Managed.IT - issue 55

26 MANAGED.IT 01732 759725 SCANNERS Alaris, a Kodak Alaris business, has introduced a new type of scanner in the form of the Alaris INfuse Smart Connected Scanning Solution. Inspired by feedback from partners and end-user customers, the Alaris INfuse Solution integrates directly with existing applications and the cloud, providing enterprises with faster, more accurate onboarding of information into business processes. It has three main elements: n Integration with a Software Application , typically a cloud-based enterprise solution for invoice processing, medical records management, customer account management or other business process, provided by a partner and integrated with Alaris APIs; n INfuse Management Software , providing remote configuration and fleet management through a bi-directional API provided by Alaris, with easy end-user set-up – end users simply scan a QR-printed smart set-up sheet provided by the partner and they are up and running with no training required; and n An INfuse AX Scanner – a smart network scanning device, requiring no PC or software/drivers, that accurately and securely transfers data, metadata and finished image files directly into a business process. INfuse offers enterprise- level security, including a separate data path and control path to isolate confidential content for secure transmission. The INfuse Solution enables end- users to onboard content directly into a business process ‘at the edge’. When a scan is successfully transmitted and form fields are validated, the end-user receives real-time acknowledgement and immediate exception notifications. This enables missing forms, signatures and other critical information to be corrected instantly, saving money and improving employee productivity. For Alaris President & General Manager Don Lofstrom, this last point is a game-changer. He said: “Exception handling and the opportunity for immediate corrective Ground-breaking smart connected scanning solution opens up new opportunities for Alaris partners Alaris launches new category of scanning device action is critical. Reconstructing and re-scanning documents is difficult and costly. Bi-directional communication enabled by Alaris APIs is a game changer. It places INfuse in a category by itself – a smart, connected scanning solution with IoT capabilities for today’s information capture market.” The solution also gives channel partners a more cost-effective way to install and manage a fleet of devices on their customers’ premises. Under Alaris’s enhanced Managed Capture Services (MCS) proposition, partners will be able to monitor scanner operational data, deliver usage reports, manage alerts for customer scanners and integrate Alaris scanners into centralised device management solutions, such as an existing Managed Print Service (MPS). www.AlarisWorld.com New multi-purpose scanner for customer-facing applications PFU (EMEA) Ltd, the scanning division of Fujitsu, is targeting front-desk environments with a compact passport, ID and document scanner that enables customer-facing staff to carry out all scanning tasks on one device. As well as saving time, the fi-800R can help with GDPR compliance as important documents, such as passports, can be scanned (without the need for protective carrier sheets) in front of the customer rather than out of sight in a back office. Thanks to a U-turn paper path (with Automatic Stacking Technology), which ejects paper back up through the scanner, there is no need for a front output tray, giving the fi-800R a compact footprint and enabling it to be used in spaces half the size of an A4 sheet – another benefit for front of house applications. Other features include an Automatic Document Feeder with Active Separation technology and Automatic Skew Correction; bundled PaperStream software, which optimises images for downstream processes and extracts information for customer profiles; Automatic Profile Selection, so that staff don’t have to spend time sorting documents into different formats; and scan speeds of 40ppm/80ipm. Mike Nelson, Senior Vice President of PFU (EMEA) Limited, said: “In the age of heightened expectations, the fi-800R allows staff working in locations like banks, hotels or hospitals to provide exceptional customer service, effortlessly. Delivering some of our most innovative features yet, this scanner provides customers with the peace of mind that their data is being kept safe. Front desk staff now have the means to provide seamless service, easily and quickly at the customer’s first point of contact.” The fi-800R costs £619. www.fujitsu.com/uk