For many township offices, the decision to digitize records is an important step toward improving efficiency, organization, and accessibility.
But once that decision is made, another question often comes up: Where do you start?
Years of accumulated paperwork, inconsistent filing systems, and limited staff resources can make a scanning project feel overwhelming. Without a clear plan, even a well-intentioned digitization effort can become more complicated and costly than necessary.
The good news? A little preparation can make a big difference. Before your township begins scanning documents, here are five important steps to consider.
Take Inventory of Your Records
Before anything gets scanned, it's important to understand what you're working with.
Township offices often maintain a wide variety of records, including meeting minutes, financial documents, property records, permits, and historical files. These documents may be spread across filing cabinets, storage rooms, and multiple departments. Start by identifying what records you have, where they're located, and approximately how much paper needs to be processed.
You should also consider the condition of your documents. Older records, oversized materials, and fragile pages may require special handling during scanning.
Having a clear picture of your existing records helps establish the scope of your project and prevents unexpected challenges later.
Determine Which Documents to Prioritize
Not every document needs to be digitized at once. For townships working with limited budgets and staff resources, prioritizing records can make the process more manageable.
Consider starting with documents that:
Are frequently accessed by employees
Need to be shared between departments
Are important for daily operations
Are difficult or time-consuming to retrieve
Require additional protection due to their condition or importance
It's also important to review applicable records retention requirements before making decisions about which documents to scan or dispose of.
By identifying your priorities early, you can focus your resources where they'll have the greatest impact.
Think About How You'll Find Documents Later
Scanning records is only part of the process. What happens after they're digitized is just as important. Imagine scanning thousands of documents only to discover that employees still struggle to find the information they need.
That's why organization should be a priority from the beginning.
Before scanning begins, consider how your digital files should be named, categorized, and indexed. For example, records might be organized by department, document type, date, or another identifier that makes sense for your township.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology can also make scanned documents searchable, allowing employees to locate specific information without manually reviewing individual pages. A well-organized digital archive helps ensure your investment in scanning delivers long-term value.
Establish Security and Access Requirements
Government records often contain information that requires careful handling. While some documents are available to the public, others may contain confidential or sensitive information that should only be accessible to authorized employees. Before digitizing, determine who needs access to different types of records and how that access should be managed.
It's also important to consider how documents will be handled during the scanning process, where digital files will be stored, and what security measures will protect them.
Establishing these requirements early helps protect important information while making records more accessible to the people who need them.
Decide What Happens to the Original Documents
Once your records are digitized, what happens to the paper? The answer depends on the type of document and any applicable retention requirements.
Some original records may need to be preserved for legal, historical, or administrative purposes. Others may eventually qualify for secure destruction once retention obligations and other requirements have been satisfied.
For documents that must be retained, professional off-site storage can provide a practical alternative to keeping boxes in crowded township offices.
Planning for the physical records before scanning begins helps ensure that your township has a complete records management strategy, not just a collection of digital files.
Start Your Scanning Project with Confidence
A successful scanning project doesn't begin with a scanner. It begins with a plan. Taking time to assess your records, establish priorities, organize your files, and address security requirements can make the transition to digital records much smoother.
And your township doesn't have to navigate the process alone. At Document Mountain, we help local governments simplify records management through professional document scanning, searchable digital archives, and secure physical records storage.
Whether you're preparing to digitize a few boxes or decades of accumulated records, our team can help you determine the best approach for your needs.
Ready to take the next step? Contact us today to start planning your scanning project.