For a while I've thought of scanning all my paper documents and then create a data base for indexing...

[NurseRN]

I am tired of papers and file cabinets; I?ve been contemplating the idea of scanning everything I have on paper (bills, statements etc, etc) and then create a database for indexing. I want to use a database software which will allow me to expand for years to come. The storage media for my digital file cabinet will have to be CD?s unless something better comes along.

I am not yet sure what method of indexing I?m going to use; I guess that all depends of the software used.

My questions are as follows:

1. What?s the best way to do this?
2. What software to use?
3. What?s the best format in which the digital image will have to be saved?

I thought of using Adobe for scanning images and then Access or Cold Fusion for database.

I appreciate your thoughts of this matter.

 

[bsobel]

Im using PaperPort, it does most of what you want, can interface with OCR so you can text search everything. Also lets you annotate the stored documents. Since January we've scanned pretty much every bill, bank statement, etc that we used to file. Takes a bit of time tho, but I sit down and do it as I pay my bills and cruise around here (the scanner was literally scanning a bill from the gardner while I was reading your message). It's only really annoying if you let it all pile up, it can become a bit to dig out of.

Bill

 

[bsobel]

One other thing you'll need, a good backup package. I'm backing all the documents up monthly to DVD-R, every 3 months I drop one of the DVD-R's into my safe deposit box (has quicken and all of our family photos on it also)

Bill

 

[gsaldivar]

I'd also recommend PaperPort...

why re-invent the wheel?

 

[NurseRN]

I checked out PaperPort and it looks intersting. My only concern was the ability to open these files 10 + years down the road. I don't want to find myself in the position where the file format is no longer supported.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[EagleKeeper]

IF you are concerned about supported formats down the road, save a boootable copy of your system and the S/W requireded to access the data.

You may also wish to archive a small hard drive in a safe deposit box incase you feel that the hard drive format will be incapatible:Q

 

[GigaCluster]

Originally posted by: NurseRN
I checked out PaperPort and it looks intersting. My only concern was the ability to open these files 10 + years down the road. I don't want to find myself in the position where the file format is no longer supported.

Thank you all for your help.

I don't think that incompatibility in the future will be a problem if you stick to open file formats... for example, your "filing" system could be running Linux with PostgreSQL database containing zipped bitmaps. Notice that all four elements of my previous setup are open-source and will remain available if you are willing to keep a copy of them on a specially dedicated CD, for example.
Linux kernel 1.0 is still available at www.kernel.org from 1991... that should tell you something.
Compression (".tar.bz2") is also freely available, and bitmap is supported by ALL operating systems. I know that losslessly compressing bitmaps yields very impressive results. I am sure that you can find some script package that allows you to file documents to a database maybe at www.freshmeat.net, or you can ask on an IRC channel.

Anyway, the key to maintaining compatibility for years to come is not using proprietary file formats and applications.
Good luck.