A File 1 document imaging specialist will be happy to discuss your various options and help you determine which format makes the best business sense for your needs. In general, Acrobat portable document format (PDF) provides the simplest and most cost-efficient format for your documents. Your files are viewed using the free Acrobat Reader software and the pages appear with all their original formatting, signatures, graphics, etc. in a format that is easy to navigate. Click here to read about the various PDF options available. Acrobat Reader probably already resides on your computer, or we can provide you with a free copy on your CD.

A PDF specialist can discuss with you how your document can be bookmarked and hypertext linked to make navigation easier.

No special software is needed. PDF documents can be viewed and printed using the free Acrobat Reader from Adobe. Click on the Acrobat Reader icon below to download the latest free version. TIFF images can be viewed using any multiple-page image viewer, such as the one included in your standard Windows or Macintosh Accessories.

A computer with a CD-ROM drive is the only thing you need. Our CD's can be read by Windows, Macintosh, and other platforms.

Using the document CD is as simple as a few clicks. Navigation through electronic documents, particularly those in PDF, is very intuitive. Many people are already familiar with viewing PDF documents over the internet. If you prefer, our document imaging specialists can talk you through using your CD. File 1 can provide a "Read Me" file on your CD with instructions for viewing and navigating through your documents.

DVD players are designed to read CD's as well. Check the manufacturer's specifications to verify that your DVD drive will read CD's. If you prefer, we can submit your documents on a DVD, although the DVD may not be read by standard CD drives.

If you keep your CD or DVD player, you can continue to access your document CD's. Support of CD's within the industry has already been demonstrated by the very fact that CD's can be read in DVD players. File 1 will keep abreast of major technology developments and will offer conversion services as required by our customers.

File 1 will be glad to provide additional CD copies for a nominal charge. You can order multiple copies of your CD at the time of scanning or at any subsequent time. File 1 will retain a copy of your CD as a backup for five years as our standard policy (or longer upon request).

File 1 maintains a copy of all CD's we create as a backup. Our standard policy is to keep the backup copy for five years. Retention can be longer upon your request.

File 1 stores electronic documents on CD's, DVD's or zip disks (upon request). We recommend the use of CD's and DVD's because they cannot be erased or altered, are non-proprietary, and have a longer shelf life.

The published shelf-life of CD's is up to 100 years, according to several sources. Both Sony Electronics and Hewlett Packard publish their CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable) specifications as tested "up to 100 years" archival life.

File 1 provides custom-designed CD labels and jewel case inserts. Design and assembly are included at no additional charge for volume projects.

Yes, but this might not be as cost-effective as providing you with CD's to be uploaded by your technician, who is already familiar with your network system. The CD can then be used as your backup copy in case of disaster or as your archival copy.

File 1 scans to a variety of formats available on the market today. PDF, TIFF, JPEG, BMP, and GIF are commonly requested formats. We recommend PDF for its added features. TIFF is also an imaging industry standard compatible with most document management systems.

Your documents, or the main subject document, will be listed on the CD cover. When you access the CD, the documents will be listed showing the names you provide for them. A copy of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader can also be included on every CD at your request.

PDF normal and PDF hidden text documents will be easily searchable by words contained within the pages. Other PDF options include automatic bookmarks and links to other sections of your document or to other documents on your CD. In addition, short document information fields can be added to documents, known as "indexing", although having your documents indexed is slower and significantly more expensive than creating your documents with logical file names.

Yes, but it is preferable to give us this request before scanning, so we can adjust the scanning resolution accordingly to accommodate the Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The quality of the resulting Microsoft Word document depends on the scanning resolution and the quality of the original paper document.

Yes, File 1 utilizes state-of-the-art Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The software we use yields highly accurate results. The accuracy of OCR depends upon the quality of the original paper documents. If you would care to mail us a sample page or two, we would be glad to evaluate the OCR potential of your documents.

Not directly onto the CD. CD's are a read-only medium, which protects your images from being deleted or changed. You can annotate or otherwise edit Word documents once you copy them to your hard drive or other read/write media. However, only limited editing of PDF documents can be accomplished. PDF documents can be made password-secure upon your request.

Papers which are damaged, torn, or bound will not be suitable for sheet-feed scanning and must be scanned on the flatbed. Please provide us with information regarding the condition of your paper documents when requesting a quote, so we can give you a more accurate estimate of your project.

Your scanning project will be handled by professionals with expertise in document imaging. You can be assured of the careful and confidential handling of all your sensitive documents which are kept in our secure location. We are backed by $4,000,000 insurance, and we have never lost or misplaced a client's file.

File 1 handles highly sensitive client information on a daily basis. We have been involved in numerous projects for the US Navy, Army Corps of Engineers, attorneys, and other agencies. We handle all types of private information including W-2 forms showing social security numbers, credit information, legal briefs, and government environmental reports.

Both options are available. File 1 works with document destruction services to safely and securely shred your documents should you choose to destroy your documents once they are archived.

File 1is located in Miami Beach, Florida. We offer free pickup and delivery within the local area. We regularly receive shipped documents from across the nation. Please call or write us if you would like our suggestions regarding preferred shipping methods.

Pricing for scanning and PDF services is highly variable due to the volume of documents to be scanned, the nature of the original paper documents and the additional PDF services requested. However, scanning is very affordable and can range from as low as $0.08 per page for high-volume, sheet-feedable work with variable pricing for complex services, such as PDF bookmarks, hypertext links, and OCR. As a rule of thumb, documents which contain numerous staple and clips will run slightly higher in price. To make your scanning project much more affordable, please remove staples at your office and insert colored sheets between sections, using binder clips to hold larger sections together securely. For a detailed estimate, fill out our Quote Request Form or contact us directly.

Scanning in-house requires investment in software to save your scanned images to a viewable format. You will spend time and money for training your employee(s) on the software and hardware usage. Many companies find outsourcing their scanning to be more efficient. You save on the time and expense for setting up in-house scanning. Your work is done by professionals with expertise in document scanning and conversion. Click here for a more detailed discussion of the benefits of outsourcing.

PDF conversion requires great attention to detail, and it can be a tedious process to create bookmarks and hypertext links. Outsourcing your PDF work saves time and resources, and gives you access to the knowledge and skills of a PDF specialist.

There are 3 basic types of PDF documents: Image Only, Normal, and Image+Hidden Text. The differences between these options are explained on our "File Storage Online" page. Our PDF specialists will be glad to help you choose among your PDF options.