SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

Login with Google
CREATE AN ACCOUNT FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

CREATE ACCOUNT

ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT?

Login with Google

QUESTIONS? CALL: 865-637-8986
  • SIGN UP
  • LOGIN

SimpleIndex

  • LEARN MORE
    • GENERAL INFO
      • Getting Started
      • How To Scan Documents
      • Barcode Scanning Guide
      • Searching & Viewing
      • News & Updates
      • Schedule a Web Demo
    • FEATURES
      • Streamlined Interface
      • TWAIN and ISIS Scanning
      • Zone OCR and Dynamic OCR
      • Database Integration
      • Required Documents Check
      • Automated Processing & 1-Click Interface
      • SharePoint Document Scanning
    • –
      • Document Classification
      • PDF & MS Office Text Parsing
      • Barcode Recognition
      • Optical Mark Recognition
      • Match Documents to Existing Data
      • Imprinting & Watermarking
      • Screenshot OCR
  • SOLUTIONS
    • General
      • All-In-One Scanning & Sorting Tool
      • Affordable Document Management
      • Instant Integration
      • Network Scanners & Copiers
      • Remote Document Capture
      • Reduce Click Charges for Data Capture
    • Specific
      • Sales Tax Exemption Forms
      • Federal Tax Returns
      • Invoice Processing
      • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
      • Patent ID and Title Extraction
      • Mortgage & Loan Documents
    • Feature Demos
      • Zone OCR with Template Matching
      • Full-Page OCR & Multi-User Workflow
      • PDF Text Processing
      • Organize Office Documents
      • Integration with RPA Bots
      • Compare with Other Solutions
  • SUITE
    • SimpleCoversheet – Print Bar Codes
    • SimpleExport – Data File Converter
    • SimpleView – Search, View & Edit
    • SimpleQB – QuickBooks Integrator
    • SimpleOCR – Freeware OCR
    • Buy Suite Apps
    • Buy Suite Bundles
  • DOWNLOAD
  • SHOP
    • COMPARE VERSIONS
    • SIMPLEINDEX WORKSTATION
      • Machine License
      • Concurrent User
      • Subscription License
    • SIMPLEINDEX SERVER
    • SUITE APPLICATIONS
    • SUITE BUNDLES
    • MAINTENANCE & RENEWALS
    • FIND A DEALER
      • Dealer Locator
      • Become a Dealer
    • CONTACT SALES
  • SUPPORT
    • WIKI HELP
    • KNOWLEDGE BASE
    • SIMPLEINDEX UNIVERSITY
      • SimpleIndex University – 100 Series
      • SimpleIndex University – 200 Series
      • SimpleIndex University – 300 Series
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • CONTACT SUPPORT
  • My Account
    • Downloads
  • MY CART
    No products in cart.
  • Home
  • Page

SimpleIndex instantly integrates with any application via the command line to perform front-end scanning and document imports. Documents and data can be output to any database or file format, or directly integrated into a repository via an API.

Instant Integration With Any Application

Monday, 14 November 2022 by Simple Software

SimpleIndex® provides a great alternative to “reinventing the wheel” using a document imaging SDK to implement scanning in your custom application. SimpleIndex uses a command line interface to enable developers to execute customized scanning workflows from another application. This lets you take advantage of SimpleIndex‘s TWAIN/ISIS scanning, zone OCR, barcode recognition and database export features without having to re-code them all yourself.

Whether you are an IT consultant creating an application for internal company use or a software developer looking to add scanning features to your application, SimpleIndex provides the easiest solution available.

To use SimpleIndex as a scanning front-end for your application, simply:

  • Create a SimpleIndex job file configured to scan, index and save files the way you want
  • (Optional) configure the database export to create/update document records in your DB
  • Use a “Shell” command to execute the job file from your program

When you execute the job file from your program, SimpleIndex will scan, read barcodes, OCR zones, etc. and organize the documents into the folders and filenames your program requires. The database export can be configured to add or update records in your database with information captured from the documents as well as the image file path or binary data. Index values can be passed from your program to SimpleIndex via the command line. The whole process can be configured to run minimized so the user never even sees the SimpleIndex screen.

