Before a document can be searched, shared, or secured, it has to get into the system. With IMS, that comes down to two fundamental paths: scan paper in, or import electronic files.

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The two ways documents enter IMS

Most businesses handle a mix of paper and electronic records, so a practical document management system needs to accept both. IMS brings them together into one organized repository instead of leaving paper in cabinets and electronic files scattered across folders and email.

Scanning paper documents

Paper invoices, signed contracts, correspondence, and purchase orders can be brought in through a scanner or multifunction copier. Running a page through a scanner produces an electronic image, which is then added to IMS.

The most familiar approach is scanning one document at a time, much like making a photocopy.

Importing electronic files

Documents that already exist as electronic files, such as PDFs, Word documents, or spreadsheets, can be imported directly instead of being printed and scanned again.

This avoids unnecessary paper handling and allows businesses to retain their original electronic files.

One at a time versus in batches

Scanning one document at a time works well for occasional records. However, businesses processing larger quantities of paperwork may benefit from batch scanning.

Batch scanning helps employees prepare, scan, review, and organize multiple pages before indexing. Depending on the scanning tools and configuration, users may be able to rotate, reorder, remove, or correct pages before completing the process.

IMS offers batch scanning capabilities for both Professional and Enterprise environments, subject to the applicable modules and configuration.

Separating documents during batch scanning

IMS provides practical ways to distinguish individual documents within a larger scanning batch.

Both approaches can reduce the manual effort required to organize large scanning jobs.

The IMS Import Module

The IMS Import Module provides additional options for bringing electronic documents into the system.

Available for both IMS Professional and Enterprise, the Import Module can support configured document intake processes, including importing files from designated locations and using information extracted from documents to assist with indexing.

Two particularly useful capabilities are barcode recognition and Zone OCR.

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Barcode recognition

A barcode printed on a document can contain information that helps identify or classify the record.

For example, a business might print an invoice number or customer reference as a barcode. During a properly configured import process, IMS can recognize that barcode and use its information to assist with indexing.

This can reduce repetitive data entry and improve consistency when handling large quantities of standardized documents.

Zone OCR: extracting information from designated areas

Zone OCR takes a different approach.

Instead of reading a barcode, Zone OCR examines a designated area of a compatible document and attempts to recognize the printed characters within that area.

For example, if invoices from a particular supplier consistently display an invoice number in the same location, a configured Zone OCR process may help extract that number for indexing.

Zone OCR works best when documents follow a reasonably consistent layout. Recognition accuracy depends on document quality, layout, and configuration, and results should be evaluated using representative samples.

Print-to-IMS and Send-to-IMS

IMS also offers two Windows-based utilities that provide additional ways to capture electronic documents.

Print-to-IMS provides a document capture path from supported applications through a printing-style process.

Send-to-IMS provides another way to send supported electronic files into an IMS capture workflow.

These tools can reduce unnecessary printing and scanning when the information already exists electronically.

Both utilities are available for Professional and Enterprise environments. Installation requirements, supported applications, file formats, and Windows compatibility should be confirmed for the intended setup.

Working with outside scanning services

Not every organization needs to scan all its documents internally.

Some businesses use professional document-conversion services to scan large backlogs of paper records or prepare electronic document collections.

IMS may then be used to organize, index, search, and manage the resulting electronic files, provided they are delivered in compatible formats.

The important consideration is planning the conversion process so that documents and their associated indexing information can be incorporated into the organization's IMS environment.

Email and other business correspondence

Important business records do not always arrive as paper documents. They may also arrive as emails, attachments, or electronic correspondence.

Organizations can preserve relevant correspondence by capturing supported emails or attachments into their document-management processes.

For larger volumes, additional email-capture or server-side technologies may be worth evaluating.

IMS should not be represented as automatically archiving every incoming and outgoing email as a standard built-in feature.

Specialized email preservation requirements

Some organizations have specialized requirements for preserving, organizing, and retrieving business email correspondence over extended periods. These requirements may involve existing email-archiving platforms, retention policies, or the need to associate selected correspondence with other business records.

Imaging Made Simple is not designed or marketed as a replacement for dedicated enterprise email-archiving systems. However, organizations interested in incorporating email-related records into their broader document-management environment are welcome to discuss their requirements with us.

Where appropriate, we can evaluate the technical feasibility of a customized solution, including potential integration or information-transfer processes between existing systems and IMS. Any such solution would require separate evaluation, defined specifications, and a project-specific quotation. Compatibility and implementation are not guaranteed.

Complementary capture technologies

IMS can also be part of a broader information-management environment.

Depending on the organization's needs, additional scanning, document-recognition, conversion, or automation technologies may help prepare information before it enters IMS.

These possibilities should be evaluated individually. Integration with a particular third-party product should not be assumed without confirming technical compatibility and implementation requirements.

Working alongside your existing business software

Most organizations already depend on specialized applications for accounting, customer relationships, operations, and other business functions.

Imaging Made Simple is not intended to replace those systems.

Instead, IMS provides a dedicated environment for managing the documents that support everyday business activities.

For example, an accounting application may manage customer transactions and financial information, while IMS can help organize and retrieve the related invoices, signed agreements, correspondence, and supporting documentation.

Similarly, a CRM may manage customer relationships and sales activities, while IMS provides structured document indexing, retrieval, and access controls for records maintained within its document-management environment.

This complementary approach allows organizations to retain their preferred business applications while evaluating where dedicated document management can improve their operations.

Specific integrations, application-launching capabilities, or automated exchanges of information between IMS and other software would require separate technical evaluation and should not be assumed to be included as standard features.

Capture is only the beginning

Getting a document into IMS is the first step, not the finish line.

A scanned image or imported file becomes more useful when it is associated with meaningful information that employees can search later.

That next step—indexing—is what helps turn a collection of electronic documents into an organized, retrievable information resource.

To see how capture leads into indexing and search, watch the IMS overview or read How Does IMS Work? for the full three-step process.