What is Digitization? The Digitization Process

One of the most common concepts organizations encounter in their information management processes today is digitization. However, it is often confused with digital archiving. In fact, digitization is a separate process that forms the basis of digital archiving systems.

In this article, we clearly address the questions: What is digitization? How is it done? And how does it differ from digital archiving?

Step-by-Step Document Digitization Process

A professional digitisation project demands an error-free workflow. The fundamental phases of this process are as follows:

1. Preparation and Classification

The documents to be digitized are first physically inspected. They are cleared of staples, paper clips, and similar metal attachments, then grouped according to their types (e.g., invoices, contracts, personnel files). This stage directly impacts the overall speed of the digitalization process.

2. Scanning

The prepared documents are transferred to the digital environment using high-speed, professional scanners. The most critical factor at this stage is the resolution value. Usually, a resolution of 300 DPI is preferred to ensure that OCR (Optical Character Recognition) systems can accurately read and process the text.

3. OCR and Image Enhancement

Cleaning processes are performed on the scanned raw images. The readability of the document is improved through operations such as deskewing (straightening), edge cropping, and noise reduction. Thanks to OCR technology, the text on paper is converted into searchable digital text.

4. Indexing and Metadata Entry

Indexing is the lifeblood of a digital archive system. Information such as the document's date, reference number, relevant person, or subject heading is entered into the system. This makes it possible to locate a specific document among thousands of pages using just a single keyword.

5. Quality Control and Approval

At the end of the process, the quality of the scanned images and the accuracy of the indexing data are verified by experts. If there are missing or incorrect pages, the process is repeated for those specific items.

6. Transfer to Digital Archive System

Once all processes are successfully completed, the digital copies are transferred to secure servers and Document Archive Management Systems (DAMS).

Added Value of Professional Digitalization Services for Institutions

The digitalization process is not merely copying physical documents; it is a strategic transformation that involves integrating the institution's entire information flow into the digital world. Professional digitalization services transform idle data into active, accessible, and manageable information assets.

Data Security and PDPL - Compliant Digitalization Processes

Full compliance with Personal Data Protection Law standards is of critical importance in digitalization projects. Data privacy protocols are implemented during the scanning, indexing, and storage stages to prevent unauthorized access.

Thanks to digital archive management systems:

• File-based authorization is ensured

• Access logs are tracked

• Data security is elevated to the highest level

This structure offers a much more secure environment compared to traditional paper archives.

Maximum Efficiency with Smart Search and OCR Technology

Thanks to advanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technologies, even printed documents, handwritten notes, and worn-out papers are converted into digital text with high accuracy.

With this technology:

• Documents become searchable based on their content

• Information access time is reduced to seconds

• Operational processes are accelerated

Research shows that OCR-supported digitalization increases productivity in institutions by up to 40%.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Advantage

Physical archives are extremely vulnerable to risks such as fire, flood, humidity, and similar threats. Digitized documents, on the other hand, can be secured through geographical backups.

As a result:

• Data loss is prevented in case of potential disasters

• Digital archives can be restored within seconds

• Business continuity remains uninterrupted

Conclusion

Digitalization is the first and most critical step in the digital transformation journey of modern institutions. Transferring physical documents to the digital environment professionally provides long-term advantages in terms of data security, speed, efficiency, and sustainability.

By moving your institution's information assets to the digital world, you can move toward the future with confidence.

Golden Tips from Medoc

1. View Your Archive Heritage as a Strategic Resource: Instead of just scanning documents, recognize your existing physical archive as an information asset. This perspective turns digitalization from a mere operational task into a process that creates a competitive advantage.

2. Implement Phased and Risk-Oriented Planning: While digitizing the entire archive at once may seem tempting, proceeding by prioritizing document classes and critical functions reduces risk and accelerates value creation. This approach also ensures a more controlled transition for KVKK-compliant processes.

3. Adopt a Zero-Tolerance Policy on Data Security. KVKK-compliant digitalization is not just about digitizing the document; it is also about providing access control, traceability, and audit evidence. Every transaction must be recorded by the system and be reportable when necessary.

4. Backup and Disaster Recovery Plans from the Start: Moving to a digital environment does not mean you will never lose your data; on the contrary, digital risks grow without a proper backup and geographical redundancy strategy. Plans that ensure business continuity in a disaster scenario are an integral part of professional digitalization projects.

5. Integrate a Digital Archive Management System: Storing scanned files is more than just simple storage. Creating a systemic archive architecture with functions such as user authorizations, version control, reporting, and search reveals the true added value of digitalization.

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