An MFP Evolution

Have you been hearing or reading more about document management solutions and the benefits of having the right solution in place?  No doubt, the demand for document management is growing. The issue is, how can you select, implement, and maintain a document management solution on top of everything else that you are involved with on a daily basis? What you may not be aware of is the fact that you already have one crucial component of a document management solution in your office — your copy machine. Today, copy machines do much more than just make copies. They have evolved into what are now commonly referred to as MFPs. In addition to making copies, these products are output (printer) and capture (scanning) devices that are usually connected to your network. The MFP represents the first key component for being well on your way to having your very own document management solution.

DIGITAL DOCUMENTS DRIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS
While documents are still the primary method of how information moves through a company, their format has changed. Today's documents are not only paper-based, but electronic as well. Digital communications via fax, PC, mainframe, and e-mail are now commonplace, and your MFP can help transform your paper documents into an electronic format. Digital images also offer many benefits by making documents easier to access and retrieve, reducing physical storage requirements, and helping you automate business processes such as invoice processing and document approval workflows.

Now that you know you have an MFP device with the potential to convert your documents to digital images, one of the first questions you might ask is who can help you leverage this technology effectively? Just as the document and your copier have evolved, so has your local MFP reseller. Today, a properly trained MFP reseller has become a very capable and knowledgeable solution provider. Their expertise now includes connecting MFPs and other hardware devices to LANs and WANs and maintaining the software and hardware applications surrounding the capture and output of documents.

When it comes to IDM (integrated document management) solutions, having a reseller who has been fully trained and certified by an IDM software vendor is essential and perhaps the most important component for being well on your way to implementing an IDM solution. A reseller with these credentials will help you implement a solution that meets your business requirements and will contribute to the success of the overall project. From recommending, implementing, and maintaining a solution, the importance of having a local provider for MFPs, document scanners, IDM, and other mainstream applications cannot be overstated. These partners provide the local support that can quickly address any confusion or problems you face in managing the documents that are the lifeblood of your organization. Since you already have that MFP in your office, give your local copier representative a call — you may be surprised by the ways that an MFP can be leveraged to support a much more robust document management initiative.