KB Articles for Integration

  • Exclude Index Field from Index Log
  • Turn Off Prompts and Pop Ups on Job Configurations
  • Change the Font Size of Index Fields
  • Large documents (>500 pg) Slow to Process - Workaround
  • Regular Expression (RegEx) - Syntax or Type
  • Index With Non-Latin Character Sets
  • Skip to Blank Index on Save Index
  • Stop Autorun When Double Clicking Configuration
  • Autonumber Increment Value
  • Overlap of SimpleView Viewer in SimpleIndex Display
1-Click Processing, Bar Code Scanning, Command Line Interface, Database, Document Automation, Document Imaging, Front End Scanning, OCR, Office PDF Document Indexing, RPA, TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
1-Click ProcessingBar Code ScanningCommand Line InterfaceDatabaseDocument AutomationDocument ImagingFront End ScanningOCROffice PDF Document IndexingRPATWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
No Comments

Can SimpleIndex integrate with Microsoft SharePoint?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder

Any document processed with SimpleIndex can be uploaded directly to your SharePoint document library, and any custom columns or metadata tags can be set automatically using the SimpleIndex index field values.

Find out more at our SharePoint Document Scanning page.

Integrated custom metadata is only supported in SharePoint 2010 and above, including SharePoint Online / Office 365. Microsoft .NET 3.5 and the SharePoint 2010 Client Object Model are required and must be installed separately in version 7. Version 8 includes a download option in the Global Settings Wizard. Version 8.4 and above include them automatically. Version 7 users can Download the SharePoint 2010 Client Object Model here.

To configure SharePoint export, go to the Advanced Options screen in your Job Options and enter the URL of your document library in the SharePoint Document Library URL setting.

The easiest way to integrate with SimpleIndex is to simply map a network drive to the SharePoint document library and set your Output folder to use this drive. SimpleIndex will create folders and name files automatically using your job settings.

In this configuration, only the Title tag is set. You can also use SimpleIndex‘s file property feature to set EXIF tags (images) or PDF file properties for the Title, Subject, Author and Keywords tags.

One thing to remember when configuring SimpleIndex jobs for SharePoint is the extra restrictions on filenames in SharePoint. For a detailed list please visit SharePoint File Name Restrictions. When using the integrated SharePoint feature with SharePoint 2010 these invalid characters are automatically replaced when exporting.

There are also several inexpensive or free applications that allow you to upload documents processed with SimpleIndex to SharePoint. These can be useful when you have a slow connection and need the files to upload in the background without slowing down production. Here are two of them:

SharePoint Upload Service

SharePoint 2010 Bulk Document Importer

If your SharePoint integration has requirements not met by these solutions, our Professional Services department will be able to design a SharePoint interface to meet your specifications.

Document Management SoftwareFront End ScanningServer OCRSharePoint MigrationSharePoint Scanning
Read more
  • Published in SharePoint Integration
No Comments

I have a duplex scanner how do I set up SimpleIndex to scan 2 sided documents automatically?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder

Simplex versus Duplex scanning is a function of your scanner driver. SimpleIndex uses both TWAIN and ISIS drivers. ISIS drivers are faster for high-speed scanners and are preferred.

To configure duplex on an ISIS scanner:

1 Select “Use ISIS Driver” from the Scan menu if it is not selected

2 If this is your first time using ISIS, click “Select a Scanner” to select the driver for your scanner

3 Click Display Scanner Settings to display the ISIS driver settings

4 Find the setting for Simplex/Duplex and set appropriately. Each scanner model has a different driver interface. Refer to your scanner’s documentation if you cannot find the duplex setting.

To set the scanner settings using TWAIN:

1 Select “Use TWAIN Driver” from the Scan menu

2 If this is your first time scanning with TWAIN, click “Select a Scanner” and select your scanner

3 If “Display Scanner Settings” is not checked in the Scan menu, click it to select it

4 When you run the job, the scanner settings will be displayed prior to scanning. Find and select the duplex setting there. If you cannot find it, refer to your scanner’s documentation.

