Photocopying and scanning: keep the original, the copy and the PDF under control

Decide which result you need

A photocopy gives you another physical version. A scan gives you an image or document file. Optical character recognition can add searchable text to that scan, but the recognised text may contain mistakes. If a form needs to remain legally or administratively faithful to its original, do not treat automated text recognition as verification.

Before taking a bundle anywhere in Warrington, count originals and record their sequence. Remove loose notes that should not be copied. Identify folded sheets, fragile pages and double-sided originals. A document feeder saves time on suitable loose sheets; it is not the right way to handle an irreplaceable bound page.

Watch the edges

Copiers have printable-area and scaling settings. A border near the edge of an original may be clipped at actual size, while “fit” can shrink the whole page. If a scale, a reference box or a signature position matters, tell the operator that the size must be checked. Copies of drawings need a more specific plan-printing discussion.

Ask for one representative sample before making a large set. Pick the hardest page: pale handwriting, a coloured diagram, small figures or a dark stamp. A clear first page does not prove that the faint pages will reproduce well. Check both sides and the orientation of a duplex sample.

Readable is not the same as enormous

A scan should preserve the detail needed for its task without becoming awkward to email or store. Fine handwriting requires a different judgement from a clean typed letter. Colour helps when colour carries meaning; greyscale can be adequate for some records. Avoid repeatedly saving a JPEG screenshot of a scan, because each conversion can lose detail.

Name the files so they can be used later. A date, document type and reference are more helpful than “scan0007”. Keep separate files where different recipients should see different information. Check page order and rotate sideways pages before handing the PDF to someone else.

Nothing left on the glass

The ICO's practical security advice highlights collecting paperwork from shared printers. Apply the same habit to copying: collect the originals, output, failed copies and removable media. Check the glass and output tray. If an external supplier handles personal information, agree the transfer, storage and deletion arrangements rather than relying on an informal assumption.

Local public facilities can suit some small jobs, but their size options, staffing and access rules differ. Check LiveWire directly before travelling; its online information excludes printing at Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub. For an organisation's collated, finished or repeat document packs, discuss the complete specification with the print team.

Check what a copy cannot establish

A faithful-looking copy is not automatically a certified copy. The receiving organisation decides what it will accept and whether a particular verification process is required. Ask that organisation before paying for output that may not meet its rules. The printer or copier operator should not be expected to infer administrative acceptance from the original document.

Old or bound material introduces preservation questions. A tight spine may conceal words near the gutter; pressing it flat can damage the original. Explain whether the material is replaceable and ask about a suitable handling route. If the content cannot be captured safely, a lower-risk method or a specialist service may be needed rather than forcing the original through a convenient process.

For scanned records, keep a simple quality log: complete page count, legibility, orientation and any unreadable area. OCR output should be checked against the image when a number or name matters. Searching a file successfully does not prove that every recognised character is correct. A controlled scan set is useful because another person can understand both the content and the limits of the capture.