Let’s Talk About Scanning Fails
Scanning a document seems easy—until your scanner jams, the file ends up unreadable, and your folder structure looks like it was created by a raccoon. Sound familiar? Whether you’re digitizing a handful of contracts or an entire warehouse of paper, bulk document scanning can go wrong in some spectacular ways.
Here’s a rundown of the 7 most common scanning mistakes companies make (and how to dodge them like a pro).
1. Skipping Document Prep (A.K.A. The “Scan-and-Pray” Method)
Shoving stacks of paper into a scanner without prepping them is like throwing clothes into a washer without checking your pockets—something’s going to get ruined.
What goes wrong:
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Jammed scanners from staples or paper clips
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Torn or crumpled pages
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Misfeeds due to mixed paper sizes
Pro Fix:
Take time to remove all staples, smooth out folds, and separate by paper type. Your scanner (and sanity) will thank you.
📚 Learn more: How to Prep Documents for Bulk Scanning Like a Pro
2. Using the Wrong Scanner for the Job
Trying to scan 10,000 pages with a desktop scanner is like mowing a football field with scissors. You’re not inefficient—you’re just under-equipped.
What to watch for:
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Low page-per-minute (PPM) speed
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No duplex scanning
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Weak OCR support
Pro Fix:
Upgrade to a high-speed, sheet-fed scanner with OCR and duplex functionality. Bonus points for network-capable devices with auto document feeders (ADFs).
3. Ignoring OCR Settings
Sure, you scanned it. But can you search it? If you skipped OCR (Optical Character Recognition), you basically just made a digital image of paper. Not helpful.
The cost:
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No keyword search
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Poor accessibility
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Extra work recreating lost content
Pro Fix:
Always enable OCR during scanning—especially for contracts, receipts, and invoices. If your scanner does not have OCR consider using software like ccScan to make the data readable.
📊 Stat: Businesses using OCR reduce document retrieval time by 50% (AIIM).
4. No Naming Convention or Indexing Strategy
“Final_Doc_V2_UPDATED_FINAL_THISONE.pdf” is not a naming system. Neither is dumping everything into one folder.
Common chaos:
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Disorganized digital archives
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Wasted time searching
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Frustrated team members
Pro Fix:
Set rules for file naming and folder structure. Use metadata, barcodes, or document management systems to automate indexing.
5. Not Backing Up Your Scanned Files
Imagine scanning 5,000 pages… and losing them all. Don’t let a power outage or corrupted drive destroy hours of work.
What could go wrong:
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Lost documents
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Compliance violations
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Costly do-overs
Pro Fix:
Back up everything to a secure cloud solution like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox—with version history and encryption.
📦 Bonus Tip: Set up automated cloud backups.
6. Neglecting Security and Compliance
Scanning sensitive documents without encryption is like sending your bank info on a postcard.
The risk:
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HIPAA, GDPR, SOX violations
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Data breaches
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Fines and lawsuits
Pro Fix:
Use role-based access, encryption, and compliance-friendly storage tools. Only authorized users should access sensitive files.
7. Scanning Everything (Even What You Don’t Need)
Not all documents are worth the digital shelf space. Scanning without a plan wastes time, storage, and money.
What it looks like:
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Gigabytes of outdated or irrelevant files
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No retention schedule
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Zero prioritization
Pro Fix:
Review and categorize before scanning. Create a document retention policy and stick to it.
📋 Tip: Archive what’s required. Recycle what’s not.
Wrapping It Up
Bulk scanning is like any other system—garbage in, garbage out. Avoiding these seven pitfalls can mean the difference between a seamless digital archive and a folder full of frustration.
Take a moment to audit your current process. Are you making any of these mistakes? The fix might be easier than you think.
Want to streamline high-volume scanning even further? Check out ccScan. It handles batch processing, OCR, and indexing like a champ.
References
📌 Need more tips? Explore our blog on Going Paperless in 2025 or Batch Scanning 101 for deeper dives.
