When your kitchen is outdated, it still “works.” You can cook meals, store food, and wash dishes. But it’s not efficient, modern, or enjoyable to use. The same is true for paper records. Filing cabinets and storage boxes technically get the job done, but they take up valuable space, are difficult to search, and aren’t built for today’s digital-first workplace.
So, just like a kitchen remodel, the big question becomes: do you take on digitizing documents yourself or do you hire professionals?
What does “digitizing documents” mean?
Digitizing documents means converting paper records into digital, text-searchable files (usually PDFs) that can be stored securely in a digital document management system. It allows your team to quickly search, access, and share information from anywhere.
What are the pros and cons of scanning documents yourself?
Before deciding whether to scan documents yourself or hire experts, it's important to weigh the benefits against potential challenges to ensure the most efficient workflow.
Pros of digitizing documents yourself:
- Full control over the process and organization
- Spread the project over multiple years at your own pace
- Lower upfront costs if you already have the right equipment
Cons of digitizing documents yourself:
- Requires proper scanners, software, and technical know-how
- Time-consuming for staff to scan and prepare records
- Risk of errors or incomplete indexing
- Responsibility for secure storage and compliance falls on your team
For many small and mid-sized businesses, DIY scanning can quickly overwhelm limited staff and resources.
Why hire professionals for bulk document scanning?
Professional bulk document scanning services are like hiring a skilled contractor for your kitchen remodel - faster, safer, and done right the first time.
Pros of professional document scanning:
- Efficiency: Handle bulk document scanning quickly and accurately
- Expertise & technology: Access to specialized equipment and trained staff
- Quality control: Multiple checks to ensure accuracy
- Security: SOC 2 Type 2 audited, FFIEC examined, secure scanning facility, chain of custody documentation, encrypted transfers
- Searchable results: Receive named, text-searchable PDFs, organized in folders or a document management system
- Flexibility: Scan everything at once or phase projects over time to fit your budget
- Extra benefits: Temporary free record storage (30–90 days)
Cons of professional document scanning:
- Higher upfront costs compared to DIY
- Dependent on vendor scheduling and project timelines
For industries like healthcare, education, government, and manufacturing, where compliance, security, and efficiency are critical, professional secure document management is worth the investment.
Final takeaway: DIY vs professional document scanning
Digitizing documents is just like remodeling your kitchen - you can do it yourself, but it’s often better to bring in experts.
- If you have a small volume, plenty of time, and the right equipment, you might be able to make DIY scanning work.
- If you manage large volumes of paper records, need bulk document scanning, or must meet strict compliance standards, a professional partner is the smarter choice.
By trusting experts, you’ll save time, reduce risk, ensure secure document management, and finally free your team to focus on what really matters - running and growing your business.
Ready to remodel your records? We have a team of experts and years of experience with digitizing documents. We can design a document scanning remodel for your organization’s specific needs. Let’s talk.
