Methods of document management and automated document tracking, and a document management system

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of document management. A document is printed with a printing device configured to automatically label the document with a machine-readable code. The machine-readable code contains information, and the printing device is in data communication with a database so that the information contained in the machine-readable code on the document is also recorded in the database. The document is scanned with a scanning machine configured to extract at least some of the information from the machine-readable code. Subsequently, some of the information extracted from the machine-readable code by the scanning machine is compared with information in the database to track the document. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a document management system. Such system comprises a printing device configured to print text on documents as well as to automatically print machine-readable code on the documents. The system further comprises a database in data communication with the printing device, and which records the information printed in machine-readable code on the documents. Additionally, the system comprises a scanning machine configured to scan documents and extract at least some information from the machine-readable code, and a processor configured to compare information extracted by the scanning machine with information in the database.