Where paper documents once made up the bulk of our communications, it is now electronic messages and digital documents that define our lives. Nevertheless, digitization has not yet advanced far enough for us to banish physical mail and documents from our daily lives altogether.
This is where the post-scanning approach comes into play, combining the familiar cycle of analog with the speed and convenience of digital. Coupled with Artificial Intelligence (AI), this development is steering the scanning process in new directions, because: after postal digitization comes the automated processing of digital mail items.
This article explains how to do this, what knowledge is required and what precautions need to be taken.
Definitions of terms relating to mail scanning
There is a risk of confusion with the following terms, which is why we are taking a closer look at them:
What is "Scan mail"?
Postal scanning refers to the process of digitizing physical mail or documents using advanced scanning technology. It involves converting paper documents, letters, or other postal content into electronic files. This process allows the information from the physical documents to be stored, organized, forwarded or archived in a digital format.
What is "E Mail"?
The term "E Mail" is strictly speaking an electronic mail service of a well-known mail-order provider. With this service, users send, receive and manage digital letters. It is essentially a secure and legally valid e-mail service.
What is "Postscan"?
„Postscan" is a term that, like "e-Post," is used in connection with services provided by a popular mail-order provider. This is a modern solution that makes it possible to convert physical mail items into digital formats. This service is aimed at companies and private individuals.
What is "E-Postscan"?
The service "E-Postscan", on the other hand, refers to the option of receiving physical paper mail in digital form in addition to the original format. This service involves forwarding physical mail to a digitizing station run by shipping providers. The mail is opened there, scanned and made available to customers in digitized form.
Post digitization - functions of the E-Postscan
Key features of an incumbent provider's service include:
- Feed: Decide which version you want to use for daily processing of your mail.
- Process separation: The separation of the contents of each program is done according to the respective documents.
- Scan: The incoming mail items are scanned on the same day.
- Color: It is possible to submit PDF documents in color.
- Full text: You can search the contents of the PDF documents in your existing IT systems.
- Digital mailroom: The service provider distributes the mailings by e-mail - to the recipients in your company, including employees in the home office.
- System partner: Within the framework of the functions offered, it is possible to integrate partner solutions that authorize the automatic transfer of digitized items from E-Postscan.
Scannable and non-scannable mail
The following overview informs you about mail formats that are suitable for mail scanning:
| Shipment type | scannable mail | non-scannable mail |
|---|---|---|
| Letter mail with/without additional services | ||
| Letters (standard, large, maxi), postcards | X | |
| Infopost | X | |
| Shipments with premium address | X | |
| All types of registered mail (return receipt, handwritten, etc.) | X | |
| Other shipment types | ||
| Postwurf, Postwurf Special | X | |
| Promotional info mail (e.g. catalogs) | X | |
| Press mail | X | |
| Streakband newspapers | X | |
| Shipment types with special content | ||
| Blind mailings | X | |
| DVD broadcasts | X | |
| Photopost | X | |
| Packages and parcels | X | |
| Shipments of goods | X | |
| Book shipments | X | |
| Special shipment types | ||
| Express shipments | X | |
| Postal delivery order | X | |
| Postident | X | |
| Letters with cash on delivery | X | |
| Shipments with additional charge | X |
Prices and order data configuration
The prices of the different tariffs vary depending on the shipment volume. From one shipment per day, the provider mentioned above offers the smallest parcel for a monthly flat rate of €19, plus €0.84 per shipment. The parcels are staggered up to 1,500 shipments per day. The largest parcel is offered for a flat rate of €429, plus €0.26 per consignment.
Note!: The prices quoted are base prices plus VAT. For detailed information on prices and order data, please refer to here.
Process flow post digitization
The Digitization process of incoming mail is divided into several steps:
- First, incoming mail items go to the scanning station for conversion to digital formats.
- During sorting, letters that are unsuitable for scanning or should not be scanned are sorted out.
- The actual digitization involves scanning the mail using technical parameters.
- Once the data is ready, the digitized information is either transferred to or made available for the customer.
- Depending on the requirements, the scanned or non-scanned items are either shipped to the customer or temporarily stored or safely disposed of.
This is where we present Konfuzio. The innovative AI-powered technology paves the way for a more advanced, accurate and timely method of scanning mail. Providers and companies benefit from automated pre-sorting, precise scanning and intelligent extraction in documents. This not only opens up opportunities for cost reduction, but also for more effective use of information and a more environmentally conscious approach.
Using artificial intelligence after scanning the mail
How to optimize the Konfuzio AI software the further processing of digitized mail items?
Automated presorting
Konfuzio technology enables automatic recognition of relevant mail items after digitization. Unimportant letters or letters that cannot be scanned are automatically sorted out, minimizing human intervention.
Precise scanning
The AI adjusts the scanning parameters for the scanning process. This results in clear, high-resolution digital copies. For information on technical requirements for scanning shipment documents, contact here.
Intelligent data extraction
The Konfuzio AI is able to read and extract important information such as address fields, invoice data, keywords and handwritten notes from the documents.
Secure archiving and access
The digital data is stored reliably and securely in Cloud platforms or on your own servers. This enables simple and location-independent access to the information or maximum data sovereignty, depending on your requirements. Konfuzio data protection compliant in accordance with the EU GDPR.
Benefits
Some of the benefits of supporting Konfuzio include:
- Time saving - The automated process significantly reduces the time employees need for manual sorting and scanning.
- Improvement of the error rate - The AI-based technology minimizes human error and ensures precise and accurate results.
- Quality improvement of data usage - Intelligent data extraction enables mail scanning service providers and companies to use and analyze their information more effectively.
- Scalability and integration - Konfuzio is scalable and enables scan providers and companies to keep up with increasing order volumes without the need for additional personnel or machine resources. The technology can also be easily integrated into existing IT structures.
Conclusion
Providers of digitization services for letters and mail have set themselves the task of offering mail scanning in response to the challenges of an increasingly digitized world. This service allows both individuals and businesses of all sizes and industries to receive physical mail in a digital format, store it, organize it and share it as needed. But scanning mail means much more than digitization. Scanned mail is a further step towards digital document management and automated workflows.
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