Preparing Documents for Large-Scale Scanning Projects

Start with a Realistic Records Inventory

Before any preparation work begins, walk through your records storage and document what you have. Note document types, approximate volumes (number of boxes or drawers), date ranges, and any obvious storage issues — mold, water damage, brittleness, stapled or bound documents that will require special handling. This inventory is the foundation for scoping the project accurately and identifying any documents that require special treatment.

• Document types present (HR files, financial records, contracts, patient charts, etc.)
• Approximate volume in pages, boxes, or linear feet of shelf space
• Date ranges of the records
• Current storage conditions and any damage or deterioration
• Any regulatory or sensitivity considerations

Physical Document Preparation

Documents require preparation before they can be scanned efficiently and accurately. Remove staples, paper clips, rubber bands, and binder clips that would jam scanners or shadow adjacent pages. Unfold folded documents and flatten pages that have been folded into file folders. Separate documents with sticky notes, tape, or other attachments that are not part of the record. Your scanning partner may handle some of this work, but having records in as clean a condition as possible reduces project time and cost.

Decide on Output Formats Before Scanning Begins

The format of your digital output — file type, resolution, color mode, and file structure — should be decided before scanning begins, not after. Searchable PDF and PDF/A are appropriate for most document types. TIFF is preferred for archival materials requiring the highest image fidelity. Resolution requirements vary by document type: 200–300 DPI is adequate for most standard documents, while engineering drawings, maps, and handwritten documents benefit from 400–600 DPI.

Index and Metadata Planning

How you index your digital documents determines how retrievable they will be. Before scanning begins, define the metadata fields that matter for each document type — customer or client ID, date range, document type, department, project number, or whatever fields your team will actually use to search. Investing time in index planning before the project starts is far less expensive than rebuilding your index scheme after tens of thousands of documents have been scanned.

Quality Control and Acceptance Criteria

Define your quality control expectations with your scanning partner before the project begins. What image quality standard are you expecting? How will you sample and verify output? What is the process for re-scanning documents that do not meet the standard? A professional scanning partner will have established QC processes — confirming those processes and your acceptance criteria in writing protects both parties and ensures the project delivers what your organization actually needs.