Physical documents include both printed and handwritten documents. Before OCR, to convert such documents to a digital format, you had to manually recreate them in a word processor – an extremely time-consuming task – or you had to scan them (the result was not editable and readable by a computer). You can simplify your work with OCR.

Now, with OCR software, computers can recognize words in documents using an actuator (camera) and copy them into a machine-readable file. This process is not even complicated (as you will learn later in this article). This makes converting physical documents to digital documents extremely convenient and easy.

What is OCR Scan and is it really that useful ? Let’s find out! 

What Is an Ocr Scanner and How Does It Work?

You have probably heard the buzzword “digitization” many times. Scanning PDF using OCR applications is a practical example of the use of digitization.

One of the widely used techniques is Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which is a process of extracting text, tables and other elements of a page image from its electronic illustration. The page image is usually created by scanning a paper document or opening an electronic image and is a non-editable document creating an image of text using a large number of pixels.

The OCR technique allows for the analysis of this image and the creation of an editable text document based on it, which is possible thanks to the use of methods from the field of pattern recognition, i.e. taking actions based on the collected raw data and the category to which this data belongs, e.g. thresholding. This part of the OCR operation is also called digitization, i.e. changing the analog form of the image into a digital form, suitable for further work with the document.

Applications using OCR are of great support to accountants and entrepreneurs. Optical recognition of documents and the characters contained therein speeds up and facilitates work in the company.

It is worth choosing proven solutions, e.g. the OCR program in SwifDoo PDF ensures very accurate PDF document processing, and the application integrated many other PDF feature and suites as well.

Simplify Work with OCR: Where is Optical Character Recognition Used?

OCR will be useful wherever we deal with processed documents. These are offices, libraries, archives, and companies and accounting offices. Using OCR technology is convenient, economical and care for the environment in the spirit of the “paperless” policy.

Just use a scanner, take a photo, send the document by e-mail or attach it from your device’s hard drive. The program will read the information and allow you to transfer the document to a ready template with invoice data. It can then be entered into the accounting program. That’s not all. It will also detect incorrectly filled out or repeated documents.

The algorithm used in OCR learns – it reads characters, text fragments, and larger sets of data better and better.

Simplify Work with OCR: How to Use OCR in Business

What is the benefit of using OCR in business? It’s not just innovation for innovation’s sake. OCR will make running your business easier:

• Ensures better efficiency and effectiveness – digitization saves your employees a lot of time, they can devote their energy to the implementation of key tasks for the company.
• Reduces costs – any number of employees can have access to the e – document without the need to print/photocopy invoices.
• Enables faster, automated entry of invoices into the system – clients of e.g. accounting offices can send documents directly.
• Allows you to scan and read transaction data from bank statements or transfer confirmations.
• Increases document security. Data is stored in the form of an image in e-archives, e.g. in the cloud or on external drives, the document will not be destroyed or lost.
• Digital document flow ensures their quick exchange.
• Facilitates quick access to data – you can quickly find and search any document saved in the system, documents are available online.
• Document preview in the form of images is possible from any device with internet access (e.g. Android smartphone, Windows computer, iOS devices), also for clients – users of an account in the system.
• Offers document search by 1 word.
• Accounting office clients have access to their accounts and the ability to track changes.

nandbox App Builder

OCR scanning technology is integrated into nandbox App Builder to help organizations, particularly law firms. Users may quickly transform printed documents into editable, searchable text by integrating OCR scanning into custom apps, which reduces manual data entry and saves time. Workflows are made simpler, accuracy is increased, and document management is accelerated by this smooth automation. With nandbox, companies can develop robust applications that are customized to their requirements, simplifying and increasing the efficiency of processes like document management and ultimately revolutionizing their workflow.

In Conclusion

It is also worth paying attention to the comprehensive services offered by vendors. It can additionally support the efficiency and security of document management. High scanning quality, processing speed, and advanced automation features like OCR significantly streamline operational processes. Securing scanned data through advanced encryption and access authorization methods is essential for protecting confidential information.