How To Select The Right Character Recognition Solution

OCR, mobile scanner app, and character recognition solutions are terms that have become immensely popular across industries. This is because it is the latest technology trend that has revolutionized document processing.

Optical character recognition (OCR) can scan printed or handwritten text and convert it into machine-readable text. This text can be easily modified, unlike a normal scanned document that is saved as a simple image. Thus, the OCR software can also be termed an intelligent document-processing app.

AI is set to play a crucial role in the automation of business tasks, and document processing is one aspect where the OCR has been extensively adopted due to its benefits. The OCR process involves a character recognition solution wherein the app extracts individual characters from the document. Some apps also work on word recognition.

How Do Scanning Apps Work?

In order to use an OCR scanner app, one needs hardware and software. Mostly, professionals use such apps for analyzing physical documents for data entry and file archives. A file scanned using the OCR software helps in processing data efficiently. Here’s a brief stating the steps involved in obtaining an editable digital document:

• Pre-processing the image or physical document: Pre-processing is converting a document into an image with high quality by eliminating any irregularities. Resolution and picture quality are some aspects involved here. If the image quality is clear, it becomes easy for the OCR scanner app to evaluate dark vs. bright regions where dark segments refer to characters and bright is defined as background.
• Intelligent character recognition: The OCR scanner app renders character recognition solutions through two OCR algorithms- Pattern recognition and feature recognition. While pattern recognition uses handwriting, language forms and text formats to compare the provided handwritten text to find appropriate matches for document scanning. Feature recognition is based on scanning characters using straight, curved and angled lines in each character.
• Post-processing: The artificial intelligence of the OCR software or mobile scanner app makes corrections in the final digital file to achieve accurate results.

What to Look for in a Scanning App?

The developments in OCR, mobile scanner apps and character recognition solutions have led to the introduction of various apps that offer varied features and have different capabilities to convert actual text to a digital format.

As each business has different requirements, it becomes essential to choose an app that would allow superlative document processing.

The best OCR scanning application can be used to recognize text of different document types along with quality, language, and printed or handwritten text. Also, a modern app doesn’t require in-depth expertise in the app or software, which means everyone across an organization can access it. Editing such a digital format is as easy as editing Microsoft Office documents.

The main aim of adopting an OCR, mobile scanner app or character recognition solution is to achieve flawless document processing that would lead to increased efficiency, further resulting in customer satisfaction. Hence, a business can acquire and retain customers in a better way.

Why are OCR Apps Great for Businesses?

OCR software is becoming an increasingly popular business for data extraction. Enterprises of all sizes and industries are getting the desired results from the scanning apps. Here are a few important benefits that help an organization make the best use of a character recognition solution:

• Save time: Organizations, irrespective of their operation scales, need to deal with documentation, which mostly involves manual data entry. The normal scanning process restricts the usage of information, and data entry is cumbersome. An OCR scanner app saves a lot of time since it converts a PDF or image to an editable file. A handwritten document can be converted into an editable PDF document in a matter of a few seconds with OCR accuracy, saving a lot of time and effort. Professionals using an appropriate mobile scanner app can dedicate time to other tasks and deliver better output.
• Make fewer mistakes: When an organization deals with high-volume data entry tasks, the chances of errors increase significantly. Inaccurate or wrong data can have an impact on the output, resulting in wrong business decisions which may restrict growth.
• Save space: Physical documentation involves sorting, filing and archiving papers for future reference. Storing documents needs dedicated space, and hence, OCR software is the best alternative to overcome this problem. An OCR scanner app helps data capture in digital documents, which can be stored in a computer or a hard drive, without consuming space and allowing quick access whenever required.
• Find information faster: With the help of OCR software, data can be converted to searchable PDF, which means a professional does not have to read through the entire document for particular information. This feature proves to be very useful in the case of legal documents, contracts, etc., which have complex information.
• Make hard copies editable: There are several instances where a professional would want to edit information in a particular document, but this becomes impossible in a normal scanned image or document. With OCR and the mobile scanner app, such documents can be converted into editable versions.
• Automate data entry: OCR software is a boon for businesses that have a high volume inflow of data that needs to be managed properly. It becomes easy to automate data entry and make it quick, enhancing efficiency manifolds. One just needs to scan the document using an optical scanner, and the final document is ready to use.
• Be prepared for the unexpected: Technological advancements have led to regular upgradation and improvement in OCR software as well, and the future is set to bring a revolution in data automation. Businesses will benefit further and deliver excellent results.

