There’s more to digitization than simply copying documents

The vast majority of businesses are either already undergoing digital transformation or planning to do so. This requires speedy, reliable scanning hardware, but that’s only half of the equation. The right software can streamline the process, saving considerable time and money.

How do you find the right software? It starts with understanding the difference between document scanning and document capture. Here’s what these terms mean and how they affect the digitization process.

Want to know more about how scanner software enhances productivity and streamlines workflows? Read our guide, A Guide to Scanning Software.

What is document scanning?

When you digitize a document, you’re creating a digital version of a physical file. That file usually takes the form of an image or PDF. If you’re digitizing old photographs or uploading personal documents for your own reference, document scanning is typically the default option.

In the business world, however, scanning is only one part of the overall capture process. With the right combination of hardware and software, you can take your scanner’s functionality even further and streamline the digitization process.

What is document capture?

Document capture produces a searchable, editable document, instead of an image representing the original analog file. As you’re scanning, document capture software works in the background to accurately capture the data on the page.

Here’s how it works using Ricoh’s PaperStream software solutions as an example. This software automatically enhances images and separates pages, ensuring that everything gets scanned in a clear, orderly fashion. At the same time, optical character recognition (OCR) technology detects individual components to differentiate between text and other elements. This makes it easier to organize files, search for relevant information, and embrace digital transformation.

Benefits of document capture software

The document capture process creates readable text documents instead of flat images, but how does that actually benefit your business? Here are just a few ways:

• Streamlined administrative tasks: Manual data entry is tedious and time-consuming. When every scanned document is automatically categorized and easily searchable, your team can focus on more important duties.
• Real-time data: According to Marty Barrett, CFO of The Alamitos Group, PaperStream NX Manager makes it easy to access scanned information right away. “I can’t imagine running my business any other way,” he said.
• Insightful analysis: By leveraging intelligent document processing technology from Ricoh technology partner ABBYY, PaperStream software doesn’t just capture and catalog data — it unearths actionable insights. This helps business leaders gain a better understanding of how the company is performing.
• Better scanning quality: Because document capture software can recognize imperfections in physical documents and ensure they’re aligned properly, the resulting digital files are clearer and easier to read. This also eliminates the need for rescans.
• Automated naming and tagging: In the case of PaperStream Capture Pro, the document capture process lifts metadata from each document. It then names the files and tags them appropriately. This makes them easier to find later.
• Reduced costs: Streamlining the digitization process reduces the need for additional IT resources, allowing you to get more out of your budget.

Capture valuable data with PaperStream software

Not all scanning software works the same way. Ricoh’s comprehensive suite of document capture solutions has already led a number of businesses through their digital transformation while streamlining workflows and simplifying the scanning process.

It all starts with PaperStream Capture and Capture Pro. These options leverage OCR to optimize scanned images, organize them appropriately, and extract valuable data. Remote distributed scanning allows you to scale this process organization-wide, whether you have a single location or offices all over the world. You don’t even need to scan to a PC; you can upload those digital files directly to an on-premises or cloud server of your choosing. To learn more about how PaperStream solutions help centralize business options, get in touch and set up a free consultation.

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