Preparing documents for scanning

When using an ADF scanner, preparing the documents is probably the most important step before scanning. Follow these tips and you’ll be scanning piles of documents in no time flat.

Be sure to remove all staples and fasteners

Staples can disrupt scanning by jamming the roller system and can create strange images on your scans. Take them out with a staple remover. If you’re really picky, you can cover the patch up the holes with clear tape. And it might sound obvious, but go through the paper and remove all paperclips.

Smooth out all corners

To prevent the omission of key material from the documents and in the interest of preventing misfeeds, be sure to smooth the corners of all documents.

Align pages the same way

To save time on editing images after scanning, be sure all pages are facing the same way and none are upside-down. It’s much quicker to do it now than to adjust the scans later.

Be sure all editing marks are dry

If the documents have been marked with a marker or white correction fluid, be sure they have COMPLETELY dried before scanning. If not, they could smudge the lenses, creating streaky scans and poor image quality.

Fan out documents

Fanning the paper gently will make for smoother scanning. After fanning, be sure to tap the documents lightly on a flat surface to align them before loading.

Use protective sheets

Scanning fragile or brittle documents? Be sure to protect them with some clear protective sheets.