PA and Secretary Community - Deskdemon.com

Should individuals, not Directors or CEO's, know how to scan a document to create a PDF??

There is a step by step guide laminated and pinned above our copier/printer/scanner for all to see, yet individuals who have been here longer than I have, still claim they don't know how to do this.

Maybe I should be selling ice-cream as I scan it all?!  ::)

Well I think they should know how to do it, but whether or not they should be responsible for doing it could be debated. Some would feel that's a task that logically belongs to the administrative staff.

I have instructions laminated next to my machine that I put together as well. :) My boss often does his own. Others don't need it all that often, so I usually do it for them if they ask.

I have to scan all manner of post and other odd things all the time. 

I firmly believe that all my fee earners should know how to do it, just in case I am not around then they can do it.

I have also been trying to teach some of them how to make a (for instance) word document into a pdf without having to leave their desk - this is invaluable as then I don't get silly requests to pdf something they can quite easily do themselves!

Jess,

The problem is not all of us have the same software on our pc's to be able to do such things.

I firmly believe if individuals didn't act so stupid I would have more time for them.  If they want to play games, I can do the same.

If everyone can photocopy, everyone should be able to scan...it's do-able from the same machine!

Gee,

I have to agree with you.  You can make a copy, but you do not know how to hit the scan button.  Here, when you scan it gets sent to your company email address.  Dooh!!

Chikky,

That was the set up in a previous job I was in - worked a treat.  Here our docs are scanned to a shared drive which is also easy to use because you copy the doc, paste it to your own drive, renaming it as necessary.

I'm still being asked how to do this even though I have shown the same individuals over and over.  Very annoying and time-consuming.   >:(

We have scanner copiers on every floor.  There are no instructions posted above the scanners.

The scan is sent to the e-mail address entered on selecting the e-mail option at the control panel and it works a treat.

Everyone is responsible for their own scanning from Director downwards ... if they don't know how to do it and they don't ask they don't scan the document.  Since we work across around 30 different physical locations with a courier system that can be intermittent folk appreciate the benefits of scanning.

I worked it out myself two months ago and now have shown 4 people who have only had to be shown once and who are now scanner converts ... so maybe the system in place plays a part?

Cathy,

We have copiers/scanners in every building WITH instructions on how to use.  If I was to say to my boss "can you show me how to do that", over and over, he would think me as some kind of idiot.

It's laziness on the part of others.  If you can copy a document, you can easily scan it.  In my book there's no excuse.  Besides, I work with engineers, so compared to their daily work, it's not exactly rocket science!  :P

You would think that if an IT department installed a new photocopier/printer/scanner, and it was in the process of being configured for use, they would inform staff, huh?

No, not in my company.

They install a new machine, don't tell anyone in the building, then when we all try to print/copy/scan, it doesn't work as it hasn't been configured yet.  So someone, usually me, has to log a call to find out what has happened to the functions ie. scanning....where is the scan drive, where are we scanning too now?

Is it that difficult to communicate with staff, just to say what is happening?  I communicate with my department all the time, it means they are informed about what is going on.  However when technical issues like this arise, it interrupts our daily routine and causes problems.