How do you pick a scanning app for OCR?

Every OCR scanner app works on different approaches, and therefore, it becomes necessary for a business to choose an app that would match the expected output and facilitate smooth operations. Here are a few crucial tips that would help in picking the right scanning app.

1. Easy to use: A simple OCR process allows professionals with non-technical backgrounds to use the software efficiently. Those who have limited software knowledge and skills can easily adopt scanner apps to achieve desired results without any effort.
2. Great image quality: A document scanner app can use its OCR capability to enhance image quality, and this works effectively even in scanning old or distorted documents. Therefore, it becomes easy to retrieve information from the past and use it for better business decisions.
3. Accurate text recognition: The main function of a scanning application is accurate text recognition, and thus, businesses should pick one that can convert PDF files or text in different languages, fonts and writing styles with ease.
4. Ample sharing options: When a document is converted into a searchable PDF, it should also be readily available for sharing with other people. An OCR app renders documents that can be shared with professionals across the world with a few clicks. Businesses which have several branches across different locations can collaborate and share information without any error.
5. Diverse format options: Data extraction from an OCR scanner app can be stored in various format options as and when needed. Therefore, choosing an app that gives freedom of format choice is a great option for businesses.
6. Attention to security: Indeed, a mobile scanner app aims to make information accessible and editable according to business needs, but simultaneously, data is crucial. Hence, it becomes essential to choose an app that keeps the document and information secure at all times.
7. Annotation and editing features: The combination of artificial intelligence and features of the mobile scanner app should come with proper annotation to simplify document processing. There might be instances when a professional may require assistance to use a particular feature; therefore, an application with a proper footnote and description is a good choice.
8. A reasonable price: Businesses want to save money wherever possible, and it is also a reason for adopting an OCR mobile scanner app over data entry on paper documents. However, every app has different pricing based on the features it offers. Thus, organizations need to choose an app that would render all required utilities at nominal prices.

Benefits of the Mobile Scanner App

A mobile scanner app is an upgraded version of OCR that could be used on computers earlier. There are several benefits of using a mobile app, and professionals are able to attain better results in no time. Below are some highlights of a mobile application that users should be aware of:

• It brings the scanning and computing environment functions to mobile phones. Scanning documents is at the core of business automation, and with mobile scanners, professionals can print or scan via their mobiles, which eliminates the necessity of a computer system.
• A mobile scanning app is all about convenience, as it makes scanning a seamless process. The apps create document formats which can be easily shared with other users.
• Mobile scanners are preferred over desktop or laptop scanning apps as they facilitate data capture digitally and allow the sending of documents. Also, some professionals prefer saving the documents to cloud storage for better access.
• New mobile scanning apps render features like colour contrast adjustment, format selection, resolution enhancement, or customize scan areas through zonal scanning and more.
• Scanning apps on mobile phones allow professionals to work remotely, irrespective of office location. This means the employee can scan and share documents across different locations.
• With the improvement in camera quality, it is easy to attain high-quality pictures, but scanning apps take this quality a notch above, which means the app enhances the actual text quality.

FAQs

How do I scan OCR with my phone?

Several mobile apps offer OCR and character recognition solutions with high-quality output and without any need for additional hardware. Professionals just need to install the app and use their phone cameras to scan documents, which takes only a few seconds.

What is the app that scans and OCR?

Several software developing companies are offering scanning and OCR apps for individual and professional use. While some apps offer free basic scanning features, others charge a reasonable price for access to advanced features. The choice depends on the varied business needs and goals.

What is OCR in mobile apps?

OCR, mobile scanner app, and character recognition solution- all are names for intelligent document processing services. The mobile apps are designed with an aim to reach out to the masses and deliver the best-desired results with minimal effort.

Do scanners have OCR?

Not all scanners have OCR, as this technology is not very old. It was introduced recently, and constant efforts have been made to render the best scanning features to businesses. An OCR software requires an optical scanner when performing tasks on a desktop, while a mobile scanning app works great without any additional requirements- one reason why people prefer mobile scanners.

Key Takeaways

OCR, mobile scanner app, and character recognition solutions are there to stay. So, with continuous improvement in the offerings, it is believed that organizations will continue to benefit and attain desired business goals with the help of automated and streamlined documentation processes.