Scan Your Documents and Receipts

July 2023 — Tip of the Month

Several years ago, I recommended going paperless. Electronic documents don't just reduce waste; they are easier to organize and search. But not all companies provide electronic statements and receipts.

The solution? A scanner.

People often correlate scanners with an office workspace. But they are just as useful at home. I've been using the ScanSnap ix100 scanner for nearly seven years, and it has noticeably reduced clutter. On multiple occasions, I've searched my past scans and found a specific document or receipt I need.

I use Fujitsu's ScanSnap Home software to organize my documents, but several other options are also available. Whatever software you choose, an electronic archive will help reduce clutter and make it easier to find old documents when you need them.

Important: You can also use a phone camera to create digital versions of your documents and receipts, but I recommend using a scanner. Scanned documents look much closer to the originals than photos. Additionally, optical character recognition (OCR) works best with high-quality scans, so scanned documents are more searchable.

- Per Christensson