Ally Web Directory: Free Articles » Computers » What Capabilities Can Users Expect From Document Imaging Software?

Many people are accustomed to buying a scanner and start using it. Even the preliminary step of installing the scanner's software might not make them sufficiently aware of the fact that it's the software that really makes the equipment capable of doing all the wonderful things. This article will briefly look at all the wonderful tasks that document-imaging software makes the equipment capable of performing. Basic Functions The basic function of document imaging with its ancillary facilities is to convert paper documents into searchable electronic files. This involves integrating electronic capture of paper files with conversion techniques to change graphic text into machine-readable characters, and subsequently index that text. Pure graphic images might also be made searchable by attaching metadata to the image files. Therefore, document imaging involves both image capture and subsequent processing. Several refinements are incorporated to meet practical problems and user requirements. The following sections will identify these. Compatibility Issues Users expect document imaging software to be compatible with major scanner brands and document management systems in the market. Backward compatibility with previous versions of the software, and with the many operating platforms available is also expected. Image and OCR Quality Quality of images and character recognition is a key issue. Image quality can be affected by several factors including:

• The original document can be illegible
• The color contrast might be too little, e.g., blue ink on a light blue background
• The document might be an odd-shaped one or might be inserted at an odd angle

OCR results can be unsatisfactory owing to factors like:

• Similar looking characters might be confused with one another, with resultant unreliable interpretation
• Handwriting might not be recognized reliably
• Different languages of the documents to be scanned

Hence, depending on the business-criticality of the document-imaging facility, you might have to obtain more-advanced (and expensive) equipment and software. There are indeed scanners that can produce better quality electronic documents than the original paper documents. And document imaging software with algorithms that can handle the OCR problems. Range of Processing Services Bundling closely related services like indexing, metadata generation, printing, and sending the documents to appropriate repositories can enhance the value of document-imaging software, and command higher prices. Where the volume of document imaging is huge as in large enterprise contexts and paper-intensive industries, the work can become a production scale activity. Users would appreciate facilities like the following:

• Ability to manage multiple scanning stations, working on the same or multiple imaging projects
• Minimizing labor involved for such tasks as imaging, indexing, and printing by incorporating advanced technological features
• Providing attached database backend and workflow techniques for efficient management and higher productivity of document conversion projects
• Other features like customizable setup, networking, and centralized control

Support Services In the case of complex document imaging software with advanced and multiple capabilities, users would expect support in the forms of training for using the software and technical support. Conclusion It's document imaging software that makes equipment like scanners work and carry out related processing tasks like image quality improvement, indexing, filing, and so on. For enterprise-scale systems, setup and management facilities for multiple scanning stations and accommodating varied kinds of processing and indexing requirements are standard.