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(Archived) Questions for ScanSnap users


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I'm looking to buy a Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner (undecided between S1300 and S1500). I have the following questions for current users:

1. is it possible to use the ADF to either scan multiple SEPARATE documents or one MULTI-PAGE document? I would expect to be able to pick what mode I'm in and if I pick "Multipage double sided doc" the scanner will scan all the pages in the feeder and return one document ... if I pick "Single page single sided doc" the scanner will return a bunch of separate files." Can that be done?

2. I will want to scan certain stuff straight into evernote. Other stuff such as financials I want to be prompted for a location and filename and store a PDF in the location and NOT have the stuff in Evernote. I assume that again I'd be able to pick a "profile" of sorts to do this. Is that correct?

3. The scanner has blank page detection. Will it detect a notebook page with lines on it but no text to be a blank page to eliminate? If it can't... can I have a profile that says "multipage double side document" and one that says "multipage single side" that I can use for my notepad scanning so that I don't scan the ALWAYS blank backside?

Thanks!

Oh a bonus question. I know someone with an S1500 and he says he can add more pages as the scanner does it's thing. Can this ALSO be done with the S1300? If you're willing to babysit it, by adding more pages when it gets close to can you scan a 30 page document in one swoop with the S1300?

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I'm looking to buy a Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner (undecided between S1300 and S1500). I have the following questions for current users:

Just so you know, Fujitsu has just released a replacement for the S1500 called the iX500, so you might want to check that one out if you are leaning that way.

1. is it possible to use the ADF to either scan multiple SEPARATE documents or one MULTI-PAGE document? I would expect to be able to pick what mode I'm in and if I pick "Multipage double sided doc" the scanner will scan all the pages in the feeder and return one document ... if I pick "Single page single sided doc" the scanner will return a bunch of separate files." Can that be done?

Absolutely. You can create Profile(s) to do this and then choose which one you want to use at time of scanning.

2. I will want to scan certain stuff straight into evernote. Other stuff such as financials I want to be prompted for a location and filename and store a PDF in the location and NOT have the stuff in Evernote. I assume that again I'd be able to pick a "profile" of sorts to do this. Is that correct?

Again, yep.

3. The scanner has blank page detection. Will it detect a notebook page with lines on it but no text to be a blank page to eliminate? If it can't... can I have a profile that says "multipage double side document" and one that says "multipage single side" that I can use for my notepad scanning so that I don't scan the ALWAYS blank backside?

I don't think it will see a page with lines as blank, but I could be wrong there. However, what you propose is exactly what I do: I have profiles for single and double-sided documents. I mainly do this so that I don't scan the back page of statements etc. that are filled with the "fine print", but lines are another good use case.

Oh a bonus question. I know someone with an S1500 and he says he can add more pages as the scanner does it's thing. Can this ALSO be done with the S1300? If you're willing to babysit it, by adding more pages when it gets close to can you scan a 30 page document in one swoop with the S1300?

Yep you sure can on both the S1500/iX500 and the S1300/S1300i.

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  • Level 5*

:) What he said.

Plus - the 'blank page' detection on my S1500 works with plain paper only. If there are marks or lines, or there's print-through from the other side, it will be potentially scannable. If in doubt either run a single-sided scan (simplex) to avoid stray copies, or do a double-sided one and delete the spare pages from the PDF when complete.

I prefer to run scans into a folder so I have the chance to edit the results when I need to, and I can batch OCR files before dropping them into an Import Folder. If you use the right settings OCRing the file will reduce its size by 20-50% depending on content.

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bduncan, thank you so much for taking the time! :)

Two quick follow-ups if you don't mind:

1. Let's say I set up several profiles for different purposes (I'm hoping those are either unlimited, or that there are at least 4-5 ... which should cover my needs) let's say I'm about to scan a bunch of financial documents, can I set one of those profiles to be the default so that the scanner will respond to every press of the button by asking me for a filename and then save the PDF to the current directory?

