Document Imaging
The University has implemented an enterprise-wide document imaging program which features ImageNow software. Current users include:
- Office of Admissions
- Registrar Office
- Information Technology Services
- Student Financial Aid
- Accounts Payable
- Bursar's Office
- Human Resources
- University Housing
- Morris University Center Administration Office
- Academic advisors
Imaging advantages, limitations and questions are listed below. If your unit would like to be a part of the document imaging program, contact Records Management for further details.
Inactive Records
Records Management has a solution for your inactive records. Our staff has the ability to scan your records for ImageNow, departmental share drives and external hard drives.
The enterprise-wide document imaging program's goals are to:
- Improve service to students, faculty and staff
- Reduce paper
- Reclaim space for University needs
- Record compliance with the State Records Act
Imaging Advantages
- Concurrent access: two or more staff retrieving same file
- Rapid file retrieval: high retrieval of active documents, better customer service
- Image enhancement
- Workflow: automate and control certain business processes such as schedule processing, documents routing and tracking document status
- Physical space savings
- Documents scanned into the ImageNow document management system will be secure and migrated to meet long-term document retention requirements
Imaging Limitations
- Cost: document preparation, indexing, quality assurance, hardware, software, maintenance and administration
- Lack of industry standards
- Risk of hardware and software obsolescence: The State of Illinois forbids records to be stored on obsolete media. Departments are responsible for migrating records from obsolete media (zip drives, floppy disks, CDs, etc.) to current media.
Imaging Questions
- Is there a need for imaging?
- Are we scanning duplicate documents that have been scanned and managed elsewhere on campus? If you are unsure, check your retention schedules or call Records Management at 3981. These documents can be sent to Records Management's Records Center for storage and management.
- Do benefits outweigh the cost?
- Is imaging a "nice to have" or a "must have" system?
- Will an imaging system make the department more efficient and effective to faculty, staff and students?
- Does current staff have time and resources to implement the system? (see Imaging Limitations). If not, Records Management can help meet your imaging needs.
- Can I dispose of documents after they have been scanned? Scanned documents with a life span of less than 10 years, must have a two-step quality control system (one staff person scanning documents, another staff person reviewing the scanned documents). After the review process is completed, you may dispose of the documents.
- Scanned documents which are part of a long-term (10+ years) or permanently retained record series should not be disposed of until they are filmed on a Document Archive Writer. Information Technology Services (ITS) and Records Management work in unison, to start the film process. ITS will contact the sending unit that the transfer to the Document Archive Writer was completed successfully. After contact, units may dispose of records. Documents that are a part of a short-term (less than 10 years) record series should be disposed of after sufficient quality control standards have been met. The person who is scanning documents must have at least one other person check the scan quality of the documents.
If you have any other imaging questions or concerns about your department's records, contact Kurt Schoenborn in Records Management at 650-3981.
