Sell increased efficiency, security, and cost savings resulting from distributed-capture applications.

Capturing documents electronically using distributed resources, such as networked multifunction products (MFPs) or departmental scanners, offer significant benefits for end users looking for fundamental improvements in efficiency and productivity, according to a new Industry Watch survey conducted by AIIM and sponsored by Xerox Global Services.

The survey is important because it offers insights into key business drivers that are spurring end users to see networked MFPs as essential tools. Sixty percent of the survey respondents said MFPs are "important" or "very important" to their applications.

The survey, "Distributed Capture: Moving Capture Closer to Document Creation," examined the most important technologies and business processes for distributed scanning. Responses came from 456 end users representing a cross section of company sizes and vertical industries. Some participants were heavy users of scanning and capture technology, including more than a quarter who captures more than 125,000 documents a month.

Top Benefits
AIIM says that capture investments historically rank high in satisfaction when it comes to ROI, with 60 percent of distributed scanning and capture users ranking this area favorably compared to other IT investments.

Although conventional wisdom points to monetary savings from reduced shipping and copying costs, the latest survey reveals some new, more compelling justifications for distributed-capture practitioners. At the top of the list are three potential benefits: improved efficiency because electronic documents are more quickly accessible than paper, which is subject to mailing delays; improvements in process automation by eliminating paper at origin points; and improved security through electronic means.

In addition to these benefits, survey participants also put shipping cost reductions and better risk management (through disaster recovery procedures) high on their lists.

Target Areas
Solution providers wanting to promote MFPs for distribute capture should focus on efficiencies in end user finance and administration departments, the survey suggests. The majority of respondents applied the solution to these two areas, in part because of the potential for quick gains in process efficiency and productivity for these departments. Key areas include "cost of doing business" processes, such as payroll and shipping, AIIM says.

Fast distributed-capture ROIs are also possible in HR departments, AIIM points out, where electronic documents can support building and managing talent with more efficient process control and better security for confidential employee data. Automated self-service applications, such as travel requests, can relieve staff burdens for customers.

However, the survey found low utilization rates for distributed capture for regulatory compliance strategies, a result AIIM says is surprising since electronic-document systems can bring heightened security and audit trails to reporting processes.

Future Considerations
In a final area of inquiry, the survey asked participants to rate their interest in distributed capture services, essentially relying on a third-party provider for scanning capabilities. For now, more end users are ambivalent, while a quarter of the respondents said they has "no interest" in the option.

Pricing accounts for some of the mixed feelings, according to AIIM. While a majority of survey participants see a monthly enterprise license fee as the best model for capture services, a significant minority prefer a cost-per-scan pricing approach.

Finally, the survey found that interest in services rises with the addition of related applications, including post-scan image processing or content management. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents said their interest in outside capture services would rise if these add-ons were part of the bundle.