cross-posted from: https://discuss.online/post/40125235
Picked up an ix500 scansnap and wondering about suggested workflows for going paperless. My intention is to scan a bunch of documents, but haven’t delved deeply into how this will actually flow on the software level. I know I’ll need to OCR the scanned documents, and my base setup is:
- Pi with SSD storage running compose version of Paperless-ngx to filesystem mounted folders.
- Folders can also be accessed over Samba
- ix500 statically assigned over wifi as network scanner.
- A literal filing cabinet, for things I should keep physically.
- Ubuntu computer for browsing
I feel a bit overwhelmed, but am excited to get started. Will be scanning personal document, work docs, whatever else I need to digitize and recycle. All suggestions appreciated!
If your scanner supports scanning to a network share, install Samba on your Pi and share the paperless-ngx incoming directory. My ScanSnap iX1600 supports this, but I’m not familiar with other models. I had to configure the scanner using the Windows app to add the SMB details, but once it’s configured, it works without a computer attached.
Paperless-ngx also supports email. You can set up a separate email account for it, then forward it any documents you want to keep to it.
For documents you need to keep a physical copy of, use ASNs (archive serial numbers) to correlate the physical and virtual copy. You can use QR code stickers to automatically set the ASN in paperless-ngx. I posted a nested comment with more details about this.
Consider using paperless-ai to use an LLM to tag and title your scanned documents automatically. It needs a webhook to be configured. Consider a local model if possible, and if you want to use a hosted model, review the provider’s privacy policy to ensure they do NOT train the AI on user content.