Using Genius Scan to scan and post Journals to Piazza

In most ways I prefer Genius Scan to CamScanner (slightly prefer, let's say), but one thing I do not like is that there does not seem to be any way to delete a document in Genius Scan! All you can do is delete all the pages in the document, but the document remains cluttering up your Documents screen. Oh well.

Note: I'm posting this now without illustrations, just so I can get it up. I will put in the illustrations when I have time to get them from my phone.

(In the illustrations, I'm scanning the syllabus for this class page by page to show you how it's done.)

Always before scanning, try to have a nice flat surface, preferably of a color other than white, to place your pages on. This is not strictly necessary but it helps.

(Note: when you first open Genius Scan , you may see a screen that asks you to sign in or register. Just ignore those choices and move on, if that happens.)

Put your first page flat on your surface. Now you will touch the camera icon at the bottom of the screen:

Position the camera so that you can see the entire page. Notice that you don't necessarily have to hold the camera parallel to the document: the scanner will take care of that later.

Notice that Genius Scan has automatically outlined the document's edges in orange. When it is ready to scan the little rotating circle icon will be totally surrounded, and the scan will be done automatically: no need for you to press the button! Notice then that Genius Scan has corrected the perspective. (THIS is a big reason why you want a scan and not a photo! It is always best to take the scan as close to parallel as possible, but it is not necessary to be precise, as it would be if you were taking a photo.)

Now I can edit the scanned page to make it clearer, but I am happy with it like this.

When I am happy with the appearance of this page, I will touch Save, save to New Document, and then add the next page: notice that the document is automatically given a name which is the date and time it was created. Just leave this for now and go back to Documents.


Set up the next page, and then touch the camera icon at the lower left of the screen to add the next page. When its image is ready, I touch Save but I will add it to the Existing Document. I continue adding pages until they are all added and ready to go.

I want to name this document "Shaver-Sybil-Math1311-Journal -1" (that's not what it really is, but remember that is the way you should be naming your journal submission) so I  touch the document in the Documents screen and then touch its name at the top of the screen. Delete the old name and type the new one in. (You don't have to capitalize, but please put in the dashes where I've indicated.) And touch "Done".


I'm now going to share it via Piazza. I touch the Upload icon (box with an arrow coming out of the top) at the bottom right of the screen. I see this:


I touch the "Other Apps" and then swipe left until I see the Piazza icon. And touch it. Log in to Piazza if necessary.

I touch the new post icon at the bottom right in Piazza, post as New Note

My Note Summary is "Journal 1". I type in something (it doesn't matter what) into the Note Details, because Piazza won't let you leave this blank even if you are posting a file. Then touch Next and add folder "journals", go back < and add file, choose the file that I just shared from Genius Scan.

Touch Done. Now I go to Post to... because I want this to be a private post. I change it to post to Individuals. I then add the individual (myself, in this case) that I want to post to: that means that I choose "All Instructors".



Then "Done" and "Post"

Don't omit any of these steps in Piazza, they are all necessary!