2. If you do choose to save a PDF will the software let you change the destination for the file? For instance I have a folder under my documents called "Filing Cabinet" ... under that folder I have one called "FPL" ... if I scan my electric bill and pick "Scan to file cabinet" profile... will I easily be able to drill from the "filing cabinet" folder into the FPL folder to save my pdf there? Moreover is it smart about this... remembering the last location I scanned to? So say I put another document in and press the scan button... will it ask me for a file name and default to save it to the FPL folder.... of course allowing me to change that?

Thanks a lot!!!! :)

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1. Let's say I set up several profiles for different purposes (I'm hoping those are either unlimited, or that there are at least 4-5 ... which should cover my needs) let's say I'm about to scan a bunch of financial documents, can I set one of those profiles to be the default so that the scanner will respond to every press of the button by asking me for a filename and then save the PDF to the current directory?

Unfortunately you are limited to 20 profiles. No idea why (UI reasons?). But if you only need 4-5 then you are fine.

The way it works is that it remembers your last profile selection, and then yes once you have selected a profile, every time you press the button it will use it.

If I am understanding what you're asking, you'd like to set it so that it always uses a certain profile when you hit the button, right? It can't really do that because the ScanSnap is entirely button-initiated. So it assumes you've selected the profile you want first before hitting the button. Not sure if I am making sense here, so let me know if I am not. The best you can do is use the Quick Menu and then move the function you want to use to the start.

2. If you do choose to save a PDF will the software let you change the destination for the file? For instance I have a folder under my documents called "Filing Cabinet" ... under that folder I have one called "FPL" ... if I scan my electric bill and pick "Scan to file cabinet" profile... will I easily be able to drill from the "filing cabinet" folder into the FPL folder to save my pdf there? Moreover is it smart about this... remembering the last location I scanned to? So say I put another document in and press the scan button... will it ask me for a file name and default to save it to the FPL folder.... of course allowing me to change that?

Hm, I don't use this functionality much (I am more a scan-to-an-inbox-folder-and-process-from-there kinda guy) so hopefully someone else can jump in. I believe when you are setting a Scan To Folder profile you can choose, in your case, the File Cabinet folder as the default on the Save tab and then drill down from there. I'd test it myself but I am in the process of reorganizing my office and my ScanSnaps are sitting on the sofa at the moment. :)

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  • Level 5*

The ScanSnap Manager specifies one folder for saving completed scans, though when the file rename box pops up in Windows it's a standard Explorer window - which is to say you can not only edit the name, you can change where the file will be stored. But if you do change the destination, it will default back to the specified folder for the next scan.

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Gazumped, bduncan

thank you very much for your feedback.

It sounds like all in all the product will fit my needs, with minimal "bending" on my part. I can live with that. I'll research the new model mentioned and make a decision.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!!!

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It sounds like all in all the product will fit my needs, with minimal "bending" on my part. I can live with that. I'll research the new model mentioned and make a decision.

Not a problem. I just reviewed the new one at http://www.documentsnap.com/scansnap-ix500-review/. There's some referral links in there for Amazon, but just ignore them if you aren't comfortable with that. I go through how the iX500 is changed from the S1500, so you should be able to get an idea.

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Very interesting review! If I decide to go with the higher level model then the ix500 seems like a no-brainer especially to get the apparently improved feeder and the faster speed.

I'm trying to determine whether my needs justify spending the price premium required to go from the 1300 to the 1500/ix500

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Found a deal I couldn't pass up... the iX500 for basically S1500 price. $440 (with shipping - it's $431 something plus $9 something shipping) at provantage.com

Amazon sells it for some $36 more.

At that price I decided that the decision had been made for me. I'm a catastrophic procrastinator and have BOXES of paperwork that is labeled (TO BE SCANNED) that I would realistically NEVER have gotten to with my flatbed. Based on bduncan's review and fujitsu's specs it seems that the IX500 will help me dispatch the backlog in probably less than half the time an S1300i would (especially considering OCR) ... and that's time I can spend on other home projects, or with my children. Worth the premium.

Also hoping that the psychological impact of having spent nearly HALF A GRAND on a scanner will make it more likely that I keep up with the paperless office :)

Again, thank you for your very useful feedback... and bduncan I wish I could have hooked you up with the AMZ referral but the savings with provantage were too much to pass up :)

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