What is a Paper-to-Digital Estimator

A paper-to-digital estimator is a free planning tool designed to calculate how long a document digitization project will take and what resources will be required to complete it.

By entering a few basic details about your physical archives and scanning setup, the tool can quickly generate realistic projections for total page volume, project timelines, storage needs, and estimated costs.

To understand its value, it helps to define the process it supports.

Document digitization (also called document numerisation) is the process of converting physical records into digital files that can be stored, searched, and managed in a document management system or enterprise content management platform.

The goal is to transform paper-based information into structured, accessible digital content that improves efficiency, compliance, and long-term preservation.

A typical digitization workflow includes several key steps:

• Preparation: Removing staples, organizing files, and separating documents for scanning
• Scanning: A scanning operator runs the files that have already been organized
• Capture: Scanning paper documents into digital images
• OCR processing: Converting scanned text into searchable content
• Indexing: Adding metadata such as document type, date, or reference number
• Storage: Saving files securely in a DMS or ECM for easy retrieval

A paper-to-digital estimator helps organizations understand the scale of this process before it begins, making planning far more accurate and predictable.

What Can This Free Tool Be Used For?

This type of estimator is especially useful for effective project planning.

Many organizations underestimate how much time and effort is required to digitize years of accumulated paper records. Without clear projections, projects can run over budget, take longer than expected, or require more staff and equipment than originally planned.

Many others doubt going paperless simply because they are not sure of total costs of migration or time to complete the process.

By calculating approximate page counts and timelines in advance, the tool helps teams:

• Plan staffing needs and workloads
• Estimate how long the backlog will take to complete
• Understand storage requirements for digital files
• Forecast project costs more accurately
• Decide whether to digitize in-house or in phases

How to Use the Dokmee’s Paper Estimator

The free estimator provided by Dokmee is designed to be simple and quick to use, even for organizations that are just starting to evaluate digitization.

To get an accurate estimate, follow these steps:

1. Select the number of filing cabinets Start by entering how many filing cabinets you currently use to store documents.
2. Enter the number of boxes or drawers The tool uses this information to calculate an approximate total number of pages that need to be digitized.
3. Input your scanner speed Enter the pages-per-minute rate of your production scanner. A strong working range for most projects is around 100 to 160 pages per minute, depending on equipment quality and document condition.
4. Enter daily working hours Add the number of hours per day the scanner will be running for the digitization project.
5. Click “Estimate” The tool will automatically generate projections, including:
   • Total number of pages to digitize
   • Estimated project timeline
   • Storage space needed
   • Total business days required
   • Total scanning hours
   • A pricing estimate

These outputs give you a realistic picture of the scope and scale of their backlog before committing to a full migration plan.

For even greater efficiency, the estimator can be paired with document capture software to automate the next steps.

Once scanning begins, capture tools can apply OCR, extract data, and perform automatic indexing. This reduces manual work and cost of indexation, speeds up processing, and ensures digitized files are immediately searchable and ready for storage in a DMS or ECM system.