| Scanners
Scanner Uses
While lower scanner prices have induced many businesses to pick
up yet another peripheral for the office computer, many manufacturers
feel that scanners are still not being used to their full potential.
A scanner can indeed do far more than simply scan a photograph,
and many of its uses could go a long way to helping a small business.
Here's a quick peek at some of the applications for the scanner
in a business environment.
Graphics
Graphic images are an important part of many business' marketing
and sales efforts. The Internet also offers the chance to display
product shots, company photos, and other design elements of a business.
Scanners, like
digital cameras, enable users to convert photographs, slides, and
three-dimensional objects into files that can be pasted into a brochure,
inserted into a presentation or posted on the Internet. Using accompanying
software, these images can be edited, cropped, or manipulated to
fit space and size requirements.
Data Entry
Instead of paying someone to manually enter reams of data into the
computer, you can use a scanner to automatically convert the same
information to digital files using OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
software. In conjunction with the software, a scanner reads each
page and transfers the text to any number of programs.
A form letter
can be saved to a word processing program, sales figures to a spreadsheet,
even a brochure to web-editing software. Top of the line programs
boast accuracy rates of 99 percent, and most scanners include some
type of OCR software.
Digital Files
In an effort to digitize his company, Bill Gates reportedly collected
every paper-based form at Microsoft to examine how communication
and information were distributed across departments. After filling
numerous three-ring binders with thousands of documents, he took
steps to eliminate the flow of paper from desk to desk.
If the clutter
of your office is keeping your business from running smoothly, a
scanner can help to create electronic filing cabinets for everything
from invoices to expense reports. Forms can be reproduced online,
and searchable databases can provide relevant information in seconds.
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