​Every machine needs a little routine maintenance, and your scanner is no exception. There are lots of moving parts in a typical scanner, as well as software that must be kept up to date. Following are a few tips that may help you keep your scanners working well for you, and allow you to extend their useful life.

Keeping the Paper Path Clean
It is only logical that, over time, dust, lint, and even small pieces of paper may be left behind in the scanner’s paper path, so keeping it clean should be part of a routine maintenance plan. Keeping the paper path clean and clear will help to prevent document feed issues, and keep your scanner working properly.

Use a damp, lint free cloth to clean the rollers and path, or swab may allow you to reach the tight spaces. A can of compressed air can also be an effective way to clear the dust and lint from internal components. Be sure that whatever you use to clean the paper path does not leave behind any residue. 

Replacing the Document Feed Rollers
One of the first things to wear on a scanner are the rollers in the document feeder. Over time they will wear and become hard, or slick. When this happens, it can cause documents not to feed correctly. If you are experiencing any issues with the way documents are feeding through your scanner, it may be time to replace these rollers.

Intersoft Systems recommends the Canon imageFORMULA DR series scanners. These scanners feature roller kits which are easily replaced by the user, and can be purchased from many authorized Canon resellers. 

Updating Scanner Software
Because there are frequent updates to the operating system software and business applications, it is important to keep your scanner software and drivers current. It is not unusual for updates to these other applications to also require changes to the software that your scanner uses to interface with them. If you experience scanning problems after some other system updates, it may be time to check for scanner software updates as well. In most cases, these updates will be downloadable from the vendor. 

With this in mind, you may also discover that legacy scanners may no longer be supported by the newer operating systems and applications. There comes a point at which the only viable alternative may be to replace old scanners which are compatible with the new systems. 

Additional Resources:

• Selecting an Appropriate Scanner
• Canon Workgroup Scanners

Intersoft Systems recommends a Terminal Server implementation for workgroups using our INTERAC accounting suite. The addition of the Document Management System and the need to scan documents to applications on the server has made “remote scanning software” a critical piece of the system. ​

The Challenge:
Because desktop scanners are typically attached to the local PC, they aren’t seen by the server operating system. This means that applications, like the document management system, running on the server can’t see these desktop scanners. All it takes to overcome this challenge is a small piece of software to enable the server to access these scanners. 

The Solution:
With a remote scanning application, users can use the scanners on their desks with their Terminal Server applications, just as if they were connected to the server. OCR Solutions’ Virtual Scan application is an ideal solution.

Network attached multi-function copier/printer/scanner/fax machines will certainly provide scanning capabilities to a workgroup, but they don’t provide the convenience and efficiency that comes with having the scanner on the user’s desktop. The time lost in walking back and forth to the scanner, or waiting your turn, can easily be eliminated by having low cost desktop scanners available to each user. This is particularly important for the personnel responsible for the bulk of the scanning volume. 

Published 6/18/15 by Eyal Barsky, CEO of OCR Solutions, Inc.

Remote scanning has become a software solution for many businesses looking to scan from within a desktop session in Terminal Services, Citrix, and Windows. Simply put, remote scanning software allows a person to scan directly to a remotely hosted application. This can make life very simple around large offices with a constant workload. Remote scanning software is also very user-friendly, running simply in the background of the desktop not interfering with of your computers’ speed or performance. The software must be initially installed and set-up, but then nothing taxing is required for it to work. In fact, to the users there is really no setup time, all they need to do is hit the scan button on the remote application, choose their scan settings and the image appears immediately on the remote server! The scanner you have connected to your desktop would be used as it always was, just with the ability to share documents over a server. Some of the benefits to remote scanning are:

• The ability to work with any TWAIN-compliant device as well as webcams for imaging and scanning directly into Terminal Server or Citrix hosted applications.
  
• The use of effective, lossless compression - Network traffic will not be noticeably slower during the transfer of images. The software compresses the outgoing file along with encrypting it on the sending side and unzip’s the file on the server so quickly it is virtually like scanning on one’s desktop.
  
• The allowance of multiple scanners to be network shared - A server can detect individual scanners as long as they are attached to a desktop.
  
• The ability to lock scanner settings for network impact limitation - DPI resolution and color are consistent with the software, which also limits network impact.
  
• Remote scanning software is universal and works with any international system around the world. There is no limitation whatsoever on foreign language applications.
  
• Some organizations use the system to share scanners on a network which is similar to sharing a printer.
  

With most businesses looking to increase workload in lesser time specifics, remote scanning software can most definitely help with this issue. The software allows businesses to perform daily tasks of cohesion as quickly as a push of a button. If you are looking for a remote scanning solution please consider using VirtualScan,OCR Solution’s most advanced and easy to use remote scanning software. To get your free trial please click on the link above or go to www.ocrsolutions.com

Other Articles:
Desktop Scanning with a Terminal Server
Selecting An Appropriate Scanner