Get the right equipment

There's a fairly broad range of scanners available. Accurately determine what your likely volume of work will be. Where you publish or use scans will determine the resolution quality you need.

I recommend: Input your requirements at C/Net Shopper, Scan Store and Office Shop Direct and they will recommend the appropriate equipment.

Choose the right software

Most office software suites can handle very basic scanning needs. If you need to manipulate photos or optically scan documents, you may need supplemental software.

I recommend: The gold standard for photo manipulation is Adobe Photoshop. For very high-end document management, some good packages are eCopy, eDrawer and Nuance. Buyer Zone offers a broad range of products for a variety of needs.

Outsource your document scanning needs

If you have large amounts of paper or photos to convert to digital, you may need to outsource the job. Many suppliers scan high volumes of documents on-site.

I recommend: Some reliable providers are MicroMedia, Digital Documents and Lason.

Review your choices

Look to online resource for impartial reviews of electronics and software.

I recommend: C/Net Reviews, Review Centre, Consumer Search, Digital Imaging Guy and Splise are good sources for reviews of scanning equipment.

Get add-ons

Scanners don't require ink or paper, so there is no ongoing expense. However, depending on your needs, you may want to purchase add-ons upfront. These may include attachments for scanning film strips, slides or X-rays. Or you may need an automatic document feeder.

I recommend: Buy add-ons at MSN Shopping and NexTag.