Combining Scanned Documents: Best Practices

Working with Scanned Documents

Scanned documents present unique challenges when merging. Here's how to handle them effectively.

Common Issues with Scanned PDFs

1. Inconsistent Page Sizes

Scanners may produce varying page sizes depending on settings or paper placement.

Solution: Use AltaPDF's auto-scaling to standardize all pages to A4 or Letter.

2. Large File Sizes

Scanned images create larger files than text-based PDFs.

Solution: Use appropriate scan resolution (150-300 DPI) and compression.

3. Rotated Pages

Pages may be scanned upside down or sideways.

Solution: Rotate pages before merging.

4. Image Quality

Low resolution scans are hard to read.

Solution: Scan at 300 DPI for documents with small text.

Best Practices

Before Scanning

• Clean the scanner glass
• Align pages properly
• Choose appropriate settings
• Use consistent orientation

When Merging

• Review each document for quality
• Ensure correct page order
• Use auto-scaling for consistency
• Check the final result

File Organization

• Use descriptive filenames
• Keep originals as backup
• Note the scan date
• Add bookmarks for sections

Recommended Settings

| Document Type | Resolution | Color Mode |
|--------------|------------|------------|
| Text documents | 200-300 DPI | Grayscale |
| Photos | 300+ DPI | Color |
| Archival | 300-600 DPI | Color |

Conclusion

With proper technique, scanned documents can be combined into professional, organized PDFs. Use AltaPDF to standardize sizes and create consistent results.