Abstract: The present invention allows users to index and label documents prior to scanning/imaging and then use dynamically generated fax cover sheets and a fax machine to create digital images of the paper-based documents. Each dynamically-generated fax cover sheet will contain a globally unique document identifier and, if desired, other relevant document-specific or user-specific information. The document-specific information and the user-specific information is contained in dynamic content zones on the fax cover sheet. Each dynamically-generated fax cover sheet generated by the digital filing system will be globally unique, with respect to at least one of the dynamic content zones and no two dynamically-generated fax cover sheets will ever be identical. In addition, each dynamically-generated fax cover sheet may also contain static content zones which contain information that will be duplicated over a certain range of dynamically-generated fax cover sheets.

Abstract: According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, an apparatus and method for a digital filing system is disclosed. In this context, digital filing refers to the efficient management of paper-based information from its receipt at the desktop through an indexing, scanning, image storage, and image retrieval process. The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for easy and effective indexing, imaging, storing, retrieving and managing of paper-based documents, transforming them into electronic documents using a system which incorporates many existing office resources. The proposed system and method implements a desktop solution for digital filing, which can be made available to each worker. Uniquely, the digital filing system of the present invention also allows users to index and label documents prior to scanning/imaging by using either a dedicated desktop labeling mechanism or pre-printed labels.