Laserfiche is the Document Management System that the university is currently using. Documents are stored electronically by scanning them into a repository and they can then be later retrieved and viewed depending upon the access level that you have been granted. The reason for imaging the documents is that it prevents loss of records, saves storage space, allows easy management of documents and makes finding the information easier.
Getting Started with Laserfiche
Before you can start scanning and storing documents inside Laserfiche, you will have a few things to determine such as:
- How much paper/documents do i have in my office?
- Am i going to scan all the documents or just the new incoming documents?
- Who is going to do all the scanning? Utilizing staff members or outsourcing?
- What and how many pieces of equipment will i need (scanners)?
- How do i want my documents organized?
- Who should have access to these documents?
Accessing Laserfiche
Gaining access to Laserfiche involves setting up your account, undergoing training on the system and installation of software for the scanner on your computer.
- The department must complete the Laserfiche Security Access Request Form and submit it to the Office of Information Resource Management at documentimaging@pvamu.edu.
- The individual will have to be trained on the basics of navigating the system. Training dates are monthly but depending on your needs, special training can be scheduled. In certain instances if there is a power user in the department that feels comfortable providing the training, then that person can do so and sign off on the Departmental Training Acknowledgement form and then forward that to the Office of Information Resource Management via email at documentimaging@pvamu.edu
- Once training is complete the department will be notified when the account has been created.
- If the department already has a scanner, then they can start scanning. If a scanner is needed, the Office of Information Resource Management can provide one. At this point the department will have to contact the IT department so that they can install the necessary software on the computer.
Laserfiche Forms
Laserfiche FAQ
What is Laserfiche?
It is the electronic document management system that the university is currently using to capture and store documents regardless of if its a text file or an image.
What is electronic document management?
It is the conversion of paper documents into electronic images. It prevents lost records, saves storage space, manages records easily, finds documents quickly, makes images centrally available and eliminates the need for file cabinets.
What type of documents goes into Laserfiche?
Only administrative and student related documents that follow the state mandated retention schedule are to be scanned into Laserfiche.
I have a lot of old files and documents in my office, how do i know what to scan?
You will first need to determine what documents have to be accessed frequently and start there, then work through the remaining files. Do not scan anything that is coming up for record destruction soon. Refer to the Record Retention Schedule and contact the University Record Retention Officer if you have further questions.
How are documents organized inside Laserfiche?
The system has a repository (PVAMU) and each department has a main folder and then sub-folders are created based on the type of documents the department handles/processes and is required to maintain.
Who sets up the folders for the departments?
The departments will create their own folder structure with the assistance of the Office of Information Resource Management. The department will also determine who they will want to access the folders that are created. The department will also appoint a Departmental Records Manager, who will maintain the folder structure and the moving or deletion of documents.
If i have a scanner already, can i use it or do i have to get a new one?
You can use the one that you have but depending on the brand the Office of Information Resources may not be able to assist you if you have problems with the scanner. We have certain brands of scanner that we use during implementation which we are familiar with and can support if there are issues. You can contact our office if you need to get a new scanner.
Why is it that when i scan my double-sided document, i only see one side of the document?
You have to make sure that your scanner settings have been set-up to capture both sides of the document. In the scanner settings make sure that for the “Paper Source” option, that you select “Feeder Duplex”.
How do i get rid of blank pages?
You can click on the blank page and hit the delete button or the red X when viewing the thumbnails.
After i scan my documents in can i reorder the pages?
Yes. You can click on the thumbnail of the page that you want to move and just drag it to where you want it.
My scanner froze while i was scanning documents and now the screen is locked, what do i do and are my documents lost?
You can do Ctrl+Alt+Delete and open Task Manager. Under “Processes” look for the PVAMU-LFTwain-Laserfiche Scanning application that is running and click on it and select “End Task”. This will close the session and you can then go back and reopen Laserfiche and the scanning window. You will be asked if you want to recover the documents that you were previously working on, click yes and the documents will open up.
I tried to open a document that i just scanned and it said it was Locked, how can i unlock it?
If you refresh the document list it may unlock the document. If that doesn’t work then contact the Office of Information Resource Management and let us know the name of the file and we can unlock it for you.
Laserfiche Guides
The links provided serve as guides for performing various tasks as it relates to Laserfiche. The guides cover basic information that is normally presented during the initial training session.