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[Black Bart]

Ever'thang's

...the 2nd monitor question...so many uses...where to begin.

You can have...you can look...you are attaching...you are sending...you're working...you can have...you're entering...you're responding...you can have...you're typing...You can leave...you're doing work...working...still working...You can look...you don't need...you have...you can...you don't...You can set...you need...You can have...You can...you can jump...I could go on...adding a third monitor...

up to date in Charlotte City,
They've gone about as fur as they kin go...

[taxmandan]

Trying something new this year

We just bought and installed these keyboard/scanners at our desks, no longer need to go the desktop scanner on the other counter.

http://www.keyscan.com/

I set them up to autoscan into a PDF file and save it in the database.

[JohnH]

>>> They've gone about as fur as they kin go... <<<

Not entirely - some of us still refuse to efile, which sets us back about a century in the eyes of some foks.

[Skate1968]

JonH,

I'm not a big fan of efile myself.

I worked for one guy who, i think, had a real good approach.

1) We do an efile. And if it gets kicked back for any reason we immediately paper file. This minimizes time wasted on 'efile' which wouldn't be completely necessary.

sorry for going off topic

[FEDUKE404]

Saving the scanned items

Once you scan the stuff, what size of files (PDF?) are you routinely creating, and where are you storing them - all together, with client's own "file", on a ZIP drive, or what?

Also, I've learned from experience that resolution can make a huge difference in file size. Someone sent me several "simple" documents that were each somewhere in the range of 5 MB. That is totally unnecessary for a W2, property tax bill, or whatever.

As for the multiple monitors, so far I can generally manage pretty well with just one....even when having two tax software programs, internet, e-mail, "background" online music going, and even an occasional online basketball game all rattling around at the same time (the power of the Alt + Tab). But I am open to suggestions, including how to generate the necessary desktop space.

FE

[JohnH]

---> But I am open to suggestions, including how to generate the necessary desktop space.<---

Plywood works pretty well and it can be cut to size, as long as you wrap the edges with duct tape to give it a finished appearance & avoid those pesky splinters. The next best thing is a few plastic file crates stacked up to the height of your desk - put some casters on the bottom crate to give you some mobility. But if you want to really impress your clients, a folding table with a particle board top and a strip of the laminate torn off is definitely the way to go.

http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/gallery_browse.asp?ID=901&date=desc&nummon=true&mon=desc

[taxmandan]

Once you scan the stuff, what size of files (PDF?) are you routinely creating, and where are you storing them - all together, with client's own "file", on a ZIP drive, or what?

Also, I've learned from experience that resolution can make a huge difference in file size. Someone sent me several "simple" documents that were each somewhere in the range of 5 MB. That is totally unnecessary for a W2, property tax bill, or whatever.

FE

We scan in 300dpi, readable and reasonably fast scan. We also use grayscale, makes any pencil writings and colored paper documents show up readable. Files are typically less than 100kb. We set up a database by alphabet folders and save clients documents, tax return, etc. in the folder. It is backed-up twice and encrypted at the end of each day. Format for the file name is: "07 Smith John 1040" -or- "07 Smith John DOCs". This groups by year, last name, first name, then what the file contains. After client(s) signs the 8879, it is scanned, "07 Smith John 8879".

[BOB W]

I set my HP to "Black & White (text) and set it to 100. Very seldom do I scan any light pencil scans. "100/text" keeps all just right> speed and quality. Try it, you'll see.

Gray or color is a no no...............