When scanning in duplex, you will want to enable automatic blank page deletion. Many scanners have this feature built-in, so check your driver settings to see if there is a blank page deletion option.

If your scanner doesn’t have blank page deletion, use the “Min File Size” setting on the Batch tab of the Options screen to enable it in SimpleIndex. This setting refers to the minimum file size (in bytes) for a page to be considered non-blank. Any file under that size will be deleted. This value varies depending on scan resolution, and does not work with uncompressed files.

Batch ScanningDistributed ScanningDocument Capture SolutionDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverPDF Archive Scanning SoftwareRemote CaptureScanning SoftwareSharePoint ScanningTWAINTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
  • Published in TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
No Comments

Can I scan with a Kofax Adrenaline based scanner interface?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder

Yes it is possible to scan with Kofax Adrenaline based scanners using the Adrenaline TWAIN or ISIS data source.

To configure ISIS, you may need to select one of the general Kofax drivers such as “Any Fujitsu Scanner with Adrenaline” or “Kofax Arenaline Scanner”.

To configure the TWAIN data source:

1. Download the Kofax Adrenaline TWAIN Data Source from Kofax Adrenaline Patches

2. Configure a scan source in KSM (in your computer’s Control Panel) called TWAIN SOURCE

3. Select the Kofax Adrenaline TWAIN driver from the Select Scanner dialog in SimpleIndex

There should be little difference in performance due to using the TWAIN interface, and all the Kofax image processing controls will still be available.

Batch ScanningDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverScanning SoftwareTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
  • Published in TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
No Comments

I have a scanner with Virtual ReScan (VRS) that is not scanning properly. How do I solve this issue?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder
Any time that you have a scanner with Virtual ReScan (VRS) you must pick Kofax VRS as the scanner instead of the scanner model itself. With VRS you assign the scanner to VRS and then anytime you pick Kofax VRS as the scanner in your scanning software the assigned scanner will be the scanner that is used.
Batch ScanningDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverScanning SoftwareTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
  • Published in TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
No Comments

How can I change from letter to legal size documents?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder

This is done through the TWAIN or ISIS settings for your scanner. To access these settings select “Display Scanner Settings” from the “Scan” file menu. Next click the “Run Job” button and before the scanning process starts your scanners TWAIN or ISIS settings dialog box will appear.

Every TWAIN or ISIS dialog is different, but any of them have a clear option for changing page size or auto detecting page size.

Batch ScanningDistributed ScanningDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverPDF Archive Scanning SoftwareRemote CaptureScanning SoftwareTWAINTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
  • Published in TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
No Comments

What scanners are compatible with SimpleIndex? How do I find a list?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder

SimpleIndex is compatible with any device that has a TWAIN or ISIS driver. This includes virtually all makes and models of scanner, as well as many specialty scanners, digital cameras and other devices.

In the few instances when a scanner has a proprietary driver, it can still be used with SimpleIndex by first scanning to a folder and setting SimpleIndex‘s input to “From Folder” on the Input tab.

For many high-speed scanners (over 50 pages/minute), ISIS drivers provide improved throughput versus TWAIN. It is recommended you purchase the ISIS driver option with these scanners.

ISIS drivers also let you save your scanner settings to a file that can be distributed with your SimpleIndex configuration.

You can find more information on selecting the best scanner for your specific requirements on the ScanStore Scanners Guide, as well as a wide assortment of scanners available for purchase.

Batch ScanningDistributed ScanningDocument Capture SolutionDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverPDF Archive Scanning SoftwareRemote CaptureScanning SoftwareSharePoint ScanningTWAINTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
  • Published in TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
No Comments

How do I automatically delete blank pages from duplex documents?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder

This is done using the Minimum File Size drop down in the Blank Page Deletion section of the Image Enhancement step of the Job Settings Wizard. This setting uses the image file size in bytes to determine which files are blank pages.

In this box you would put the number of bytes for the threshold for which documents are considered to be blank, which will be deleted and those considered non-blank that should be kept.  If the scanned or imported image file is smaller than the number in bytes for the file size then it will be deleted and if it is higher it will be kept.

