Productivity Tool: Scannable

This particular tool has been a huge help to me. So, what is it? Plain and simple, the Scannable app was created by Evernote and can be used with a smart phone to scan documents, receipts, etc. into a digital format that can then be shared/emailed/texted/air dropped/saved. As we said many times before, it's incredibly important to make a digital copy of anything that you might need later on down the road (I'm mostly thinking taxes here).

What does this look like? It's really straight forward. If you're relatively competent with a smart phone, then you'll have no trouble downloading, setting up, and using this app. For a quick walk through: go to the respective app store > search for Scannable (by Evernote) > click download > open the app and hold the phone over the document.

At this point, Scannable will automatically focus on the document/receipt/etc. and take the picture without you have to push any buttons. Note: it helps to have plenty of light and contrasting color between the surface and the document. i.e. white papers that match the white desk give the app trouble. From here, select the image/document at the bottom. The app will then give the option to send or save.

  • Send will open the option to mail or share the file (via whatever options are available for sharing)
  • Save (at least for iPhone) will open the option to save to the camera roll or Evernote

Note: it is possible to perform basic edits with this app. Once the scan has been selected and you're at the point of choosing whether to send or save, you can click on the image which (again this is for iPhone) will bring up buttons for Delete, Rotate, Crop, and Restore.

What to remember: This is a great tool for creating digital copies of important documents, but it's better suited to low volume or on-the-go scanning.