Microfilm Scanning – The Benefits of Outsourcing

What is microfilm scanning? Microfilm scanning allows for the conversion of existing legacy documents that have already been archived onto a microfilm, into digital images. There are numerous benefits of doing this, such as:
Documents become much more accessible. You can place them on the internet and access them from remote locations.

The time to retrieve digital images is greatly reduced over microfilm scanned images.

Microfilm images degrade over time, whereas digital images do not.

Digital images, if stored properly, offer a much safer way to store images.

It s easy to link information using the digital platform utilizing other applications such as HRIS, ECM, EMR, CRM, etc.
There are a number of factors that should be considered prior to microfilm scanning. Firstly, you may be wondering if you should purchase the necessary equipment so that you can carry out the processes yourself, or is it better to outsource the work to someone else?
For most people, outsourcing is by far the better option, and for a variety of reasons, including:
A quality microfilm scanner can cost upwards of $50,000 US dollars, and so outsourcing has the potential to save a lot of money.

Learning how to use the equipment as well as the software involves a steep learning curve.

It s a very time-consuming process. The potential for an outsourcer to complete a project quickly is high because they will probably possess a number of scanners and be well-versed in their use.

The professional scanning service maintains an advanced level of quality assurance.

The professional scanning service generally offers data entry services as well as indexing, and they can provide you with help in loading the data into your software systems.
If you do indeed decide to outsource your microfilm scanning projects, you should then consider the company s level of experience. Further, it s wise to ascertain how long they generally take in order to complete projects of your size.
You then need to decide if you need grayscale images or bi-tonal images scanned from your microfilm. Should your software accept grayscale, this may be the best choice for poorly filmed or older microfilm, where the quality of the image may well been reduced.
Further to the actual scanning process, you will also want to achieve some indexing so that image retrieval is straight-forward. Some microfilm possesses blips which provide an indication of the beginning of a new document. Other microfilm has multiple blips on different levels, for example page, document and also folder.
The microfilm scanning vendor that you choose should have the ability to detect these blips, which in turn allows for partial automation of the indexing process in addition to reducing the overall costs involved with the indexing process.