Technology & IT | Monday 8 June, 2015 7:02 am |

Talk to office workers that are inundated with massive amounts of paper and you’ll hear a consistent set of challenges. They’re desperately seeking a better way to manage documents. They want to work smarter, not harder. And they need to unlock the power of information while saving time and money for their organization to be more successful.

Meanwhile, most office managers know they would benefit from implementing programs to reduce paper, but few have developed or executed a plan. According to “Winning the Paper Wars,” a study published by AIIM , “On average, respondents feel that driving paper out of the process would improve speed of response to customers, citizens, or staff by a factor of 4x.”

To help realize this potential, Kodak Alaris is releasing an updated line of document scanners that reverse the build-up of paper and make businesses more productive. The new KODAK i2420, i2620 and i2820 Scanners build on the award-winning i2000 Series Scanner platform, adding new features and enhancements that address the challenges faced by users with heavy-duty desktop scanning needs.

Improvements to the new desktop scanners include the ability to read up to nine different barcodes types on scanned pages to provide information to applications and databases. Able to scan in duplex and colour and cater for documents up to DIN-A4 in size, the new models also feature larger input trays capable of holding 100 pages and faster scanning speeds of 40, 60 and 70 pages per minute . Daily recommended volumes range from 5,000 to 8,000 pages per day depending on model chosen.

Since its introduction, businesses have embraced the i2000 Scanner line for its combination of productivity and versatility. Dual indirect LED document illumination requires no warm up time and delivers outstanding image quality which means information is captured clearly for more accurate OCR. Integrated Perfect Page technology corrects image imperfections to minimize the need for rescanning with Smart Touch technology allowing specific processes to be programmed for staff to then start multiple step scanning at the touch of a button. This includes creating PDFs, attaching documents to emails, organizing them in folders or sending them to Cloud services.

With the inclusion of KODAK Capture Pro Software Limited Edition, users can test the popular application and upgrade to the full version if they need to address more complex batch scanning requirements.

The i2000 Series, which has received awards from Buyers Laboratory LLC and others, has been cited for its “flawless reliability, excellent media handling, and excellent workflow automation.”

“Depending on the application, businesses may face different requirements and restrictions on their handling of paper, but the one thing they have in common is the need to control the paper in their organization rather than letting it control them,” said Tony Barbeau, Products & Solutions General Manager & Vice President, Information Management division, Kodak Alaris.

A large insurance company decided recently to face the problem head-on by purchasing thousands of i2000 Series scanners from Kodak Alaris to enable employees across its offices to capture, share, and organize documents for a dramatically more efficient workflow.

Return on investment in less than a year
Smaller firms can benefit too. Huws Gray, the largest independent building materials company in Wales and the northwest of England, has installed Kodak i2000 Series scanners along with Kodak Capture Pro Software at each of its 39 locations as part of a proof of delivery (PoD) solution. Around 15,000 delivery slips are scanned each month with staff now able to answer questions quickly from customers about who has signed for goods before invoices are paid. A unique barcode on each PoD form is automatically read by Capture Pro and archived together with the customer’s order in the same folder. The Kodak solution has dramatically increased the speed and efficiency responding to customer enquiries and achieved return on investment in less than a year.

“The new i2000 Series scanners pack production level capabilities into a small, space saving scanner that fits nicely into any paper-intensive environment,” concluded Barbeau. “Customers depend on us to create robust solutions with excellent image quality, paper handling, and productivity that help them manage the growing volume of paper that creates bottlenecks in their operations. No matter what your business—law office, health care provider, bank, transportation depot and so on — our solutions help you manage the information you rely on for success.”

The new KODAK i2000 Series Scanners are available today with a list price of €895 for the i2420, €1,195 for the i2620 and €1,695 for the top of the series, the i2820. All models are backed by a three-year worry free warranty and are compatible with Windows, LINUX and Apple Macintosh operating systems. For exceptional, bound or fragile documents, DIN-A4 and DIN-A3 flatbed optional accessories can be added. In addition, a full range of Service and Support contracts are available to protect your investment and keep productivity at peak levels. For more information, please visit http://uk.knowledgeshare.kodakalaris.com/document-scanners/kodak-scanner-i2000/