Stop Scanning the Old-Fashioned Way: Get Neat

When it comes to scanners, most people have a picture of a flatbed scanner in mind - a piece of equipment where you lay down the document to be scanned, press a few buttons and have to swap out one page for the next. The process can be tedious, especially if you're working with a large pile of papers, receipts or business cards that need to be scanned in. The NeatDesk Scanner offers an alternative.

Time Saving Technology

The NeatDesk system sits upright on a desk, with three feed trays sized for documents, receipts and business cards. You can place a whole stack of paperwork in the NeatDesk, start the scanning process and let it feed through pages while you work on something else. It is a high-speed scanner that allows you to process paperwork and get it off your desk quickly. On top of eliminating paper clutter, the NeatDesk system also includes the software necessary to create what amounts to a digital filing system. The optical recognition software packaged with NeatDesk is top of the line. Not only can it convert scanned documents into a file that you can search or edit on your computer, but it can also extract information from certain types of documents - like receipts and business cards - and process it so that you can add it to your bookkeeping software or address book with just a click.

Organize with Ease

You can save scanned documents as PDF files, an ideal format if you need the ability to easily send files to someone else or to search longer files for specific keywords. The NeatDesk software also offers the ability to export your data to Excel, Quicken, QuickBooks, TurboTax and Outlook. You can also store data within the NeatDesk system, where you can create expense reports, maintain a database of contacts and organize your files. The organizational system can be particularly useful if you need to have scanned copies of certain documents, such as contracts, but may not have the time to maintain a more elaborate digital filing system.

Quality Counts

The high quality files you'll have as a result of scanning with the NeatDesk Scanner can easily be printed at a later date. Many scanners will produce files that are clear enough to read on your computer screen but will be blurry when you print them off again. The NeatDesk scans up to 25 pages per minute while still producing printable files. The system also scans color effectively, albeit at a slower speed than a grayscale scan.

The NeatDesk Scanner is priced at around $400 and is available for both PC and Macintosh. The Neat Company, which makes the NeatDesk system, also offers its software as a separate product, as well as other scanners. The NeatWorks software can be set up to work with other scanners and can be scaled to work with large businesses, or companies with multiple offices. Other scanners from the Neat Company include a mobile version, which can be useful in many filing situations.

Have you tried the NeatDesk scanner? If so, share your experiences with the OA community!