Converting paper-based data into digital formats helps businesses manage information more efficiently. Digital storage saves space and time while minimizing the risk of data loss. More importantly, it creates a foundation for better data utilization in business operations.
Digitization services are widely used across industries such as healthcare, finance, education, and manufacturing. From electronic medical records to customer files and technical documents, digital workflows are gradually replacing traditional paper-based methods. This shift enables organizations to process information faster, maintain consistency, and enhance data security.
So, what exactly is a digitization services? What are the common types, and what value can they bring to your business? The following insights from DIGI-TEXX offer a clear and practical overview.
What Is a Digitization Service?
A digitization service is a solution that helps businesses convert physical data, such as paper documents, technical drawings, or archived files, into digital formats that can be managed, retrieved, and processed by software systems.
These services are usually provided by professional vendors who offer clear workflows, supporting technologies, and quality control standards. The goal is not only to store information more efficiently, but also to make it easier to access and use data in operations and decision-making.
Digitization services can be divided into two levels: basic and advanced. At the basic level, the provider scans documents and stores them as images or PDF files, mainly for electronic archiving and quick reference.
With advanced services, the data is further processed, including content extraction, tagging, classification, and integration into systems such as ERP, CRM, or industry-specific management platforms.
Common Types of Digitization Services
| Service Type | Description | Practical Applications |
| Paper Document Digitization | Converts printed materials such as contracts, forms, and records into image or PDF files. OCR can be used for searchable content. | Used in administration, accounting, HR document storage, and customer contracts. |
| Data Entry | Manually or semi-automatically inputs data from paper forms into electronic systems using predefined templates. | Suitable for digitizing registration forms, surveys, applications, and legacy customer data. |
| Data Conversion | Changes data formats from older systems to new platforms (e.g. Excel to database systems) while ensuring data consistency. | Ideal when upgrading software, integrating data between departments, or switching platforms. |
| GIS Conversion | Converts paper maps or geographic data into digital formats compatible with GIS software. May include roads, zones, coordinates, and attributes. | Applied in urban planning, transportation, environment, telecommunications, and real estate. |
| Microfilm Scanning | Uses specialized equipment to digitize documents stored on microfilm or microfiche into electronic formats such as images or PDFs. | Common for legal archives, historical documents, and long-term administrative data. |
| Technical Drawing Digitization | Converts paper-based drawings such as electrical diagrams, construction plans, and machinery schematics into digital formats like CAD. | Used in construction, manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, and technical asset management. |
| Internal Workflow Digitization | Converts internal paper forms and approval workflows into digital formats for online processing. | Applied in internal administrative processes such as leave requests, payments, proposals, and expense approvals. |
Common Use Cases of Digitization Services
1. Healthcare: Better Management of Medical Records and Treatment Information
Medical records, test results, prescriptions, and treatment notes are essential documents frequently digitized in the healthcare sector. Digitization helps hospitals and clinics store patient information securely, avoid data loss, and retrieve it easily when needed.
Moreover, electronic health records support faster decision-making by doctors, reduce waiting times, and improve the overall quality of care.
2. Administration and Office Work: Less Paperwork, Faster Processing
In administrative and office environments, documents like official letters, contracts, HR files, and internal forms are often stored on paper, making them easy to lose and hard to retrieve.
When converted into digital format, information becomes more organized, helping reduce processing time and minimizing errors during review and approval. This also lays the groundwork for building a modern, flexible, and paperless office model.
3. Finance, Banking, and Insurance: Automate Processes with Digitized Data
Các loại hồ sơ như hợp đồng tín dụng, hồ sơ khách hàng, chứng từ giao dịch và hồ sơ bồi thường cần được bảo mật và truy xuất nhanh chóng.
Thanks to digitization services, businesses can handle these documents more accurately, reduce approval time, and comply with legal data retention requirements. Digitized data can also be easily integrated into management systems and risk analysis tools.
4. Education and Training: Easier Management of Student Records and Academic Results
Transcripts, report cards, admission files, and certificates are important records that need to be preserved for the long term.
When digitized, schools can access student information more quickly, reduce administrative burden, and improve overall training management. This also provides a solid foundation for implementing learning management systems (LMS).
5. Manufacturing – Construction – Engineering: Synchronize Technical Documents and Operations
Technical drawings, design plans, operation manuals, and maintenance records are documents that are frequently used and updated.
Digitization helps store this information accurately, avoid loss, and improve collaboration among teams. Especially in large-scale projects, digital data supports consistent information sharing across departments and contractors.
6. Legal – Archiving – Libraries: Preserve Long-Term Records and Improve Accessibility
Legal documents, case files, old archives, and research papers are often stored on paper or microfilm.
Digitization ensures long-term preservation, makes it easier to search and access data for research and reference purposes, and reduces the risk of physical damage while enabling better sharing through digital platforms.
7. Logistics -Transportation: Optimize Supply Chain Control with Digital Data
Shipping documents, delivery notes, warehouse in-out orders, and inspection reports are generated daily in logistics operations.
Digitizing these documents helps automate workflows, save time in monitoring, and improve accuracy in supply chain management. Digital data also makes auditing and traceability more efficient in case of incidents.
Why Should We Choose a Digitization Service?
1. Optimize Investment and Operating Costs
Digitization in-house requires significant upfront investment in dedicated scanners, document processing software, storage infrastructure, and especially operational staff.
Meanwhile, digitization service providers already have these systems in place and charge based on the actual volume of work. This helps businesses avoid maintaining a specialized department, thereby saving on long-term fixed costs and optimizing their budget.
2. Shorten Implementation Time and Increase Accuracy
With experienced teams and professional workflows, service providers can process large volumes of documents quickly, ensuring the project stays on schedule.
