ShareScan

7 Tips to Get the Most Out of ShareScan for Paperless WorkflowsMoving to a paperless workflow can save time, reduce costs, and improve information security—if you use the right tools effectively. ShareScan is designed to make scanning, sharing, and managing documents simple for teams and individuals. Below are seven practical tips to help you get the most out of ShareScan and build efficient, reliable paperless processes.

1. Start with a clear folder and naming convention

A consistent structure is the foundation of any paperless workflow.

• Define a folder hierarchy that matches how your team works (e.g., by client → project → year).
• Use a standardized naming pattern for files, such as: YYYY-MM-DD_Client_Project_DocType (2025-08-30_Acme_Invoice_Receipt.pdf).
• Include versioning when relevant: _v1, _v2, or use dates to track updates.
• Document the conventions in a short guide so everyone follows the same rules.

Benefits: faster search, fewer duplicates, simpler automated routing.

2. Optimize scan settings for purpose

Different documents need different scan settings. Using appropriate resolution, color mode, and file format saves storage and improves OCR accuracy.

• Text documents: 200–300 DPI, black & white or grayscale, PDF with searchable OCR.
• Photos or detailed graphics: 300–600 DPI, color, TIFF or high-quality PDF.
• Forms and multi-page documents: use duplex scanning and automatic page detection.
• If ShareScan supports presets, create and share presets for common document types.

Benefits: smaller files, better OCR results, less re-scanning.

3. Use OCR and metadata to make documents discoverable

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) turns images into searchable text. Pair it with metadata to supercharge retrieval.

• Ensure OCR runs automatically on incoming scans; verify language settings.
• Add metadata fields such as client name, document type, date, and project code.
• Leverage ShareScan’s auto-extract features (if available) to populate metadata from the document itself (invoices, receipts, IDs).
• Encourage staff to add tags or short descriptions when scanning ambiguous items.

Benefits: lightning-fast search, automated workflows, fewer misfiled documents.

4. Automate routing and approvals

Automation reduces manual handling and speeds processes.

• Create rules that route scans based on metadata (e.g., invoices > finance folder; contracts > legal folder).
• Set up approval workflows: scanned contracts trigger notifications to approvers, with audit trails.
• Use integrations (Slack, Teams, email, or your ERP/accounting system) to notify stakeholders when documents arrive or approvals are required.
• Test rules with sample documents before rolling out widely.

Benefits: reduced delays, clearer accountability, consistent processing.

5. Secure documents and manage access

Paperless doesn’t mean insecure. Apply the principle of least privilege and use encryption.

• Use role-based access controls: only allow access to folders and documents that users need.
• Enable encryption at rest and in transit if ShareScan supports it.
• Require strong authentication for sensitive folders (MFA for admin accounts).
• Implement retention and disposition policies so documents are archived or deleted per compliance requirements.

Benefits: stronger compliance posture, lower risk of data breaches.

6. Integrate ShareScan with other tools

Integrations turn ShareScan from a scanner into a central node of your information workflow.

• Connect to cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox) for backup and collaboration.
• Integrate with accounting, CRM, or document-signing tools to eliminate manual uploads.
• Use API/webhooks (if available) to trigger downstream processes (e.g., create an invoice in your accounting system when an invoice is scanned).
• Maintain a log of integrations and review them periodically for reliability and security.

Benefits: fewer manual steps, improved data consistency, better collaboration.

7. Train users and monitor usage

Even the best system fails without user adoption and ongoing oversight.

• Run short hands-on training sessions showing scanning best practices, naming conventions, and routing rules.
• Create quick-reference cheat sheets with screenshots of common tasks.
• Monitor usage and scanning quality for the first 60–90 days; collect feedback and fix recurring issues (bad scans, misnaming, misroutes).
• Assign an owner to maintain presets, rules, and access controls.

Benefits: higher adoption, fewer errors, continuous improvement.

Conclusion Adopting ShareScan for a paperless workflow pays off when you combine technical best practices (OCR, presets, integrations) with clear human processes (naming conventions, training, ownership). Implement these seven tips incrementally—start with naming conventions and scan presets, add OCR and metadata, then layer automation, security, and integrations. Over time you’ll reduce paper handling, speed approvals, and make documents truly searchable and useful.