Automate Scan Workflows

Scanning a document is quick. What comes after is what actually takes time: renaming the file, moving it to the correct folder, adding metadata, notifying colleagues. This manual post-processing accounts for up to 80% of total processing time.

Automated scan workflows eliminate exactly this manual effort. You define rules once that determine what happens to a document after scanning — and the software handles the rest. From batch feeding through document separation and OCR recognition to filing in the correct destination folder with the right file name: everything happens automatically, in seconds rather than minutes.

This article presents the five building blocks of an automated scan workflow and illustrates them with a concrete real-world example.

1. QR Code and Barcode Batch Separation

The first building block solves a fundamental problem: how do you split a large stack into individual documents without scanning each file separately?

The solution: separator sheets. Sheets with QR codes or barcodes are placed between the documents in the stack. The scanner captures the entire stack in one pass. The software recognises the separator sheets and automatically divides the scan into separate files.

The key advantage: QR codes can carry additional information — such as document type, client number, department or destination folder. This turns a single scan operation into the starting point for all subsequent processing.

2. OCR-Based Metadata Extraction

Optical character recognition (OCR) makes the text in scanned documents machine-readable. But modern OCR goes far beyond simply recognising letters: it extracts structured data from the document.

In practice, this means: the software automatically recognises the invoice number, date, amount and supplier on an invoice. On a contract, it identifies the contract date, parties and term. This extracted data is stored as metadata and is available for further processing.

OCR recognition quality depends directly on scan quality. At 300 DPI resolution with good original quality, modern OCR engines achieve accuracy above 99%. Even with difficult originals — fax printouts, copies of copies or handwritten additions — current technologies deliver usable results.

3. Rule-Based Routing

Once the document type is recognised and metadata extracted, rule-based routing takes over. This determines where each document goes:

• Invoices → Folder Accounting/Incoming-Invoices/2026/
• Contracts → Folder Clients/[Client-Name]/Contracts/
• HR documents → Folder HR/[Employee-Name]/
• General post → Folder Inbox/[Department]/

Routing rules can be arbitrarily complex: by document type, by extracted content, by sender, by date, or by a combination of these criteria. In Docuflair Flow, these rules can be configured in the web-based Manager — without programming knowledge.

4. Automatic Naming

Consistent file names are the foundation of a searchable archive. Automated scan workflows generate file names according to a defined schema using metadata from the document:

• 2026-03-17_Invoice_12345_Supplier-Ltd.pdf
• 2026-03-17_Contract_Client-Smith.pdf
• 2026-03-17_Application_John-Doe.pdf

The naming schema is defined once and then consistently applied to every document. No more cryptic file names like Scan_001.pdf or IMG_20260317_143052.pdf.

5. Delivery to the Target System

In the final step, the fully named and classified document is delivered to the target system. Typical destinations include:

• Network drives: Filing within the existing folder structure
• Cloud storage: OneDrive, SharePoint, NextCloud, Amazon S3
• DMS systems: DocuWare, ELO, d.velop, SharePoint
• Email: Automatic dispatch to defined recipients
• FTP/SFTP: Transfer to external partners or systems

Docuflair Flow supports simultaneous output to multiple destinations. An invoice can be filed in the local archive, handed off to the accounting software, and sent as an email notification to the responsible clerk — all at once.

Start Small, Expand Gradually

Begin with a specific use case — for example, incoming invoice processing. Once this workflow runs stably and employees are satisfied with the results, expand to additional document types and departments.

Define Your Folder Structure First

Automated filing only works when destination folders are clearly defined. Invest time in a logical, future-proof folder structure before setting up routing rules.

Involve Your Team

The best workflows are created when the employees who work with documents daily are involved in planning. They know the typical document types, the exceptions and the pitfalls.

Optimise Regularly

A scan workflow is not a one-time setup. Regularly review recognition accuracy, routing rules and user satisfaction. Adapt the workflow to changing requirements — new document types, new departments, new target systems.