To prevent the growing flood of paper on your desk, you can scan your documents and save them in a document archiving program.
Leaders in document archiving: ELO-Office, Archivista and PaperOffice
ELO-Office, Archivista and PaperOffice are ideal for document archiving. All three programs allow you to scan documents and save them with password protection. Barcode and text recognition functions make it easier for you to search for and edit files. There are different versions with different functions – depending on the area of application:
- ELO Office 9.0 costs at least 260 euros, depending on the number of licenses and the version. However, it has a very wide range of functions. There is also a free trial version of ELO Office. This is limited to 200 documents per archive, but is otherwise fully usable.
- Archivista is available for about the same price. There is also a free trial version. The range of functions is almost identical to that of ELO. In addition to the program, the company also offers complete hardware solutions for digital document archiving.
- Just like the other two programs, PaperOffice also has an import and export function that allows you to add new documents quickly and easily. PaperOffice also recognizes around 150 file formats. In terms of security, this software is ahead of the game – with 1024-bit encryption and your computer as a cloud server. The simplest version of PaperOffice costs around 200 euros. You can also test this program for free.
Long-term document security: What you should consider
There are many benefits to digitally archiving documents, but it's important to consider long-term security issues. To ensure your files remain protected and accessible well into the future, there are a few key points to consider.
- Regular backups: Make sure to create regular backups of your digital documents. Cloud and NAS solutions such as those from PaperOffice can be a useful addition here.
- File format standardization: Use the most common and future-proof file formats possible, such as PDF/A, to ensure readability and compatibility even after many years.
- Encryption: Use strong encryption methods to protect your data from unauthorized access. PaperOffice offers 1024-bit encryption, which represents a high security standard.
- Audit security: Consider whether you need software that offers audit-proof archiving to prevent data manipulation at a later date. This is especially important if legal requirements must be met.
- Data migration: Choose software that allows you to easily export data to avoid problems when changing providers.