I only have a small number of files. Can Paper Escape help digitise these?

Yes, we take on projects of all sizes.

We want to go paperless, but don’t want to change our current processes. Can you help?

This is what we specialise in. Our solutions don’t require any additional IT software or training and you don’t need to change a thing about the way your business currently operates. We tailor our solutions around your existing systems and processes.

Do I need to remove staples and paper clips?

Unlike many of our competitors, standard preparation is included free of charge as part of our service. We remove staples, paper clips, post-it notes and straighten edges, ensuring a smooth batch scanning process.

Do I need to box up my paperwork before arranging a collection?

All documentation will need to be stored in some form of archive box or container for transit purposes. We can supply archive boxes prior to, or upon collection, or you can use your own boxes, providing they are strong and secure. If you already have an account with Paper Escape, you can order boxes from our support page.

Document scanning vs Document storage comparisons

Storage or scanning?

Which is the best solution for your business or organisation?

It’s a question that many businesses and organisations, looking for a solution to their document storage problem, have – what’s the best option for me? Document storage or document scanning. The problem is, there’s no black and white answer. Like a lot of things, it really depends on all of the variables.

When writing this, we searched the internet looking for other document management companies that had undertaken a similar analysis and how they had concluded their comparisons. What did we find? Well, a lot of misleading information on the whole. This information was mostly found on sites of companies offering just one of the two services, with their findings driving you towards the service they offer.

At Paper Escape, we offer both a document scanning service and a document storage service, all from under one roof. Our 15,000 sqft facility can store up to 50,000 archive boxes, whilst our state of the art scanning facilities can process up to 300 pages per minute. Quite simply, we offer the best of both worlds.

Just last month, we spoke with a customer who currently stores their boxes with one of the biggest document storage suppliers in the UK. Currently they’re paying £200-£250 per month for urgent next day retrievals of closed case legal files. Thankfully, they’re now storing their boxes with Paper Escape and retrieving digitised close case files within two hours of request, at a fraction of the cost. This is a great example of how the two services can be combined to offer an improved service.

It seems then, that we are perfectly placed to compare the two services. Let’s begin with some of the more common questions we get asked.

Our purpose built facility in the Peak District benefits from HD CCTV, modern ﬁre protection & detection, key coded and biometric access & has a secure IT infrastructure that meets the highest standards of IT security & data compliance. It’s a very secure place to store your documents.

On the other hand, the introduction of encrypted cloud technology has convinced even the most sceptical of technophobes. Digitised files are now backed up at several off site locations, peace of mind in the event of even a natural disaster.

With our ‘scan on demand’ service, you can receive a digital copy of a file within two hours of requesting it. That’s fast. However, it’s not as fast as finding it within seconds, which is what of course you can do, if the files have already been digitised with our document scanning service.

It really depends. There are so many variables.

The up front commitment with a digitisation service far outweighs the initial up front collection and admin charges incurred with a document storage service. However, once digitised, that’s it, there are no re-occurring monthly fees like there are with a document storage service.

With document storage, the required retention period for your files is one variable. Another is how many retrievals you might need over the course of that period.

With document scanning, the document size, condition, indexing requirements and total volume all play a part in determining the rates we can offer.

If you’re storing documents for a period of seven years or less, and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever need to retrieve a file, a document storage service probably just edges it in terms of costs, if we’re adding up the total outlay over the retention period vs the cost of digitising those same documents.

With a document storage service, the main costs are incurred in the form of additional services, such as file retrievals. If you’re likely to need regular access to files, it’s highly like that your will find our document scanning services to be the most cost effective option for you. It’s also the most efficient as once digitised, the files are accessible from your PC, phone or mobile device within seconds. Retrieving a file from storage is not instant, although we can supply you with digitised retrievals within two hours of request.

There are alternative solutions to consider. Firstly, you’ll have full access to our ‘scan on demand’ service, which is bolted on to our document storage service as standard, so you can choose to have your retrievals sent digitally. This way ensures that you only pay for what you need scanning.

Secondly, I would recommend speaking to one of our representatives about our ‘store and scan’ plan, these can be tailored around your requirements. The plan allows you to spread the cost of the digitisation (over 3-24 months depending on volume) whilst still alleviating your storage burden with immediate effect. Essentially, we collect all of your files in one go but agree a set number of files or boxes to be scanned per month so that you stay in control of the budget. The remaining files are stored in our secure storage facility whilst they await processing and we provide a retrieval service throughout the store and scan period to ensure that you are never without your files.

To speak to a member of the team, please visit our contact us page.