Scanners have become a vital piece of technology for small and mid-sized businesses. New generations of optical scanners are transforming the workplace, helping businesses rapidly digitize photos and other graphics, photos, archive news articles, create backup files of important paper-based documents, duplicate printed forms and letters, send faxes and more.

But selecting the right scanner for your business and finding suppliers can be complicated. Your key considerations as you look for a business scanner include these:

1) The type of scanner you need, such as a flatbed scanner, handheld, oversize, or other.

2) The scan resolution you are looking for, whether it's low resolution for basic document filing, or high resolution for high quality images.

3) Other features you want to have included in the scanner equipment, such as fax capabilities, copying or printing.

4) The usage volume you expect; whether it is intended for light duty, medium duty or heavy use.

5) Specific brands you want to look at.

6) Your price range. Whether your budget is under $100, or you are looking for top quality in the thousands, there are many scanners to choose from.

Action Steps for Purchasing Computer Scanners
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Educate yourself on computer scanner specs

When buying computer scanners, pay attention to several specifications, including resolution, bit depth, type of sensor, interface and optical density.

I recommend: Get up to speed on computer scanner dos and don’ts with buying guides from eBay, HP, HowStuffWorks, PC World and BuyerZone.com.

Choose the type of optical scanner you need

There are several types of computer scanners, including flatbed scanners, which can scan both flat and bound documents, and sheetfed scanners, which can only scan loose pages.

I recommend: If you just need basic functionality, consider all-in-one models, which combine a computer scanner with a fax machine and a photocopier. Find multifunction scanners and other basic models in the listings at Business.com or at BestBuy, Office Depot and CompUSA.

If you’re mobile, consider handheld scanners

Handheld scanners and portable scanners are smaller and more compact than regular optical scanners and are the perfect accessory for your mobile office.

I recommend: If you’re in the retail business, consider a different kind of portable scanner—a wireless bar code scanner—to cure the headache of taking inventory. You can find distributors of wireless scanners at Business.com and Barcode Inc.; among the most popular brands is Wasp.

Make heavy-duty printing easier with commercial scanners

Everyday computer scanners are fine for most people, but they can’t handle every job. In order to scan drawings, blueprints, maps and building plans, for instance, you’ll need a large format scanner. Drum scanners, which provide dramatically high resolution, are another popular choice for professionals.

I recommend: Browse manufacturers and distributors of industrial grade optical scanners and commercial scanners, and of large format scanners in particular, at Business.com.

Scan three-dimensional objects with a 3D scanner

If you want to scan more than photos and paper, consider a 3D scanner. Engineers and construction professionals use a 3D scanner—which scans three-dimensional objects and environments in order to replicate their shape on your computer—to create digital models and maps, while those in the entertainment industry use them to build virtual realities and realistic animations.

I recommend: NextEngine’s Desktop 3D Scanner is a leading—and affordable—3D scanner. Other popular, higher-end manufacturers include Z Corp. and Konica Minolta.

Outfit your computer scanner with software

Most computer scanners come equipped with basic—but generally weak—image-editing software; upgrading to a more advanced program can vastly enhance your capabilities. Consider buying optical recognition (OCR) software, too, as it will allow you to edit scanned text within your word processor.

I recommend: Adobe’s Photoshop is the leading image-editing software while Nuance’s OmniPage is the top OCR program.

Browse computer scanner vendors for deals and discounts

Once expensive, entry-level computer scanners are now quite affordable at less than $200; be prepared to spend up to $1,200, though, for more advanced models.

I recommend: Popular computer scanner vendors include Canon, Kodak and HP.

Tips & Tactics for Computer Scanner Shoppers

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most computer scanners’ resolution is measured in dots or pixels per inch (dpi or ppi). Look for computer scanners with at least 300 dpi; the higher the pixels, the better the image.
• •  Computer scanners pick up a specific number of “bits” per pixel in an image; look for a scanner with 24 bit depth for a high-quality scan of text, 30 bit depth for slides and negatives, and 36 bit depth for photos and color graphics.
• •  Pay attention to how an optical scanner connects to your computer. Some computer scanners connect via a parallel port—which tends to have a slow connection—but most models should connect via either USB or SCSI, which are much faster.
• •  Look for scanners that use a charge-coupled device (CCD); CCD scanners aren’t always as durable as other options, but tend to produce higher quality images.
• •  If you need truly high image quality from your computer scanner, pay attention to models’ dynamic range, or optical density (OD). Most optical scanners have an OD of about 2.8 or 3.0; look for 3.2 or 3.4, however, if you need images with more depth.