management, Format for saving documents

Hello,

I know its a general question, but what suggestions would you have for
saving a scanned legal document? (In terms of saved format.)

We have a few hundred signed documents that are being imaged. We need
to keep the originals onsite, and we want the digital images for
offsite storage. Now lets say the original is lost, stolen, or
destroyed. Would any digital file be considered "legal replacement"?

This may be a question for the legal community, but I was wondering if
any of you had experience in this area.

Recommended reading suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.

The answer will depend on which country you are in.

In the UK you would need to have a set of procedures in place and audit
trails to show that the digitial file is a true copy and that no one
has tampered with it. This may invovle scanning everything double sided
to prove nothing was on the back, keeping track of scanner settings,
etc. The format I would select is Group 4 TIFF, the format is relativly
stable which is important. If the format keeps 'improving' then there
may be an obligation to convert the digital files to the latest version
of the specification.

KD,

My company develops solutions related to document management and
records management. We've written a little compliance document that
talks about this issue. You can find it here:
http://www.rjssoftware.com/Solutions/DocumentManagement/Articles/Documents/RegulatoryCompliance.pdf

The key statement in this document for the United States is as follows:

Our document and image management software complies with IRS Audit and
Federal law. See below:

"Records maintained in an electronic storage system are accepted for
record
keeping purposes if the system complies with Revenue Procedure 97-22 in
Cumulative Bulletin 1997-1. An electronic storage system is one that
either
images hardcopy (paper) books and records or transfers computerized
books
and records to an electronic storage media, such as an optical disk."
(IRS
Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records, page 14)
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p583.pdf

Bill Whalen
RJS Software Systems
888-RJSSOFT
www.rjssoftware.com

I have always steared towards text over image PDFs for my clients.
This eliminates the need for keying index fields (for the most part)
and allows every word on the document (typed) to become a search word.
When scanning millions of pages be prepared to invest in good servers
that should have offsite backup as well.

I agree with the other comment by Rob. Look at the law closely...
infact, don't look at it at all. Have your lawyers tell you what to do
as far as scanning and the quality control that needs to be
implemented.

This is not a small task thus the reason for so many companies offering
to scan paper for clients at an outragous rate.

Let me know if there is anything else I can do.

Adam Snide
http://www.syracusescanning.com

Thanks for all of the replies.

Very helpful.

-KD