Scan Profiles: One Touch for the Complete Workflow

Every time an employee scans at the multifunction printer, they must make a series of decisions: which resolution? Colour or black-and-white? PDF or TIFF? Where should the document go? Should OCR be enabled? These decisions take time — and lead to inconsistent results across different users.

Scan profiles solve this problem. A profile bundles all settings for a specific document type: resolution, colour mode, file format, OCR options, target system and file naming. The user simply selects the appropriate profile on the MFP display and presses scan. One touch — the complete workflow runs automatically.

This article explains what scan profiles are, shows typical examples and covers advanced features such as QR code-driven profiles.

What Are Scan Profiles?

Pre-configured settings for recurring scan tasks

A scan profile is a saved combination of scan settings tailored to a specific document type or workflow. Instead of manually adjusting all parameters for each scan, the user selects a predefined profile on the MFP display — and all settings are applied automatically.

A typical scan profile defines:

Resolution: 200, 300 or 600 DPI — depending on document type
Colour mode: Colour, greyscale or black-and-white
File format: PDF, PDF/A, TIFF, JPEG or searchable PDF
OCR recognition: Enabled or disabled, text recognition language
Target system: DMS, network folder, email, DATEV, legal software
File naming: Automatic naming by date, document type or custom pattern
Post-processing: Remove blank pages, automatic rotation, contrast optimisation

Practical Scan Profile Examples

Typical profiles for different document types and departments

Profile	Resolution	Format	OCR	Destination
Incoming Invoice	300 DPI	PDF/A	Yes	DATEV / Accounting
Employee File	300 DPI	PDF	Yes	HR System / Personnel File
Long-Term Archive	300 DPI	PDF/A	Yes	Archive DMS
Client Case File	300 DPI	PDF	Yes	Legal Software (RA-MICRO, ADVOKAT)
Photo Documentation	600 DPI	JPEG	No	Network Share
Quick Scan	200 DPI	PDF	No	Email to Sender

Personal vs. Global Profiles

Central management and individual customisation in harmony

Global Profiles

Global profiles are created centrally by the administrator and available to all users at all MFPs. They are suited for standardised workflows that should be uniform across the entire organisation — such as "Incoming Invoice", "Archive" or "Employee File". The administrator defines resolution, format, destination and all other parameters. Users cannot modify global profiles.

Personal Profiles

Personal profiles are created by individual users and only visible after logging in at the MFP. This is particularly useful for individual workflows — such as "My Project Documents", "Marketing Team" or a specific client. Authentication is via LDAP login, smart card or PIN at the device.

Best practice: Combine global profiles for company-wide standards with personal profiles for department- or employee-specific workflows. This ensures consistency while maintaining flexibility.

QR Code-Driven Profiles

Automatic profile selection via separator sheets

For particularly efficient batch processing, Docuflair supports QR code-driven profiles. The principle is simple: a separator sheet with a QR code is placed before each document stack. The software reads the code and automatically applies the associated scan profile.

How It Works

The administrator creates separator sheets with QR codes, each referencing a scan profile
Before scanning, the user places the appropriate separator sheet before the document stack
Docuflair reads the QR code on the first page
The associated profile is applied automatically — including destination, format, OCR and metadata
The separator sheet is automatically removed and not included in the scan

Mixed Stacks

QR code control is particularly powerful for mixed stacks. Place invoices, personnel documents and contracts in any order in the feeder — each separated by a sheet with the appropriate QR code. Docuflair detects the separator sheets, applies the correct profile for each section and distributes the documents automatically to the respective target systems.

Time Savings with Scan Profiles

Fewer clicks, fewer errors, less training

Aspect	Without Profiles	With Profiles
Settings per scan	5–8 manual selections	1 click (select profile)
Time per scan	30–60 seconds (settings)	5 seconds (select profile)
Error rate	High (wrong resolution, wrong destination)	Minimal (everything pre-configured)
Training effort	Every parameter must be explained	Only profile names need to be known
Consistency	Varies by user	Uniform through central definitions

With 50 scans per day and a saving of 30 seconds per scan, profiles save 25 minutes daily on parameter selection alone — over 90 hours per year. Add the avoided rework from incorrect settings, and the total savings are even greater.

Experience Scan Profiles in Action

See in a 15-minute demo how scan profiles reduce scanning to a single touch — including QR code control and DMS integration.

Request Free Demo Discover Docuflair Scan

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most important questions about scan profiles

What is a scan profile?

A scan profile is a pre-configured combination of scan settings — resolution, colour mode, file format, OCR options and destination. The user simply selects the profile at the MFP and presses scan. All settings are applied automatically.

What is the difference between personal and global profiles?

Global profiles are created centrally by the administrator and are available to all users — such as "Incoming Invoice" or "Archive". Personal profiles can be created by individual users and are only visible after logging in at the MFP, e.g. "My Projects" or "Team HR".

Can scan profiles be selected automatically via QR code?

Yes. Docuflair supports QR code-driven profiles. A separator sheet with a QR code is placed before the document. The software reads the code and automatically applies the associated profile — including destination, format and metadata. This is particularly efficient for batch processing.