For 200dpi, compressed, black & white TIFF images (the default format used by SimpleIndex) this is usually around 2500 bytes and 300dpi, compressed, black & white TIFF images (the default for OCR) is usually around 7500.

Depending on your scanner settings and how much black is in your images, blank pages could be significantly larger. If you are scanning small pages the margin for error will be less. You will want to do some trial and error testing to ensure the setting is right for your images.

Related Links

  • SimpleIndex Wiki – Image Properties
  • SimpleIndex Wiki – Image Enhancement
Batch ScanningDistributed ScanningDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverScanning SoftwareTWAINTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
  • Published in TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
No Comments

How do I configure SimpleIndex to scan documents?

Wednesday, 28 February 2018 by dwilder

First make sure that you scanner’s TWAIN and/or ISIS driver (found on the included CD or manufacturer website) is installed and that the scanner shows up in the ‘Printers and Scanners’ section of the ‘Control Panel’ in Windows.

On the SimpleIndex Settings Wizard step of the Job Settings Wizard set the Input Type to Scanner or Both.  Scanner will just use the scanner and both will scan first and then pull image from the Input folder.

Settings for the scanner can be found in the Scanner Settings step of the Job Settings Wizard.  These allow you to select TWAIN or ISIS scanning, whether images are displayed during scanning and more.

From the Scan menu you have the option to select your scanner, display or hide the scanner’s TWAIN/ISIS settings interface or have SimpleIndex prompt the user when the feeder is empty.

The Scan to File option in the Scan menu lets you separate the scanning from processing. Use this to scan a sample image and save directly to a file folder.

Related Pages

  • SimpleIndex.com – TWAIN and ISIS Scanning
  • SimpleIndex Wiki – Scanner Settings
  • SimpleIndex Wiki – Scan Menu
  • SimpleIndex Wiki – ISIS
Batch ScanningDistributed ScanningDocument Capture SolutionDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverPDF Archive Scanning SoftwareRemote CaptureScanning SoftwareSharePoint ScanningTWAINTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
  • Published in
No Comments

Ensures All Required Documents are Scanned

Tuesday, 06 February 2018 by Simple Software

Some applications have a set of standard documents that are required to be present in each batch. SimpleIndex has the ability to specify a list of required values for a field then audit each batch at the end to ensure all are present. Any missing pages may be scanned and indexed automatically from this screen as well. This feature may also be configured to allow exceptions and log a valid justification for the absent document.

This feature makes SimpleIndex the perfect front desk scanning application For example, a health care chain may have a list of documents they must collect from each patient in order to bill the insurance company With SimpleIndex they can image these documents at the front desk, and audit the batch automatically to ensure all the required pages are there.

Doing this not only eliminates the need for a dedicated, central scanning department to image these files, it also greatly decreases the error rate and improves collections turnaround for our example company.

KB Articles for Document Management

  • Exclude Index Field from Index Log
  • Turn Off Prompts and Pop Ups on Job Configurations
  • Change the Font Size of Index Fields
  • Large documents (>500 pg) Slow to Process - Workaround
  • Regular Expression (RegEx) - Syntax or Type
  • Index With Non-Latin Character Sets
  • Skip to Blank Index on Save Index
  • Stop Autorun When Double Clicking Configuration
  • Autonumber Increment Value
  • Overlap of SimpleView Viewer in SimpleIndex Display
Distributed Scanning, Document Imaging, File Indexing, Front End Scanning, Remote Capture, Required Documents Auditing, Scanning Software
Distributed ScanningDocument ImagingFile IndexingFront End ScanningRemote CaptureRequired Documents AuditingScanning Software
Read more
No Comments

Remote Document Capture

Thursday, 25 January 2018 by Simple Software

SimpleIndex is designed around the idea that it is more efficient to have a scanner in every office, making imaging a part of the daily routine instead of a new company division.

SimpleIndex makes this possible by greatly reducing the cost and complexity of the capture interface and providing unique features that make it easy to implement throughout an organization. Distributed scanning is also made possible by the latest advances in fast, inexpensive desktop scanners.

