on the drive that failed.

Printers
   Laser and Inkjet printers are used to print images. Be aware that even though you have a 20 page a minute laser printer, when you print images you will probably only get 4 to 5 pages per minute. This is because an average business page is made up of over 300,000 bits and these have to be transmitted to the printer. There are special boards installed on printers that receive the image in compressed mode (like on your hard disks) and explode them inside the printer allowing the printer to print at printer speed.

Software
   Imaging software provides a broad range of functionality supporting such processes as document entry and indexing, information storage and retrieval, business form creation, workflow routing and communications. Moreover, it's the software that provides the visual interface through which end users execute the all-important functions and system administrators manage overall system functions. Prospective buyers should understand the use of the software before buying. Remember, the reason for archiving a document is so that you will be able to retrieve it when you want. There are four basic ways documents are located:

1. By looking in the folder.
2. By searching for the document by name.
3. By searching on a field with an indexing system to find the document.
4. By searching for a word or words in the document. This can only be done if the images have previously been OCR'd.

Here are areas of software that need to be considered:

Ease of Use
   The software should be so easy to use; it should require very little training for the average user. Software that requires extensive training for the casual user, can take away from many of the benefits of the imaging system. Consider how easily and intuitively the software lets users retrieve image document files. For example, do people have to work their way through numerous layers of drop?down menus and then work their way answering crowded dialog boxes?

•   How many retrieval methods are available?
  
•   Can users leaf quickly through documents in a file folder or just see a list of file names?
  
•   Can they search for indexed key words (which support quick searching)?
  
•   Can they initiate full-text key-word searches?

Filing
   Many systems use the same terminology as with manual filing cabinets (i.e. filing cabinets, folders, documents). It should be easy to create Folders and to insert a Document into them. Documents may need to be cross-referenced, similar to index cards in a library (i.e. Invoice Number; Purchase Order; Policy Number; Effective Date; etc.).

OCR
   Optical Character Recognition software scans an image and converts the alphanumeric to computer?coded text. This text can then be stored in a search software database. Then the image software can perform full?text key?word searches of the text to find the document with the matching words.

Annotation Tools
   The system should not let users edit or change the original content of image documents, thus providing the confidence that these are the unchanged originals. Annotations might include highlighting, redacting (blacking out), stick'em notes, etc. For this, the software needs to provide on?screen annotation tools and it's critical that such tools be convenient and easy to use. Make sure the annotations do not affect the original image.

Workflow
   When the document image processing system is connected to a network, it is then possible to create computerized workflows for document images. Workflow is software that allows for the preprogrammed routing of documents to the workstations of the various workers. An example is when a worker needs an item purchased. They fill out a purchase request form. This form is sent to the supervisor for approval. It is then sent to accounting for budget approval. From there, it goes to purchasing where it is attached to a purchase order that is sent to the warehouse for receiving. When it is received the receiving documents are attached and it is sent to accounting. It is finally paid and all the documents are attached to a copy of the voucher check. In such a situation, workflow would automatically route the document without the need of physically moving paper. BIG saving. Some companies have reported clerical savings of 70% because of the efficiencies and reduction of mistakes.

Network Communications
   Many document image systems operate on a CFC Standalone basis. For example, when workers need to retrieve archived documents, calls are placed to document image system operators who retrieve the files, print a copy and deliver them to requesting parties. On the other hand, it increasingly makes sense for document image processing systems to connect to LANs and corporate networks so managers, users and other authorized parties can access them. This is especially true where document image systems are used, not just to put files into deep archives, but to move them through a processing cycle, as with the workflow systems described above. It is important for the buyer to make sure that all the filing structures, cross references and filing systems are the same for the CFC Standalone and the network version of the document image software, if they plan to start with the CFC Standalone and later migrate to the network.

What happens to the paper?
   When an organization first installs a document image system normally they are afraid to destroy the scanned paper. There is the fear that they will need it and worry that the computer will lose the scanned image. Since good systems have total backup, most fears are quickly relieved about a computer's loss of images. Soon the employees become comfortable in the retrieving of images and they no longer fear the loss of paper…because with a click, they can print it. Now, what about the pages that legally say you MUST keep the original. Even though the courts and Congress are eliminating more and more barriers of "legal requirements", there are some remaining where the "original" must be produced.
   Let's see if a live example can show a solution to the "original" requirement. An insurance company gets signed applications with eight or so supporting pages. They scan in the signed application and the supporting papers. They separate the signed application from the rest of the papers. The "rest of the papers" are destroyed at the end of the day when the backups are completed. The signed applications are then filed as a group by the date scanned. The scanning software automatically saves the scan-date with the image. If ever in the future (1 in 100,000) requires the signed original they need only check for the date scanned, go to that box and search through the stack for the paper. As you can see it is much easier to file by date scanned than putting into folders, particularly when the original very rarely is required.

Intangibles
   The best use of document image systems is to automate one or more aspects of the processing of specific sets of documents. Which documents these are may vary from business to business and department to department. They can be sales orders, purchasing, accounting, claims processing, support, etc. Often, these documents, once filed, will rarely be retrieved. However, when they are needed efficient retrieval can greatly increase the efficiency of an operation. Whatever the application the organization should move slowly into the various aspects of imaging, letting the employees become comfortable with this new medium. You will be surprised at the new ways to benefit your origination your people will discover.

Graduation
   Congratulations, you have completed Imaging 101. By now you should at least understand a little bit more as to a document image system is. When PC's first appeared people were heard to say, "You don't really believe there will be a PC on every desk…besides there is just enough room for the typewriter and you'll never replace that." We believe that in not too many years people will look back and try to remember what filing cabinets looked like. Or in a museum see "IN and OUT" boxes. Think, less than 10 years ago only a very few knew what voicemail was. Less than 5 years ago who would of thought of sending grandma an email. Get your feet wet, come join the revolution…Scan it!