Fujitsu PFU Image Scanners For Digital Transformation

Fujitsu Image Scanners

Report conducted by QuoCirca

Historically, paper was a core part of organisations’ processes. As computers and electronic processes developed, scanners became a means of capturing documents and creating digital copies that could then be stored and used as needed.

Over time, the role of the scanner has become far more extensive: as the initial point where data is digitised and directly fed into automated digital workflows within and across organisations, scanners can now largely eliminate paper from many processes. However, it is unlikely that paper will be disappearing any time soon from inter-organisational and customer-to-business/business-to-customer workflows.

To make the most of digitisation, organisations must now address the various issues around how to digitise incoming paper. They must consider volumes, different sizes, quality of paper used, type of input (document, pamphlet, book, etc.), and whether the content of the scan then needs to be extracted as text and/or data to be fed directly into the relevant business processes.

Key Findings

22% of organisations are targeting paperless operations. For some organisations, going paperless is nearly achievable. For most, a target of ‘less paper’ makes more sense. For these, the quick win solution is to eliminate paper wherever possible within the organisation by digitising incoming paper before it enters the environment.

68% of organisations have funding for digitisation projects. Digitisation is high on the agenda: organisations are looking for ways to avoid paper within their processes and end to end workflows. However, incoming paper will remain a problem.

77% of organisations scan all or the majority of their paperwork directly into business processes. As opposed to simply scanning paper to place digital copies into storage systems, the majority of items are being scanned to be a direct part of workflows, enabling greater efficiencies. However, greater effectiveness can only be achieved where the scanning devices support the systems they need to integrate with and don’t become a problem for them.

The main reason for keeping paper is legal compliance. 39% of organisations maintain paper copies of items for legal compliance. However, this is becoming less of a viable argument. Indeed, many governments now prefer or mandate electronic versions of items because they are easier to check, validate, and audit if required. For organisations, digitised data is easier to route, search and recover.