Three scanning methods compared: Which one fits your organisation?
Almost every multifunction printer offers three basic scan destinations: email, network folder and — with the right software — directly into a target system. These three methods differ fundamentally in terms of security, automation, rework and GDPR compliance.
This article compares Scan-to-Email, Scan-to-Folder and Scan-to-Process based on concrete criteria and provides a recommendation for which method suits which organisation size.
Comparison table: simplicity, security, automation and more
| Criterion | Scan-to-Email | Scan-to-Folder | Scan-to-Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simplicity | Very simple | Simple | One-time setup, then simple |
| Security | Low (no encryption) | Medium (depends on folder permissions) | High (direct transfer to protected system) |
| Automation | None | Minimal (hot folder possible) | Full (metadata, OCR, filing) |
| Rework | High (save attachment, rename, file) | High (move file, rename, assign) | None |
| GDPR compliance | Problematic | Difficult to implement | Compliant (no intermediate storage) |
| Scalability | Not scalable | Limited | Linearly scalable |
| Metadata | None (file name only) | None (folder/file name only) | Complete (captured at device) |
| File size | Limited (email cap) | Unlimited | Unlimited |
The quickest method — with the biggest limitations
Scan-to-Email is the most widely used scanning method. The document is scanned and sent as an email attachment to a predefined address. Setup is trivial — enter the email address and done.
Recommendation: Scan-to-Email is only suitable for occasional, non-confidential scans. For regular workflows, personal data or compliance-relevant documents, this method is not appropriate.
The network folder as a central collection point
Scan-to-Folder saves the scanned document to a network folder (e.g. \\server\scans\). From there, it is manually processed further — renamed, moved, imported.
From the scanner directly into the target system — without rework
Scan-to-Process transfers the scanned document directly from the MFP into the respective target system — DMS, accounting, legal software or archive. Metadata is captured at the device, OCR is performed automatically, filing happens without manual intervention.
Which scanning method fits your organisation?
| Organisation Size | Scans/Day | Recommendation | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sole trader | 1–5 | Scan-to-Email or Scan-to-Folder | Low volume, simple requirements |
| Small business (5–20 staff) | 5–20 | Scan-to-Folder with clear structure | Folder structure suffices, but discipline required |
| Mid-size (20–200 staff) | 20–100 | Scan-to-Process | Manual rework becomes a bottleneck, compliance relevant |
| Law firms / Tax advisors | 30–200 | Scan-to-Process | Case number assignment, DATEV integration, client obligations |
| Government / Enterprise | 100+ | Scan-to-Process | Scalability, GDPR, audit trail, DMS integration |
Rule of thumb: As soon as you scan more than 20 documents per day or process personal data, Scan-to-Process is the most economical and legally sound solution. The saved rework typically pays for the investment within a few weeks.
See in 15 minutes how Docuflair transfers documents directly from the scanner into the target system — with metadata, OCR and automatic filing.
Answers to the most important questions about scanning method comparison
Scan-to-Process is the most secure method, as documents are transferred directly into a protected target system with a permission framework. There is no intermediate storage in email inboxes or unprotected network folders. For GDPR-compliant organisations, Scan-to-Process is the recommended option.
Scan-to-Email is suitable for occasional, non-confidential scans — for example, when a single document needs to be quickly sent to a colleague. For regular workflows, large files or personal data, Scan-to-Email is not recommended.
In principle yes, if the network folder is secured with appropriate access rights, logging and encryption. In practice, however, this is difficult to implement, as intermediate folders are often accessible to all employees and do not ensure automatic deletion or further processing.
For organisations with more than 20 scans per day, Scan-to-Process is the only scalable solution. The effort per document remains constant, regardless of volume. Scan-to-Email and Scan-to-Folder do not scale because manual rework grows linearly with volume.