Cloud Storage Integration: Scan Directly to OneDrive, SharePoint & NextCloud

Scanning documents and saving them to the local computer — that was yesterday. Today, employees expect scanned documents to be immediately available where they work: in OneDrive, SharePoint, NextCloud or another cloud storage service. Location-independent access, automatic backups and easy collaboration are the driving factors.

Cloud connectivity for scanners and MFPs bridges the physical world of paper with the digital world of the cloud. This article shows which cloud destinations are supported, how configuration works and what security aspects you should consider.

Why Cloud Connectivity for Scanners?

Three reasons that explain the trend towards cloud integration

Location-Independent Access

Employees working from home, travelling on business or in another office need immediate access to scanned documents. Cloud storage makes this possible — without VPN connections, without remote desktop, without asking colleagues. The document is where the employee is.

Automatic Backup

Documents stored only on a local network drive are vulnerable to hardware failures, ransomware and natural disasters. Cloud storage provides automatic redundancy and versioning. A scanned document in SharePoint or OneDrive is automatically part of your backup strategy.

Simplified Collaboration

When a scanned contract lands directly in a shared SharePoint folder, all stakeholders can immediately access, comment on and edit it. No emailing attachments, no version conflicts, no "I do not have the latest version".

Supported Cloud Destinations

Where Docuflair can send your scans

Destination	Type	Typical Use
Microsoft OneDrive for Business	Cloud	Personal filing, Microsoft 365 environments
Microsoft SharePoint	Cloud/On-Premises	Team collaboration, document libraries
NextCloud	Self-Hosted Cloud	GDPR-compliant cloud on own servers
Amazon S3	Cloud	Mass archiving, long-term storage
FTP/SFTP	Server	Exchange with external partners
Local Network Drives	On-Premises	Existing filing structure, no internet required
Email (SMTP)	Notification	Send documents as attachments to recipients

How Scan-to-Cloud Works

Three scenarios for cloud connectivity

Scan-to-Cloud at the MFP

The user authenticates at the MFP, selects their cloud destination on the touchscreen (e.g. "OneDrive — Incoming Invoices") and presses Start. The Docuflair Embedded App on the MFP sends the scan to the local Docuflair server, which processes the document (OCR, naming, classification) and then transfers it to cloud storage. The user needs neither to enter the file name nor navigate to the destination folder.

Automatic Routing by Document Type

In an automated workflow, the software decides based on the recognised document type where the document is filed. Invoices go to SharePoint, contracts to NextCloud, HR documents to the local HR drive. The user simply scans — the routing logic handles distribution.

Hybrid Approach: Local + Cloud in Parallel

Docuflair Flow supports multiple outputs per workflow. A document can be archived simultaneously on the local network drive and made available in OneDrive for mobile access. This way you always have a local backup — regardless of cloud service availability.

Security and GDPR

What to consider with cloud connectivity

Encryption During Transfer

All connections to cloud storage use encrypted channels (TLS/HTTPS). Data is protected against eavesdropping and tampering during transfer. SFTP additionally provides SSH-based encryption for file transfers.

On-Premises Processing

A key security advantage of Docuflair: all document processing — OCR, classification, metadata extraction — takes place on your local server. Only the fully processed document is transferred to cloud storage. Raw data and intermediate results never leave your network.

Where Is Your Data Stored?

The central GDPR question: in which country is your data stored? With Microsoft 365, you can specify the data region (e.g. EU). NextCloud offers full control as data resides on your own servers. With Amazon S3, you choose the AWS region (e.g. Frankfurt). Ensure your cloud provider meets GDPR requirements and a data processing agreement (DPA) is in place.

Tip: For organisations with particularly strict data protection requirements, NextCloud offers a GDPR-compliant alternative to US-based cloud services. Data resides on your own or European servers — combined with on-premises processing by Docuflair, your documents never leave the European legal jurisdiction.

Set Up Cloud Integration with Docuflair

Docuflair connects your scanners and MFPs with all common cloud storage services — with full control over processing. Schedule a free demo and see cloud integration in action.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most important questions about cloud storage integration

Which cloud storage providers does Docuflair support?

Docuflair supports all common cloud storage providers: Microsoft OneDrive for Business, Microsoft SharePoint, NextCloud, Amazon S3, Google Drive as well as FTP and SFTP servers. Additionally, scans can be sent to local network drives and DMS systems such as DocuWare or d.velop.

Are scans processed in the cloud or locally?

All processing — OCR, classification, naming — takes place on-premises on your local server. Only the fully processed document is transferred to cloud storage. Raw data and intermediate results never leave your network. This is a key difference from cloud-based scan solutions that upload documents to the cloud for processing.

Can I save scans locally and in the cloud simultaneously?

Yes, Docuflair Flow supports multiple outputs per workflow. A document can be saved simultaneously to a local network drive, to SharePoint and as an email notification. This way you always have a local backup while benefiting from cloud availability.