Epson Scanners

The importance of professional scanners in the modern world of work.

Quickly and easily digitalise your documents with a professional scanner. Document scanners are a basic necessity in every office, but are also essential for healthcare, the public sector, hospitality and trade industries. They are used in doctors’ practices to digitalise patient files and prescriptions while many restaurants scan their menus to post and share online, while delivery notes, invoices and other financial documents needed in various industries are regularly scanned for long-term management.

Office scanners are easy to use and connect to your corporate network via WLAN or USB allowing you to archive your digital files or make them accessible to your employees wherever they are in the cloud. Among the brands producing professional-grade scanners are Canon, Epson and Ricoh (formerly Fujitsu).

 

Professional scanners for your office.

Office scanners and those for personal use differ as professional devices are designed to work at high speeds with a fast document feeder so you can digitalise a large number of pages in a very short period of time. By scanning delivery notes, invoices, correspondence and other documents, you’ll benefit from transparent archiving so you can say goodbye to shelves stacked high with files and folders. Save space by digitalising your documents so you can access them from anywhere.

Choosing the best scanner for your needs.

Document scanners, sometimes known as sheet-fed scanners, are ideal for large volume scan jobs as the integrated sheet feeder allows it to scan multiple pages (usually A4) per minute without someone having to manually feed them in. Devices supporting duplex scanning capture both the front and back of the page at the same time and you can choose if you’d like a model supporting colour scanning or monochrome. While most document scanners’ resolutions are lower than their flatbed cousins, they do score highly with features such as automatic text recognition or optical character recognition (OCR) which means you can convert your scanned documents into editable PDFs.

Flatbed scanners do not have document feeders, nor do they support duplex scanning, but they do offer high resolutions. What’s more, their intense colour depth makes them the ideal choice for digitalising photos and pictures. Flatbed scanners are the perfect complement to your desktop PC or notebook and are available at budget-friendly prices.

Multifunctional printers combine scanners and printers in one and these space-saving multi-purpose devices are increasingly replacing traditional copiers in the Modern Workplace as they can be used for printing, scanning. Copying and even faxing.

Mobile scanners, as the name suggests, can be used on the go thanks to their compact size. There are also models that look like desktop projectors and can also be used for the purpose. Choose a mobile scanner with duplex capabilities to capture the front and back of your document. 

 

The best scanners to buy.

Regardless of whether you and your team are looking for a document, a mobile or professional flatbed scanner, there are several aspects to be taken into account before investing in new devices for your business. Use the following list to help you make an informed choice:

• Technology: This covers the three types of scanners already mentioned. Document scanners are a good choice due to their high scan speeds and ability to handle large volumes, while flatbed scanners are ideal if you need to digitalise sensitive documents that cannot be fed in like books. You should also consider if monochrome scans are enough or if you need colour documentation.
• Resolution: The resolution determines the quality of the scanned files and is given as dots per inch (dpi). The higher the resolution, the more precisely details will be captured. If you’re going to use your scanner for everyday office applications a resolution of 300 x 300 dpi is more than enough. If, however, you need to scan pictures and document for editing, you should choose a device with at least 600 x 600 dpi.
• Scan speed: Scan speeds are given as pages per minute and should give you an idea if the device you are looking at is going to meet your company’s demands. Employees scanning single documents now and again will benefit from 10-20 A4 pages a minute while large-scale digitalisation and archiving projects will need devices that can handle at least 70.
• Formats: Make sure you consider whether the device you want to buy supports PDF, JPEG, TIFF and other file formats as well as paper sizes. If you need your scans saved as Excel or Word files, you need to double-check that your scanner supports those. The same applies for paper sizes of A3 or larger as most devices only support A4.
• Connections: Your decision here will be guided first and foremost by how you intend to use the scanner. Network interface modules allow several employees to use the device and means you can access your scanner from anywhere and forward documents directly to where they need to be. Mobiles scanners, on the other hand, are battery-powered and connect via Wi-Fi or USB.
• Features: Apart from the standard scanning capabilities, there may be some other features that might prove useful. When it comes to scanning thicker materials, a transparency unit can be useful while text recognition (OCR) is essential if you are going to be editing your scanned files and automatic document feeders (ADF) allow several pages to be automatically fed in and scanned one after the other. Use the filters in the Bechtle online to find the features you need.

 

Which scanner is best for…

• The home office: Home office scanners are easy to use and affordable. Flatbed and mobile scanners with 300 x 300 dpi are good for everyday office tasks and at least 600 x 600 dpi are a great choice for designers.
• Manufacturing and heavy industries: Document scanners with higher resolutions of 600 x 600 to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi and a scan speed of 50 pages per minute are recommended for this sector.
• Open-plan offices: In a large office, the size of the scanner you buy will depend on whether it will be used as a stationary device or flexibly. Make sure to choose a device with a feed capacity of 100 pages per minute if it is going to in a fixed position in the office otherwise mobile models that can handle 10-20 pages a minute are sufficient. Whatever you choose, duplex scanning is a great idea.
• Healthcare: A scanner with a transparency unit is essential for digitalising medical images such as x-rays and you should also make sure you choose a device with the highest possible dpi. Scan speeds are not hugely important when it comes to day-to-day scanning jobs in doctors’ practices.
• Financial consulting. Playing such an important role in this sector, you’ll need to make sure to purchase a scanner with a speed of at least 50 pages per minute. A high feed capacity supported by and ADF is also a good idea to help automate your working day.

 

Buying your scanner from Bechtle.

Bechtle offers scanners for all your business needs and we carry high-quality devices from all the best known brands including Epson, Canon, Fujitsu, Brother and HP. Not sure which device is best for your needs? We’re happy to help you find the best scanner for your business! Get in touch with your Bechtle account manager or use the chat outside of business hours. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours Mondays to Fridays.

Bechtle will help you perfectly equip your company. We’ve got office scanners, but also accessories for printers and scanners, PCs, notebooks, peripherals and software. Benefit from our expert advice and comprehensive support when it comes to investing in equipment for your company. As Germany’s largest IT system house with 80 branches, we’ve got your back whatever your IT needs offering the direct sale of IT products as well as strategic consulting with tailored IT solutions for your digital transformation!