By moving to distributed scanning, a company with many locations earn huge ROI on shipping costs alone – not to mention the many dedicated employees necessary in a centralized scanning operation. Even with all these savings, turnaround is still greatly improved.

SimpleIndex brings imaging into a whole new era by making it possible for small companies to afford just one and for large companies to afford one in every office.

KB Articles for Remote Document Capture

  • Exclude Index Field from Index Log
  • Turn Off Prompts and Pop Ups on Job Configurations
  • Change the Font Size of Index Fields
  • Large documents (>500 pg) Slow to Process - Workaround
  • Regular Expression (RegEx) - Syntax or Type
  • Index With Non-Latin Character Sets
  • Skip to Blank Index on Save Index
  • Stop Autorun When Double Clicking Configuration
  • Autonumber Increment Value
  • Overlap of SimpleView Viewer in SimpleIndex Display
Distributed Scanning, Document Imaging, Fast Scanning, Front End Scanning, Remote Capture, Required Documents Auditing, TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Distributed ScanningDocument ImagingFast ScanningFront End ScanningRemote CaptureRequired Documents AuditingTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
No Comments

TWAIN and ISIS Scanning

Tuesday, 23 January 2018 by Simple Software
TWAIN and ISIS document scanners

SimpleIndex works with all TWAIN and ISIS document scanners.

Virtually all document scanners support both the TWAIN and ISIS driver standards. TWAIN is more common and is usually the only driver provided with consumer scanner models.

ISIS is the unfortunately named driver standard developed by Pixel Translations years before the acronym (which stands for “Image and Scanner Interface Specification”) had any jihadist connotations. ISIS provides a more standardized interface for high-speed scanners, and is often required to scan at the scanners rated speed.

TWAIN scanning is supported in all versions of SimpleIndex.

Support for ISIS is included with SimpleIndex Professional and available as an Add-on for other versions. ISIS is recommended for high-speed document scanners, or applications that require central management of scanner settings. ISIS driver settings are saved in your SimpleIndex job file so every user gets the exact scanner settings they need for each type of document.

Download document scanning and OCR software.

What is a WIA Driver?

WIA stands for Windows Image Acquisition and is the driver standard promoted by Microsoft for basic scanning functions that don’t require additional software other than the Windows OS.

WIA is much better suited for flatbed scanners than for document scanning applications. While you can use the WIA driver in SimpleIndex, you will get much better results with the full TWAIN or ISIS drivers, which may require a separate download from your scanner manufacturer.

What Happens After You Scan?

The difference between SimpleIndex and other desktop scanning applications is that it fully automates the process of indexing and filing your documents once they are scanned. Use bar codes, OCR, database lookups and other features to identify keywords and metadata, organize files into folders, or populate your database and document management system.

Indexing is the key to making your scanned files organized and searchable so you can find them when you need them. Without automation, the indexing process can be very labor intensive, taking many times longer than it takes just to scan documents.

TWAIN & ISIS Scanning Video

Since scanning happens in the meatspace there’s really not a lot to show in a screen recording. But Google really likes videos so here’s a quick preview what it looks like when you’re scanning with SimpleIndex.

Unique Book & Magazine Scanning Features

SimpleIndex streamlines the process of scanning books and magazines. Anyone who commonly scans bound material needs SimpleIndex just for this feature!

Book scanning lets you scan bound books quickly on a flatbed scanner. The user is prompted after each scan so they only need to turn the page and press “enter” to perform the next scan. 2-page scans can be automatically split vertically or horizontally to create single page images.

When scanning a typical tabloid-sized magazine that is folded down the middle, SimpleIndex’s magazine scanning function will automatically split the images in half, reorder and rotate the pages so they appear in proper reading order when finished. This can save hundreds of hours of manual image QC, or provide your clients with a level of image quality they can’t get from anyone else.

Using Scanning in SimpleIndex

Wiki manual pages detailing the scanning functions of SimpleIndex.

