Scan Documents Directly to SharePoint — Without a PC

What Is Scan-to-SharePoint?

Scan-to-SharePoint is the ability to send a scanned document directly from a physical scanner into a SharePoint document library — without the document ever touching a PC desktop, a local folder, or a USB drive. The scanned file goes straight from the scanner to SharePoint over your office network.

For organisations using Microsoft 365, SharePoint is typically the central hub for document storage, collaboration, and compliance. Getting paper documents into SharePoint quickly and reliably is essential — but the traditional scanning process makes this surprisingly difficult.

True scan-to-SharePoint means the scanner itself handles the connection to Microsoft 365. The user places a document, selects a SharePoint destination on the scanner's screen, and presses scan. The document appears in SharePoint within seconds, filed in the correct library, in the correct format, with no manual upload step.

The Problem with Traditional Scanners

Most document scanners on the market today — even expensive departmental models — still rely on a PC to function. The typical workflow looks like this:

1. Place the document in the scanner
2. Open the scanning software on a connected PC
3. Scan the document to a local folder on the PC
4. Open SharePoint in a web browser
5. Navigate to the correct document library
6. Upload the scanned file manually
7. Delete the local copy (or forget to, creating duplicates)

This seven-step process is slow, error-prone, and creates multiple points of failure. The scanner requires a specific driver installed on a specific PC. If that PC is in use, offline, or has a driver issue, scanning stops entirely. Users frequently save scans to the wrong folder, forget to upload them, or create filing inconsistencies.

The IT burden is significant too. Scanning drivers are notoriously unreliable across Windows updates. Each PC-scanner pairing needs individual setup and maintenance. When a driver breaks — and they do break — users raise IT tickets and scanning grinds to a halt.

For businesses that have invested in Microsoft 365 and SharePoint as their document management platform, this clunky scanning workflow is a bottleneck. It undermines the efficiency gains that SharePoint is supposed to deliver.

How the Plustek eScan Solves It

The Plustek eScan A450 Pro takes a fundamentally different approach. It is a standalone network device with its own operating system, touchscreen interface, and direct cloud connectivity. There is no PC in the loop at any stage.

The eScan connects to your office network via WiFi or Gigabit Ethernet. It authenticates directly with Microsoft 365 using your organisation's credentials. When a user wants to scan a document to SharePoint, they simply:

1. Place the document in the 100-sheet automatic document feeder
2. Select their SharePoint destination on the 7-inch touchscreen
3. Press scan

That's it. Three steps. The document is delivered to SharePoint Online in seconds, in the format of your choice (PDF, searchable PDF, TIFF, JPEG, and more). No driver, no desktop software, no manual upload.

The eScan supports multiple user profiles, so each team member can have their own set of scan destinations pre-configured. A solicitor might have profiles for different client matter folders. An accountant might have profiles for invoices, receipts, and tax returns. A receptionist might have a general incoming post profile.

Because the eScan is a network device, it can be placed anywhere in the office — a shared area, a reception desk, a post room — and accessed by anyone with a profile. No need to queue for the one PC that has the scanner driver installed.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Setting up the Plustek eScan for SharePoint scanning is straightforward:

eScan vs PC-Dependent Scanners

Frequently Asked Questions