Microsoft Document Scanning Guide by ScanStore

Microsoft Document Scanning Guide

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Use Microsoft Document Scanning to scan batches of documents to organized files on my computer

SimpleIndex provides the easiest, lowest cost solution for Microsoft Document Scanning. It has powerful automation features like OCR, barcode recognition and 1-click processing for a fraction of the cost of similar systems.

Digitech PaperFlow is a good solution for scanning large quantities of documents in a multi-user environment. It has no monthly scan limitations and a variety of built-in exports to common document management systems.

DocuLex Goby lets you automatically file images scanned with MFPs and digital copiers, as does SimpleIndex.

Use Microsoft Document Scanning to create a document management server to store, search and view my documents

Compare Document Management Solutions

Digitech PaperVision and CompuThink ViewWise both provide fully featured, HIPAA-compliant document management systems that are scalable to be affordable enough for small businesses yet powerful enough to support hundreds of users. Each offers some benefits that the other does not. View our Comparison Chart to see all the differences.

PaperVision includes a customizable application for searching and viewing, as well as a web interface. WorkFlow and Report Mangement (COLD) modules enhance your ROI by automating document processes and eliminating pre-printed forms.

PaperVision XPress offers a similar search interface as PaperVision Enterprise at a lower cost, without the extra scalability, security and options.

ViewWise is unique in that it is Java-based and can run on Windows/SQL Server as well as Novell, UNIX and Linux operating systems and Oracle database servers. ViewWise also has several key differences in the layout of its client window that many users prefer, including a folder view for browsing documents.

We recommend you use SimpleIndex to do scanning and indexing with either of these systems. SimpleIndex is designed to interface directly with both PaperVision and ViewWise, providing a simple, low-cost automatic scanning front-end.

SimpleIndex also includes a low-cost searching and viewing application that can be used for basic document management tasks. Use SimpleIndex as a standalone document management system, or add SimpleSearch to let you search and view documents on other workstations. SimpleSearch is a fraction of the price of other document retrieval applications.

DocuLex WebSearch is a little different in that it automatically indexes all the content of your documents folders, similar to Google Desktop. Users on the network can search on values in filenames, file properties or document contents. Users access files on a website that can be made available anywhere in the world. WebSearch is available in single user, 10 user and unlimited licenses.

Convert scanned documents to MS Word or PDF files I can edit or search

Compare OCR Software

The process of converting images to text is called OCR or Optical Character Recognition. ScanStore offers several of the most popular OCR products, including FineReader, ReadIRIS, OmniPage and TextBridge.

View our OCR Guide for more information about OCR applications.

MAC users: check out our OCR for Macintosh page.

For businesses, we recommend ABBYY FineReader Corporate because of its high accuracy, concurrent licensing, broad language support, stability, support for "Hot Folders" for background processing and responsive technical support staff.

The best choice for personal users is ReadIRIS. If you need a solution for under $200 we recommend ReadIRIS over TextBridge since the TextBridge engine is no longer being updated.

ABBYY Recognition Server and IRISPdf Server provide centralized OCR processing for anyone in your organization. Users simply copy images to network hot folders and complex OCR workflows can be performed automatically.

Digitech OCRFlow integrates with PaperFlow for high-volume OCR processing in a scanning department or service bureau.

Read hand-printed data from fixed-format forms like applications and surveys

Forms Processing Handprint Recognition

Compare Forms Processing & Data Capture Systems

ABBYY FlexiCapture 8 for Fixed Forms is an industrial-strength handprint recognition and forms processing application that provides desktop and page-limited versions that are affordable for small businesses and do not require extensive technical training or scripting to configure.

FormReader 6.5 Enterprise provides powerful processing for large data processing centers and service bureaus. Enterprise divides data processing and verification among multiple users for data entry tasks ranging from 30,000 forms per month to over a million.

IRISCapture for Forms is a good solution for less demanding forms that do not require scripted validation rules. It is easier to setup and use than FormReader/FlexiCapture, but is not as accurate or feature-rich.

Read documents like Invoices and other files with common data coming from multiple sources in multiple formats

Compare Forms Processing & Data Capture Systems

ABBYY FlexiCapture 8 Professional lets you define complex document layout rules to find key information anywhere it appears on the page.

IRISCapture for Invoices provides a much easier to configure solution for the specific task of processing invoice data. IRISCapture is able to recognize key elements common to invoices, such as date, invoice number, total, etc. automatically, saving you days of highly technical configuration.

SimpleIndex implements a simplified version of FlexiCapture's dynamic OCR for a fraction of the cost. SimpleIndex is designed to use dynamic OCR to automate batch scanning and is not recommended for applications with more than 10 data fields.

FlexiCapture for 3 Fields is another more affordable version of FlexiCapture for those who need to capture a limited amount of data from unstructured documents.

Use a web-based document management system to give secure access to documents via the Internet

Compare Document Management Solutions

Digitech PaperVision provides a web interface with its document management server. This lets you host your own documents online, or you can use their ImageSilo hosted solution. ImageSilo is more feature-rich than DocumentMall, but at a higher monthly cost.

CompuThink ViewWise web clients are also available, giving you full access to document management functions over the web. No hosted solution is available for ViewWise.

DocuLex WebSearch has desktop, 10-user and unlimited versions that provide a basic web search and viewing interface for documents. Good for single users, small offices, ASPs and documents that must be accessed by anonymous web users.

Ricoh DocumentMall is a reasonably priced hosted solution based on EMC Documentum's Enterprise Content Management platform.

Operate a scanning service bureau to perform outsourced scanning services

Compare Batch Scanning Software

SimpleIndex and PaperFlow both provide broad scanning and indexing capabilities, as well as the ability to create searchable CDs you can distribute to clients. Neither program has any page per month limitations, unlike other products in that price range.

PaperFlow is more expensive, but provides better features for multi-user scanning and indexing environments and more built-in exports to a variety of document and content management solutions. SimpleIndex also has dynamic OCR and electronic file processing features that PaperFlow does not.

ABBYY Recognition Server and IRISPdf Server are a great way to add OCR and full-text indexing to your service offerings. These server-based OCR applications are easy to manage and designed to meet the needs of the most demanding applications.

ScanStore also offers opportunities to earn dividends by offering our PaperVision, ViewWise and SimpleSearch document management solutions to your clients for their retrieval needs. Check out our VAR Program for more information.