How to Scan Documents for Storage
Important papers like contracts, wills, business invoices or certificates should be backed up and stored in a safe place in the event that the original is lost or destroyed. Rather than making physical copies of your important documents, consider saving digital versions of the paper instead. Doing so saves money on printer and ink costs, reduces the amount of storage you need to have, and creates copies of the document which can be easily transported and encrypted.
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Instructions
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Install a scanner onto your computer or use a computer that already has a scanner installed. Installation varies depending on the scanner and the computer. Typically, you must plug the scanner in (usually to a USB port) and possibly insert an installation CD into your hard drive. Follow the on-screen instructions to install your scanner.
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Place the document onto the scanner. Larger scanners work like copiers in that you must lift the lid of the scanner and place the document on the bed of the scanner (usually face down) and close the lid. Smaller document scanners work like a printer in that you slide the paper into the back of the scanner and it travels through the scanner and is spit out the front.
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Press the "Scan" or "Start" button to scan the document. Wait for the scanner to complete the scan. Typically, a preview will show up on your computer screen so you can see if the document scanned properly.
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Save the scanned image onto your computer's hard drive or a storage device such as a USB flash drive. Usually, you simply must click on a "File" option and choose "Save"; some software may have a button called "Save Copy" or similar language.
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References
- Photo Credit document image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
