FAQ
What types of records can be imaged?
LiveFile Solutions images a large variety of documents, including student records, HR records, board minutes, financial reports, engineering drawings, medical files, and more. Microfilm & Microfiche Documents can also be imaged so they can be viewed and the information used easily.
How many pages of paper are in a box?
A standard file box measures 12” x 12” x 15” will hold the following:
Seven (7) – 500 sheet bundles of new paper or 3500 individual pages of 8.5” x 11” Six (6) – 500 sheet bundles of new paper or 3000 individual pages of 8.5” x 14” About 550 empty standard file folders. Typically between 2000 and 2500 pages will fit in each file box, on average, 1 box is 2500 sheets.
This depends upon how many pages per file folder, if there are separators and how many are 2 sided.
What are some of the cost savings for storing electronic records vs storing them in boxes or filing cabinets?
- Storage Cost savings – let’s take for example an office with 15 file cabinets
- 15 file cabinets holds 120 box equivalent taking up 100 sq. ft of office
- Off-site records storage runs $.25-$.40 per month per box = $30-$50 per month, a 7 year retention amounts to $2520-$4200
- Data storage is inexpensive; 120 boxes is about 9-10 Gigabytes of data and most likely already available on an existing server for you to use.
- Labor Cost Savings
- If an employee pulls or add to 10 files a day that’s 50 a week, 2500 a year. If it takes 5 min. to search for and refile paper files it equates to over 200 hours a year just spent filing.
- Time to scan or search for digital files 1 min. each = 42 hrs. per year
- At a labor rate of $15 hr. it’s a savings of $2500 per year per employee.
How much disk space do scanned documents take up ?
A 4 drawer file cabinet is approximately 8 boxes or 20,000 pages or 600 Megabytes.
What kind of File is an Image File
The Scanned documents are typically saved as group five .tif images, they can also be saved as a .pdf file if preferred a .tif file is a smaller file size than a .pdf, typically 30-50K for a single page. Other formats are supported, such as JPG, GIF, all scanned images are a standard format and non proprietary.
What will the images look like?
We use high-end imaging production software and scanners to ensure the highest image quality of your records. After documents are scanned, they go through an image enhancing process where the images are de-skewed, de-speckled, and black borders are removed. The end result is an exact scan of the original document that can be viewed on a computer screen, a reprinted page will look like a photo copy.
How long with the image last?
The quality of the electronic documents will remain the same, unlike paper, microfilm, and microfiche, which deteriorate over time. So the electronic images viewed today will have the same clarity if viewed in ten years. As long as the files are stored on a hard drive, or optical media such as a CD / DVD they will look the same. Optical media will degrade over time, so an off-site backup is the preferred method of long term storage
Can I have a sample of our documents imaged?
Yes – As a standard procedure, we scan and index a sample of your records. This verifies the image files and index values are what is needed and will upload into your Electronic Records Storage system properly. After the sample run and with approval from our client the rest of project is scanned.
Can I convert different document types from one format to another?
Yes – we have software that can convert databases of older file formats into .pdf, or .tif images in large batches for import into a document management software system.
How do you access to documents once they are scanned?
The Software used by LiveFile to scan and index documents can be uploaded in the proper format into over sixty (60) of the leading Electronic Records Management software platforms. As a part of the Scope of Work, the type of document management software is defined and tested with the sample run along with the key search fields to identify the document.
What if I do not have any software to view my records?
LiveFile is a reseller of OnBase one of the leading Enterprise Content Management software platforms. LiveFile also can provide software options for smaller firms to realize most of the benefits of less paper.
What is Optical Character Recognition or OCR?
OCR is used to convert machine readable text into usable data, a scanned and OCRed document can be searched for key words, imported into MS Word for repurposing, or certain sections of a form or document can be captured for use in a database. OCR is a powerful tool to make the information contained in text useful and searchable.
Can I also convert microfilm, microfiche, and large format drawings, such
as maps?
We can scan your microfilm and microfiche for easy access and use along with more recent documents.
How much does document conversion cost?
Records can be imaged for about the price of a photocopy. Price varies depending on size and volume of the documents, their condition, how many pages for each file and how many index fields are needed for each record.
On average, scanning costs about $0.08 - $0.12 per page.
What are the limits of the size of paper that can be scanned?
Most documents are on standard paper, legal sized or 11 x 17. Large format engineering and architectural drawings up to E-sized can be scanned as well.
Is it possible to scan double-sided documents?
Yes. We automatically recognize double-sided documents and then scan both sides without interrupting the conversion process. Blank pages are removed and there is no charge for blank pages .
Can I request files at any time during the conversion process?
Absolutely. We realize that during the conversion process, there may be times that you will need to have access to your files. Whenever you request a file, we will promptly get it to you via fax, email, or overnight delivery.
What is a document management software?
A Document management software allows you to manage scanned documents and electronic files.
What is Enterprise Content Management?
According to AIIM, ECM is the technologies used to Capture, Manage, Store, Preserve, and Deliver content and documents related to organizational processes.
What formats are compatible with Document Management Sofware?
Tiff, PDF's, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint, outlook emails, Text files, jpeg, bmp over 200 file formats are supported.
Can several people look and edit documents at the same time?
Yes – that is one of the key benefits of being “paperless” a business with multiple offices can view, add to or utilize the same file or information in real time.
What is a PDF?
(Portable Document Format) An intelligent print and distribution format that enables the platform-independent presentation of information. Unlike pure image formats like TIFFs, PDFs permit content searches, the addition of metadata, and the embedding of electronic signatures.
What is indexing?
Indexing refers to the manual assignment of index attributes used in the database of a “manage” component for administration and access.
What is an ASP?
An Application Service Provider. In an ASP solution, both the application and data reside on the supplier's servers, and your staff gets access through a web browser or specialized client software. Another term for this type of software is | 
