In the current office workflow, as companies move toward the paperless office, effective use of MFP, MFD, and digital copier devices is essential. For documents starting out in paper form, there needs to be a seamless way to introduce them into the Company’s electronic workflow. Any MFP, MFD, or digital copier device is capable of converting a paper document to a scanned, electronic one. What is missing, though, are seamless methods to allow for text searching the file, compression to support emailing and web-optimization to support web-hosting, as well as dropping files into a client folder or attaching and indexing into a database.

In general, these devices allow for users to copy a paper document to paper, email, or a folder. Folders are generally the easiest way to seamlessly intercept and enhance the document workflow. For example, assume a given MFP device is capable or generating PDF files from paper documents and dropping them into an output directory, based on client code. However, these captured PDF files are typically large, not OCRed, or web-optimized, or compressed. To use these files effectively, some processing off the MFP device is required.

This is where effective PDF document management software can make a real difference. Operating on a bank of hidden client directories, seamless to the user, this PDF software (e.g., CVISION PdfCompressor, run in watched folder mode) can OCR, compress, and web-optimize the MFP or digital copier output file before the client is even back at his desk. This file is still in his / her same MFP folder, but now much more amenable to email, web-hosting, or attaching to the Company database.

Every company has an ever increasing number of MFPs, MFDs, and/or digital copiers to manage. It is up to the Company IT guys to make sure these devices are utilized as effectively as possible.