  • Scanner Settings
  • TWAIN
  • ISIS
  • WIA
  • Scan Menu

KB Articles for TWAIN and ISIS Scanning

  • What is Document Imaging?
  • What scanners does SimpleIndex work with?
  • I have a duplex scanner how do I set up SimpleIndex to scan 2 sided documents automatically?
  • Can I scan with a Kofax Adrenaline based scanner interface?
  • I have a scanner with Virtual ReScan (VRS) that is not scanning properly. How do I solve this issue?
  • How can I change from letter to legal size documents?
  • What scanners are compatible with SimpleIndex? How do I find a list?
  • I finished scanning and found a page that did not get scanned or was scanned incorrectly. How can I correct this?
  • How do I automatically delete blank pages from duplex documents?
Batch Scanning, Distributed Scanning, Document Capture Solution, Document Scanning, Fast Scanning, Front End Scanning, Image Scanning, ISIS Driver, PDF Archive Scanning Software, Remote Capture, Scanning Software, SharePoint Scanning, TWAIN, TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Batch ScanningDistributed ScanningDocument Capture SolutionDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningISIS DriverPDF Archive Scanning SoftwareRemote CaptureScanning SoftwareSharePoint ScanningTWAINTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
No Comments

Barcode Scanning Guide

Saturday, 13 January 2018 by Simple Software

So you want to organize your documents using barcodes? That is an excellent idea! Not only will it improve the speed and accuracy of your document management workflow, but it is easier to set up than it sounds.

The guide is written to give you real information instead of marketing, but you can follow the links links to read about the relevant features of SimpleIndex and other document management solutions on ScanStore.

Other Useful Guides

  • How to Scan Documents
  • Scanners Guide
  • OCR Guide
  • ICR Guide
  • Data Capture Guide
  • Software Review

Scanning Guides? Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Read no further! Contact our experts and we’ll configure the whole scanning process for you remotely using the demo version of SimpleIndex!

Why use barcodes in document scanning?

There are many benefits to using barcodes while scanning your documents.

Traditional scanning methods require you to scan your documents in pre-separated batches and then manually name and organize the resulting files. Barcode scanning, on the other hand, allows you to scan multiple batches in a single stack and let the software automatically name and organize the files based on the embedded barcode information. This allows you to take full advantage of your automatic document feeding scanner. After all, what’s the point of paying for a high-speed scanner if your scanning speed bottlenecks at the processing stage?

As in OCR based document scanning software, barcode scanning software uses information on the scanned images themselves to name files and place them in the appropriate folders. However, OCR can sometimes incorrectly recognize certain words and phrases, especially when you are trying to scan at lower resolutions to reduce file size and scanning time. This results in having to perform validation and correction, which slows down the process. Barcodes condense all the necessary information in a format that is much easier for computers to decipher, even at lower resolutions, with almost 100% accuracy. This allows you to reduce file size and scanning time without the cost of additional validation and correction.

What is the difference between the various types of barcodes?

Barcodes come in many standards, but they can all be grouped into two general flavors:

1D (linear) barcodes and 2D (matrix) barcodes.

Linear barcodes are composed of parallel lines of varying widths and distances from each other, such as the UPC’s that are scanned from your purchases with a laser barcode reader at most stores.

Matrix barcodes are usually square (though sometimes circular) arrangements of smaller squares, circles, or triangles, such as the QR codes that you can scan with your phone from many modern advertisements. Matrix barcodes can pack more information per unit of area than their linear counterparts, but not all software is designed to read them.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to using one standard over
another. In addition to the amount of information that can be stored and the
capability of your particular scanning software in deciphering it, some
standards have additional functions such as checksums, which automatically
validate whether or not the barcode was read correctly. A few common standards
used in the document scanning business are listed below:

  • 1D Barcode standards include:Codabar
    • 2 of 5
    • Code 39
    • Code 128
    • EAN 13
    • UPC
  • 2D Barcode standards include:
    • Aztec
    • DataMatrix
    • PDF417
    • QR Code

Where do you get barcodes for document scanning?

Now that you know a little bit about barcodes and why you should use them, you might be wondering how to apply them to your documents. There are a few different methods, depending on your situation.

