“The world has gone digital.” Those five words have struck fear in the hearts of many of, shall we say, the “experienced” people among us. Perhaps the most daunting part to many is just how quickly information can be shared as a result of this digital age. The point I routinely try to drive home is that just because technology might be complex or confusing to grasp at first, it doesn’t necessarily have to be difficult in practice. With proper education and practice, just about anyone can learn how to do this stuff. Take scanning for instance. I’m sure that many of you reading this own all-in-one printers. If you’re not familiar with these printers, typically they’ll allow you to print (obviously), copy documents, fax, and scan. Copying usually isn’t a problem for most users, and many are comfortable with the idea of faxing (don’t ask me to set one up – I HATE faxing and think it’s outlived it’s usefulness), but scanning is baffling for some reason, and many don’t see the point. My goal for the day is to help clear up any scanning confusion, and to tell you why you should be doing it.
As I mentioned earlier, scanning is something that many people just can’t wrap their heads around. Normally at this point in the post I’d define what the topic of the Blog is and what it technically means. Since my goal for “Scanning the Globe” is to make the process as simple as possible, my definition will try to use the same spirit: when you scan a physical piece of paper or picture, you turn that document or image into a digital version which can be saved to your computer or a flash drive. You’re probably asking, “Why is this important?” I’ll use my life as an example. As a business owner, I’m forever needing to send W9 forms to businesses so I can be paid for my services. To do that requires printing the form from the IRS’s website, filling out the information (by hand), and sending it to the business. The most efficient way to send it, is via e-mail, because it’s 2017 and many of us have declared our independence (Happy Independence Day, America!) from faxing. in order to e-mail a handwritten form, it needs to be converted to a digital file that can be sent over the Internet. So, scanning is the best way to accomplish that (yes, you can take a picture with your smartphone if you’d rather). Other things we regularly scan include invoices, receipts, registration forms, and pictures that are then turned into video slideshows for clients, or used on websites we create. Scanning is also a great way to preserve your own family photos, as we discussed in “Memories Fade Don’t Let Your Film“.
Now that you’re (hopefully) sold on scanning, how do you actually do it? As you probably know, scanners are included with all-in-one printers, or separately as standalone flatbed scanners, handheld scanners, and even 3D scanners. Because there are so many variations, and just as many manufacturers, it’s impossible to tell each of you exactly how to use your own scanner, so we’ll hit the basics. All-in-one printers always include a flatbed scanner, and sometimes also feature a feeder on the top for multiple pages. Typically, if you’re scanning photos, you’ll want to use the flatbed scanner for best results. Access the flatbed scanner by lifting the top of the printer, and looking for a flat piece of glass. Place the item to be scanned face down on the glass, then put the top down. Try to avoid getting too many fingerprints on the glass because they’ll show up on your scan. Normally when a printer is installed on a computer, scanning software is included in the software package. For example, HP uses the appropriately named HP Scan, and Canon’s has the more obscurely named, IJ Scan Utility. Don’t ask me what it stands for. If you can’t find included software, modern versions of Windows come with Windows Fax and Scan pre-installed. In Windows 7, click “Start” then “All Programs” then toward the top of the Start Menu click “Windows Fax and Scan”. In Windows 8, move the mouse to the right side of the screen, and click on the magnifying glass that appears. Type “Windows Fax and Scan” and click on the top result in the list. In Windows 10, click “Start” then scroll down and click on “Windows Accessories”, then click “Windows Fax and Scan”. When the program launches, click on “New Scan”. If you have more than one scanner installed on your computer, select the one you wish to use. Next, choose the “Source”. This is where you’ll choose between the flatbed scanner or feeder. Then, choose whether you’d like your scan to be in color or grayscale. Click the dropdown arrow to the right of “File Type” and then click on JPG. If you’re scanning a photo, you’ll definitely be choosing JPG. My biggest gripe with Windows Fax and Scan is that you can’t scan to PDF. Most people prefer (some even require) documents to be sent as PDF files. It’s ok to send them as a JPG, but PDF is the most universally accepted file format. Why Microsoft doesn’t give you that option is a mystery to me. You can scan to PDF in HP Scan and IJ Scan Utility. Back to Windows Fax and Scan, the last setting is Resolution (DPI). I’d recommend 200 for a document and a minimum of 300 for a photo. DPI stands for dots per inch, so the more dots you have per inch, the better the quality of the scan. Bear in mind that the larger the resolution is, the larger the file size is as well. Now we’re ready to rock ‘n roll. Click “Preview” and you’ll see exactly what your scan will look like. If you’re scanning a small photo or document, yet the entire surface of the glass was scanned, position the mouse over the dashed lines and click and drag them to the desired size. When you’re satisfied, click “Scan” and you’re done. By default, anything that is scanned by Windows Fax and Scan is saved into the “Scanned Documents” folder inside the “Documents” library. HP Scan and IJ Scan save everything to the “Documents” library. If you’re unsure of where to look, last week’s post “Find Your Inner (File) Explorer” can help.
Sorry for yet another long Post, but scanning is a skill that’s too important not to go over in detail. Faxing is so 2000. Learn how to scan today so you won’t be left in the dust!