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What is Document Conversion?

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Converting business documents from one form to another is called document conversion, or digital archiving. Any change in format, whether from paper to digitized format or Microsoft Word to PDF is a document conversion.

There are many different file types. Some hard copy formats are:

Film
Microfiche
Paper
Canvas

Some of the digital formats include:

Word Processing or Data Documents (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, AppleWorks, etc.)
PDF (Portable Document Format) Used for representing documents as an exact replica of the original.
Tiff (Tagged Image File Format) Used mainly for photograph images and line art.
JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) Used mainly for photograph images.
Gif (Graphics Interchange Format) Used mainly for web applications where images need to be resized or animated.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) Used mainly for images and graphics.

Document conversion gives businesses the ability to change a file from one format to another, but the main focus of document conversion is to allow for the storage of more information in less physical office space. Once the document conversion is complete, retrieval of that information is expedited and allows more closely monitored access through passwords, and tiered access to all documents. Once a document is converted from hard copy to digital format, the information is also accessible from more than one place, thus eliminating the need to walk to the file room.

The move from hard copy documents that are all stored on site to digitized information allows for storage of hard copy documents in an off site storage facility or through an off site storage/retrieval company. When necessary, the off site storage/retrieval company will locate the original document and deliver it to the office upon request.

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