I am a geek! I realized this when my ScanSnap iX500 was delivered and I looked around frantically for something to scan so I could test my “new toy”.
A step back - While at the Scaling New Heights conference I met a rep from Fujitsu. We were discussing scanners and I was thrilled to learn that [unlike my current one,] ScanSnap integrates with PracticeMaster software! Hence my “new toy”.
ScanSnap
Installing the ScanSnap was easy and the software offered lots of options. I installed what I thought I needed and off I went. After installing I also went to PracticeMaster and installed the Scan to PracticeMaster integration. I went into the ScanSnap software manager and setup some basic preferences. This included default saving folder and format, convert to searchable PDF and application settings. Then I started scanning.
The first thing I noticed was how quickly it scanned. My pages seemed to fly through the ScanSnap. Previously I have used smaller “portable” scanners and the speed difference was very noticeable. Once the pages are scanned there can be a delay if you are using the OCR (Convert to searchable PDF) feature, but this is to be expected. After scanning a window opens offering me a choice of what I want to do. I can scan to PracticeMaster, a folder, email or other options. When scanning to PracticeMaster a new document record is created in exactly the same way as if I was saving a document in Word or as a PDF.
The ScanSnap flexibility makes it extremely useful. Business cards can be scanned and the CardMinder application will attempt to read the information and extract the data. This information can then be read into Outlook, or other formats. Since I have PracticeMaster set to sync with Outlook I can send the contact to Outlook and thus I can get new contacts into PracticeMaster with a minimal amount of typing. Business cards can be difficult to read and properly identify fields. CardMinder shows you an image of the business card and the fields that were read. If something is incorrect you can lasso it on the business card image and then click on the appropriate field name. The corrected information is automatically populated onto the form.
If you use ShareFile, ScanSnap can scan directly to ShareFile. ScanSnap can also scan receipts and push the information to QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online. You can also send directly to Expensify using the new ScanSnap Cloud feature.
ScanSnap Organizer creates a file cabinet storage system for you. This allows you to organize documents in the cloud. ScanSnap Organizer also offers the ability to edit the document and break it into pages if needed. It also allows you to use your scanned image data in your mobile device. You can link to DropBox, Google Drive or OneDrive.
ScanSnap offers an app for your iPhone or Android. This allows you to scan a document and send it to the phone where you can then view it or forward as needed – handy when out of the office and someone wants to send you papers. Instead of scanning and emailing, just scan and send to the phone.
I could go on about the features, but I think you can understand the power and flexibility available. ScanSnap offers information on their website including tips and tricks and phone, email or chat support. I recently learned how important phone support is to me after dealing with a completely unrelated program that lacks phone support. This is something I now look for.
Because ScanSnap has so much capability, there’s a lot to learn. You can get the basics pretty easy, but looking over the documentation, or getting some training, will help you really learn the power. For those who scan and use PracticeMaster, or any of the other applications that ScanSnap integrates with, I recommend giving it a good look.