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Scanning

Once scanning a record, how can our office ensure the text is searchable and how can we easily locate the scanned record among our existing files or folder structures?

Utilizing Adobe Acrobat Pro’s Recognize Text feature will allow your scanned image to become a searchable document. Details on how to recognize Text and how to search your folders can be found here.

Can our office scan and destroy our paper records?

An office or department is always welcome to scan records so long as they keep the original paper documents. If you want to scan and destroy the original paper, your office must have a written Scanning Policy on file with our office. To check if you already have a scanning policy, talk to the Records Coordinator in your office or try our Departmental Search webpage – it tells you if you have a departmental retention schedule and/or a scanning policy. If you are still unsure, please contact us at recmgt@uw.edu or 543-0573.

If your office is scanning records into the UW-IT Document Management System (DocFinity), GCCR, or Workday (including Workday Finance), you are covered by one of our University-wide policies and do not need to create your own scanning policy.

 

Why do we need a Scanning Policy before we can destroy the paper we scanned?

The UW Scanning Requirements which necessitate a Scanning Policy are based on Imaging Systems, Standards for Accuracy and Durability – Chapter 434‐663 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC). These requirements must be met to authorize the use of scanned images as replacements for the original paper records.

What do we do with the original paper copies once we’ve scanned them?
  • If you are scanning records into ARIBA or Workday, you should be following the University-wide scanning policy which allows you to dispose of any original paper source documents as soon as they have been uploaded.
  • For all other records, If you already have a scanning policy on file with our office, the original paper copies are considered duplicates and can be destroyed.
  • If you do not have a scanning policy on file with our office, the original paper copies remain the legal copy of the record and must be stored and maintained for their full retention period.

While you are welcome to retain the paper records within your office, we encourage you to use our Scanning Policy Builder to aid in drafting a departmental scanning policy that meets all University and State requirements.