With the help of records scanning services, your business can make the leap into the digital world with faster, more organized records and files. Watch the video or read the transcript below to learn how to calculate the costs for your scanning project.
Video Transcription
Where to Start
When planning a scanning project, the first question is typically price. On average scanning costs about 7-12 cents per page.
Before you can get a clearer picture of your project’s price, you’ll first need to understand the full scope of how much you have to scan.
Converting Containers to Paper Amount
The primary method for estimating the cost of scanning, is calculating how much paper needs to be scanned.
The easiest way to do this, is by basing the number off of the average number of documents contained in a single records box.
A full box will hold about 2,700 pages. From there, it’s multiplying the number of boxes x 2,700 = total pages to scan. Here’s a quick conversion chart to help with the calculation:
| Container | Box Count | Paper Count |
| Letter/Legal Box | 1 | 2,700 pages |
| Large Letter | 2 | 5,400 pages |
| Large Legal | 3 | 8,100 pages |
| Lateral File Cabinet (per drawer) | 2 | 5,400 pages |
| Vertical File Cabinet (per drawer) | 1 | 2,700 pages |
What If You Use Shelf Storage?
Documents stored on shelves can also be converted to box (and page) numbers.
Typically there are 150-200 pages per inch on a shelf, but this can vary based on how tightly those documents are packed:
- If papers are packed loosely, it’s likely closer to 150 pages per inch, meaning every 13”-16” of shelf space is roughly equal to 1 box of paper
- If papers are packed tightly it will be closer to 200 pages, meaning every 10”-12” of shelf space is roughly equal to 1 box of paper
Other Cost Factors
Besides how much paper you have, the price of scanning also depends other project needs.
There are several factors to consider, and understanding each will help with organizing your plan to get the best price for the project.
Single or Double-Sided
When calculating paper amounts based on the number of boxes, it’s important to account for double-sided documents.
Scanning costs are per page, meaning that a full paper box with 2,700 double-sided documents would be a 5,400 page scanning project.
Pricing Based on Volume
The price of a scanning project will vary based on the overall amount of documents you need scanned.
The larger the scanning project is, the less your project will typically cost per page.
Is There Prep Work Involved?
Before starting, be sure to check for and remove any staples or paper clips ahead of time.
If additional preparations like removing bindings before scanning are required, it will also factor into the project price and duration.
Scanning Location
Large scanning projects are often done at an off-site facility.
For sensitive information however, some businesses are hesitant to let documents leave their possession.
If this is the case, projects can also be conducted on site for a chance to witness the scanning.
Supplementing With Storage
When considering scanning costs, it can also be valuable to consider what you don’t need to scan.
For inactive records that aren’t used regularly, a common strategy is storing them at an off-site facility to save money instead.
Off-site storage costs between 50-95 cents per box per month, and compared to scanning 2,700 pages that you rarely need, it can help save a large sum of money.
Plan Your Scanning Project With Record Nations
If you know how much you have to scan and are ready to set up your project, visit us at Record Nations to find scanning options for a range of different industries and formats today.
To get free, no-obligation quotes from scanning service providers in your area, either give us a call at (866) 385-3706, fill out the form on this page, or contact us directly using our live chat.
