Still scanning documents manually? Try optical or intelligent character recognition and save hundreds of working hours!
The primary reason for switching to a document management software is that companies can organize all relevant information with ease, with less human resources and with more cost efficient way.
Is document scanning a viable solution?
Many firms use scanning technologies to digitalise the documents. However, scanning can create only an image of the document and therefore it lacks the metadata contained within the document such as client name, dates, invoice amounts and more data unless someone adds this information manually.
However a solution for that already exist. New scanning technologies have been introduced that have the capabilities to “read” a document and collect the metadata, making the file searchable. This technology eliminates the time required by an employee to manually record all information.
Before your company decides to invest into such kind of technology, we think that it is important to get a basic understanding of how these technologies work.
What is the difference between OCR and ICR?
OCR stands for ’Optical Character Recognition’, which is a software that scans text in documents and is usually used for translating long documents into electronic files.
OCR is widely used in everyday life. If you send a letter in the mail, or deposit a check in the ATM, or travel through an airport, you have used OCR technology. OCR is used by thousands of people worldwide, week by week.
On the other hand, ICR, or Intelligent Character Recognition is a software that recognizes fonts and styles of handwriting.
ICR technology is the upgraded version of OCR, providing users with more capabilities. We can say that ICR is a smarter OCR which can focus on details. While OCR is normally used for retrieving typed documents that can be categorized and searched, ICR handles handwriting with more complicated styles than OCR can manage. Moreover, ICR is a self-learning technology that teaches itself to recognize new handwriting patterns and improve data capture from scanned documents.
What are the major benefits of ICR?
OCR software is generally less expensive than ICR, because OCR has fewer features. However, your company may not need all features that ICR can offer, so it makes sense to dive deep into the details and find out if you surely need the advanced technology of ICR.
When making a decision, it is important to consider the amount of time and resources that you can save with ICR. If you consider all expenses, you may find out that it is worth paying more for the ICR technology.
Since ICR can read handwritten notes, and virtually any font, it can be used to manage many more documents than just OCR alone. Not to mention, the automatic retrieval of this relevant data no matter the handwriting prevents human input error which is a common problem with manual entry.
Why is it worth switching from Saperion to OnBase?
On the technical side, OnBase already offers numerous advantages:
- significantly more advanced and modular code structure
- better integration into modern IT landscapes
- Data types and formats meet current requirements
- Certified partners who regularly refresh their technical knowledge.
Apply NOW and our OnBase experts will contact you within 24 hours!