The Xerox DocuMate 4700 is a flatbed scanner that can scan documents up to tabloid size (11 by 17 inches). Although it lacks an automatic document feeder (ADF), it can be used in combination with any Xerox DriverPlus ADF scanner to add flatbed capability to an existing scanner setup. It can be used with other ADF scanners—though not as seamlessly—or by itself, but its lack of an ADF effectively limits it to scanning shorter documents.
The 4700 has a 22.8 by 19.8 inch footprint, so it's best on a table of its own. The lid (and flatbed beneath) takes up nearly the whole top of the scanner; the front panel includes On, Scan, and Cancel buttons, plus up and down arrows for switching between scanning profiles when using the Visioneer OneTouch scanning utility.
Scan Settings
The scanner has 9 preset, customizable OneTouch buttons. Default settings are all for tabloid size and black-and-white: PDF; Print (BMP); Email (PDF); Fax (BMP); OCR (RTF); Archive (PDF); Custom (JPG); and Archive (JPG). The PDF defaults were all for image PDFs, probably because a flatbed is an unwieldy way to scan multipage documents to searchable PDF for archiving—though it will scan to searchable PDF if you set it to. Likewise, you can set it for color scanning if you choose.
In addition to initiating scans from the scanner or your computer using OneTouch, you can also scan from included programs (Nuance OmniPage Pro and Nuance PaperPort), as well as almost any program that has a scan command by virtue of the included Twain, Isis, and WIA drivers.
Software
Bundled software includes the Visioneer OneTouch scan utility, Nuance PaperPort for document management, Nuance OmniPage Pro for OCR, Nuance PDF Converter Pro; Visioneer Acuity for image enhancement, and the aforementioned drivers for scanning from within applications.
The 4700 can be used in tandem with compatible Xerox DocuMate scanners with automatic document feeders. It simplifies scanning from applications, so you can select which scanner to scan from on the fly without having to go into the drivers. Instead of connecting both scanners to the computer via USB cables, the scanner with the ADF is connected directly to the 4700's USB hub.
When I first tried to connect a scanner (the Xerox DocuMate 4440, which I reviewed concurrently) to the 4700, although the drivers for both scanners installed on my test computer, I couldn't get the drivers to work together. I resolved the problem with the help of a Xerox technician: the DocuMate 4440's driver had to be updated to a newer version downloaded from the Xerox site. Once that was done, the two scanners worked together as billed.
When the 4700 is used in tandem with an ADF-based DocuMate scanner (models currently supported are the 3460, 4440, 4760, 4790, 4799, 5445, and 5460), the 4700 is connected directly to the computer via USB cable, and the ADF scanner connects via USB cable to the 4700. In my testing with the DocuMate 4440 daisy-chained in this manner, the 4440's scan speed didn't suffer despite its having to connect through the 4700.
With a flatbed, of course, you can only scan a single sheet at a time, and then you must open the flatbed, replace the sheet, and scan the new one. In scanning single sheets to image PDF, I timed the 4700 at an average of 13 seconds for a letter-sized scan, from the launching of the scan to the saving of the file, and 15 seconds per duplex scan.
OCR Testing
I scanned to OCR (rich-text format) using the OneTouch OCR setting. The 4700 did very well, scanning our Times New Roman test page perfectly down to 8 points, and Arial down to 6 points.
As a flatbed document scanner without an ADF, the Xerox DocuMate 4700 is unusual, and we haven't reviewed a directly comparable scanner. We have reviewed scanners that can scan tabloid-sized documents from either a flatbed or ADF: the Epson WorkForce DS-60000 Document Scanner >) and the Xerox DocuMate 4830.
Yoking the Xerox 4700 to an ADF Scanner
The 4700 is best when used in tandem with one of Xerox's compatible ADF-equipped document scanners. When combined with the DocuMate 4440, for example, you get a tabloid-sized flatbed scanner combined with an ADF-based scanner that fits letter-width paper, for considerably less ($1,590 direct) than you'd pay for a full tabloid flatbed/ADF scanner. With this combo, you can quickly scan letter- or legal-sized documents with the ADF, and use the flatbed to scan book pages as well as large or delicate documents. (Xerox ADF scanners compatible with the 4700 that can scan at tabloid width are expensive; the lowest-priced model, the DocuMate 4760, starts at $3,995.)
If you already have a compatible Xerox ADF scanner but also want to scan books or delicate documents, the Xerox 4700 is a good addition. It can also be used alongside non-compatible scanners, but can't be seamlessly yoked.
For scanning large multipage documents, however, the Epson DS-60000 and the Xerox 4830 are better alternatives, as they combine both flatbed and ADF good for tabloid-sized scanning. They're more expensive than the 4700 combined with the 4440, but they're much, much faster in scanning larger documents for archiving and the like; the Xerox 4830 is considerably faster than the Epson in scanning to searchable PDF, generally the preferred format for document management.
For regularly scanning large portions of books or periodicals, a dedicated book scanner such as the Plustek OpticBook 4800 is a better choice, as its hardware and software are geared to that purpose. And though the 4700 does a credible job in scanning photos, it lacks the higher resolution you'd look for in a photo scanner, as well as photo-editing software.
The Xerox DocuMate 4700 is a capable flatbed scanner for lighter-duty scanning of documents (especially delicate ones) and book pages at up to tabloid size. It can be used in tandem with a compatible Xerox ADF scanner (or any other ADF scanner, though it won't be seamless). It can be used on its own, but without an ADF it's best for lower-volume scanning.
If you need to scan multipage tabloid-sized documents, though, a scanner with tabloid-sized flatbed and ADF such as the Epson WorkForce DS-60000 and especially the Xerox DocuMate 4830, is a much more efficient option. Although more expensive than the DocuMate 4700 yoked with the DocuMate 4440, they offer the speed and convenience of an ADF scanner, even at tabloid size, while being able to thick or delicate documents and book pages on their built-in flatbeds.
