Scanning Multiple Pages to One File

[LMTC]

What is my best option for scanning multiple pages into a single file? I have 20+ packets of 30-70 pages each that I want to scan so that I can then simply print them as needed. They were not created with a PC (they are old documents, but I have fresh copies), so I have no e-copies.

I had contemplated a sheetfed scanner until I discovered that a reasonably good one was going to cost $1000 and up. Office Depot/Max want $1/page to scan them, so the total bill would be way up there...essentially the price of a scanner. Are there other reasonable options? Oh yes....they are duplex documents.

The other option is to repair our small Minolta copier again, but I have found that a duplex copier in a home environment (fluctuating humidity, etc.) is a very finicky machine....and I would rather find a more permanent solution.

 

[jwstewar]

You could look at this software package: PaperPort I used to use this software when it was owned by Visioneer, but have used it standalone since Scansoft bought the company (about 3 years ago). I'm using version 7.x at home. I always liked it when I used it with my Visioneer PaperPort Strobe.

 

[HomeBrew2]

I recently got an HP Multifunction printer/scanner/copier/fax from Costco for $90. It works great and holds maybe 20 sheets in the copy tray. I'm picky about scan quality.
There's probably plenty of software that would work. I use Adobe Acrobat ("writer", not the free "reader"). You'll obviously have to flip the duplexed pages and sequencing filenames may need to be done manually ... depends on the scan software.
Cheers!

 

[bmac]

<font color="blue"> I have 20+ packets of 30-70 pages each that I want to scan so that I can then simply print them as needed. </font>

That's alot of scanning, especially 1 page at a time. Then, each scanned document is just a graphic image, not editable text. Have you looked into optical character recognition (OCR) software? I haven't used OCR in years and my experience wasn't all that great. But, I'm sure the accuracy has improved since then. With OCR, you will have true text documents (e.g. MS Word) that will be much easier to use than single image files from a simple scan.

Now, not that I would want to do this, but you could just scan all of the pages and then bring them into a MS Word document . I would imagine that this would result in a rather large file as each page is essentially a picture of the original document. I don't know what the minimum scan resolution you would need to make the image legible and the resolution would obviously affect the file size. But a single Word document consisting of 30-70 full page images would be pretty large, I would think.

Without a sheetfeed scanner, you are still looking at a lot of time investment just scanning the documents one page at a time, no matter how you get them into a single file structure.

Good luck.

 

[LMTC]

Thanks to all so far for your insights. I had considered OCR software. The pages are a mix of text and line drawings (think parts manual). I know I could do it with my trusty officejet and some software or other.....I just don't want it to take all winter. On the other hand, I don't want to part with too many $$ either.

I'd love to hear from someone who has used a sheetfeed scanner, particularly a duplex scanner, as to how easy it is to create a single file in pdf or doc format from multiple pages. Maybe then I could pry the money out of my hands for the scanner......

 

[Jimbrown]

Do you have UPS store near you. I am sure they are a lot cheaper than $1 a page. The one near me can scan to disk if you want.

 

[TBDonnelly]

<font color="blue"> What is my best option for scanning multiple pages into a single file? I have 20+ packets of 30-70 pages each that I want to scan so that I can then simply print them as needed. </font>

Some fax machines have an 'email' function. You can scan multiple pages into the fax machine, then email them to yourself.

Don

 

[tawilson]

I use Microsoft Office Document Imaging to scan my parts and owners manuals into my computer. I don't know how it would work with a sheetfed scanner.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Is Microsoft Office Document Imaging contained in Office Pro or an add-on product? Sounds interesting.

 

[texbaylea]

I am planning to update my OCR software. I have both Omnipage Pro and ReadIRIS. Haven't decided which I will go forward with. The description of the newest version of ReadIRIS says that it can take a PDF file (if that is what you end up with) and extract the text to any one of many word processor formats. I happen to use WordPerfect. You would have to do a separate scan to extract the images. A lot of cut and paste but the OCR scans should be almost 100%.

This is not a task that you will be able to automate.

Vernon

 

[HomeBrew2]

I know you're looking to do the duplexing thing but I have similar types of docs to copy as you and wanted to see how my multifunct HP would handle it. I put 10 loose sheets into the copy tray and had it scan to a pdf file. It ran all sheets thru automatically and, after post processing, created about a 2.5MB file. Took all of 10 minutes, most of which was me just fiddling with the software. I scanned text with line dwgs @ 200dpi, gray scale. Cool.

 

[LMTC]

I just tried the MS Office Doc Imaging program....it adjusts for duplex, even reverse order collation of the second side of the page. Major problem right now is my K series officejet is scanning some pages at different sizes(??) Some scan correctly and everything shows, and some pages are cutting up to a third off....generally a vertical strip...size shows as 6.55 x 9something, and one as 5.55 x 11. Not sure why it should be erratic. Other pages show as 7.5 x 11. None are showing up as 8.5x11.

My scan options are photo, text as image, mixed image. Above was done as mixed image. I'll play a bit more today as I'm down with a sore back anyway. And I will check for any more feedback later. I appreciate everyone's input, and probably wouldn't have gotten this far without it (I'm distracted pretty easily:>) Thank you.

 

[tawilson]

Does your software give you the option to pick the area to be scanned? I know mine automatically picks the area to scan, and it doesn't always use the whole page, so I set the boundaries myself. And I think the Office Imaging came with Office XP.

 

[GoodGuy]

I find that Adobe Acrobat Pro 7.0 works great. Color or Black & White. They offer a 30 day trial if you would like a test drive. Good Luck, Eric