On the other hand, doing it internally often means extra time spent training staff, testing software, and adjusting workflows, with higher risks of errors due to a lack of hands-on experience.
3. Access the Latest Technologies and Methods
Many digitization service providers apply advanced technologies such as OCR, ICR, AI for document classification, contextual recognition, cloud storage, and international-standard data security.
Implementing these technologies in-house can be very costly, while outsourcing allows businesses to leverage modern tools and technical expertise at a much lower cost.
4. Reduce Security and Legal Risks
Digitized documents often contain sensitive information such as contracts, HR records, or financial data. Reputable digitization service providers follow strict security protocols, including data encryption and controlled access. If handled internally, the business would need to build its own security framework, which requires a high level of knowledge and carries more risk if not done properly.
5. Support Data Analysis and Utilization
Some providers go beyond simple digitization by offering extended services like data standardization, labeling, and integration with analytics systems. This helps businesses extract insights, track performance, and make informed decisions.
Such added value is something internal teams often lack the resources or expertise to deliver.
6. Flexible According to Scale and Needs
Digitization service providers allow businesses to scale based on project size or timing. You can digitize by phase, by campaign, or handle your entire archive in one batch, without putting pressure on internal resources. This flexibility is especially useful for companies with irregular or project-based digitization needs.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Digitization Service
1. Fit with Actual Business Needs
Before selecting a provider, businesses should clearly define the types of documents to be digitized, the volume of work, and the goals for using the data after digitization (e.g., for storage, integration, or analysis). From there, choose a provider that can tailor solutions to match the project scope and timeline, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all service.
2. Experience and Reputation of the Provider
Working with a provider that has experience in your industry helps ensure smoother collaboration and reduces potential risks. It is important to review their past projects, customer feedback, and their ability to comply with relevant standards such as ISO, HIPAA, or data protection regulations.
3. Technology and Technical Standards
A provider’s technical capabilities directly affect the quality and speed of digitization. Businesses should pay attention to features like OCR capabilities, image processing, automatic document classification, system integration options (API), and output format standards (PDF, XML, JSON, etc.).
4. Security and Legal Compliance
Internal documents, especially financial, legal, and HR records, must be handled in a secure environment. Businesses should request clear commitments from the provider regarding data protection, including access control policies, activity logs, and clear backup and recovery mechanisms.
In addition, providers must comply with data privacy and retention regulations.
5. Scalability and After-Sales Support
Scalability is essential, especially for businesses planning to digitize in phases or expand in the future.
Post-delivery support, such as data maintenance, error correction, recovery assistance, or system integration, should also be considered to ensure long-term operations.
6. Transparent Pricing and Payment Terms
While cost is important, it should not be the only factor. Businesses should compare pricing based on actual value received, such as speed, accuracy, security, and technical support.
Make sure you understand the pricing model (per page, per volume, per package), any extra charges, and the payment terms in advance.
7. Industry-Specific Knowledge
Each industry has its document characteristics, from how files are organized and formatted to storage and retrieval regulations. A provider with domain knowledge can handle documents more effectively, ensure proper classification and accurate recognition, and deliver services that match real operational needs.
This is especially important in sectors like healthcare, finance, legal, or technical manufacturing.
Các công ty dịch vụ số hóa uy tín
| Company | Overview | Industries | Core Services |
| DIGI-TEXX | Nhà cung cấp dịch vụ chất lượng Đức và có mặt tại Việt Nam từ năm 2003. | Banking, insurance, government, and NGO sectors, administration | Document scanning and extraction, historical document processing, invoice handling, data entry, data checking, and cleansing |
| BPO.MP | A Vietnam-based company specializing in document digitization, known for its multi-level quality control process. | Healthcare, administration, banking, insurance | Document scanning, information extraction, data entry, digital archiving, and data validation |
| Expertrans Global | A multinational BPO company with over 15 years of experience, known for high security and large-scale processing. | Legal, human resources, finance | Document scanning and encoding, record digitization, data management, and electronic archiving |
| DIT JSC | Experienced in library and archival services, especially with complex professional documents. | Education, healthcare, libraries | Document scanning, microfilm digitization, indexing, and data classification |
| CMC Global | A member of CMC Corporation, offering digitization services combined with cloud platforms and digital solutions. | Large enterprises, manufacturing, logistics | Document digitization, cloud storage, DMS, and ECM integration |
| FPT Software | A leading technology company with the ability to implement digitization projects integrated with AI, RPA, and big data. | Corporations, banks, and government organizations | Document digitization, process automation, data analytics, and system integration |
Optimizing Operations Starts with Digitized Data
A digitization service not only helps businesses reduce storage costs and accelerate workflows but also opens up greater opportunities to utilize data more effectively in management and decision-making. When documents are standardized and stored in digital formats, it becomes easier for organizations to integrate them with other digital platforms, laying a solid foundation for sustainable digital transformation.
However, every business has its own characteristics in terms of document types, data usage needs, and readiness in terms of people and technology. Assessing your current capabilities, defining clear digitization goals, and selecting the right partner will help ensure a more efficient implementation and prevent resource wastage.
Well-organized data is not just an asset; it is a long-term competitive advantage. Investing in a digitization service is a strategic starting point to unlock that value in a structured way. If you are exploring how digitization could align with your industry or internal processes, DIGI-TEXX is ready to accompany you and share our experience when needed.
=> Learn more:
- What Is Document Digitization and Why Should You Digitize Your Documents?
- Challenges of Digitizing Handwritten Historical Documents in Multilingual Scripts
- What is Record Digitization? A Step – by – Step Guide to Help Businesses Synchronize Processes and Boost Efficiency
- Document Processing Companies Overview: What You Need to Know