If you can still edit the document, your best bet would be to use a special barcode font, which will allow you to type a string of characters or digits directly into a barcode format on your document using a regular keyboard. You can find many barcode fonts online for both download and purchase, with some that are purely decorative and others that match to a particular industry standard. We particularly recommend BarcodesInc.com as a source of a good free barcode font.

Often, files cannot be edited due to access, permission, or simply because they are already printed out. For instance, if you are scanning a backlog of files, it becomes difficult to add barcodes to the existing pages. Have no fear! You can still use barcode scanning by either applying barcode marked stickers, such as Avery lables, onto a blank area on the first page of each document or by printing out and inserting coversheets to separate the files.

With applications such as SimpleCoversheet, you can create one-off coversheets or link it up to a data source and automate creating a separator for every customer folder in your filing cabinet.

What scanner settings are best for barcode recognition?

While barcodes are naturally more accurate than text-based document management, there are still ways to ensure a higher degree of recognition. Resolution plays a part, and although barcodes are more forgiving than OCR, 300dpi is still the recommended resolution for the highest degree of accuracy. Likewise, since most barcodes encode information in the contrast between black and white areas of the page, bitonal (black-and-white) scanning is preferred over the anti-aliasing effects of greyscale and color scanning. You can also adjust the brightness and contrast options in your scanner settings to improve recognition on documents where the barcode is not being read.

What are the guidelines to ensure barcodes will be read?

The way barcodes are printed also has an effect on how easily they will be recognized. Coversheet software usually
has formatting standards built in to ensure that barcodes are printed in a way that can be recognized by scanning software.

There are both minimum and maximum sizes that barcodes can be scaled to while remaining useful – usually ranging between 80% – 200% of the suggested size. The suggested size varies by standard, but the most common width is around 1.5″. Keep in mind that there should also be at least a 0.3″ clean margin between the barcode edge and any other markings to avoid confusing the software.

The different barcode standards have varying amount of error correction built in, allowing for more and less compact barcodes with the same level of accuracy at equivalent scan settings. There are also error detection methods, such as check-sum, which act as redundancy checks by running the data through an algorithm and confirming that the result is equal to a small, easily recognized part of the barcode.

What are the limitations of reading barcodes?

As with any automated process, barcode recognition has some limitations. Different scanning applications use different barcode recognition engines, which are the prebuilt blocks of code that perform the actual recognition. As with any software, some of these engines are better and/or faster than others at the same job, and they vary in the types of barcodes that they can recognize. You must make sure that your scanning software has the capability of accurately recognizing the barcode standards you use.

Regardless of the software that you use, image quality will play a factor. While barcodes simplify the format that data is encoded in, reducing the margin for error, degraded barcode images can still cause the engine to incorrectly read the data encoded therein. Degradation can happen digitally or physically. Digital degradation can occur when an image is shrunk to a smaller resolution and then sized back up or when an image is copied too many times and thus accrues artifacts and other transcription errors. Physical degradation can occur when a printed barcode is smeared, worn, torn, or marked upon prior to scanning. Both of these alter the contrast and precise distances between parts of the barcode that determine the data that is encoded.

Bar Code Scanning, Barcode OCR, Barcode Printing, Barcode Reading Software, Barcode Recognition Software, Batch Scanning, Document Capture Solution, Document Scanning, Fast Scanning, Front End Scanning, Image Scanning, PDF Archive Scanning Software, PDF Barcode Recognition, Scanned Document Indexing, Scanning Software, TWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Bar Code ScanningBarcode OCRBarcode PrintingBarcode Reading SoftwareBarcode Recognition SoftwareBatch ScanningDocument Capture SolutionDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningPDF Archive Scanning SoftwarePDF Barcode RecognitionScanned Document IndexingScanning SoftwareTWAIN & ISIS Scanning
Read more
No Comments

Compare Leading Solutions

Tuesday, 07 November 2017 by dwilder

The best way to see how the SimpleIndex processing workflow compares to other leading desktop scanning solutions is to see the same process performed side-by-side in each program. Below are videos we recorded of the same batch of documents being scanned and indexed in Kofax Express™, Kodak Capture Pro™, PaperVision™ Capture Express and Office Gemini DiamondVision™. In each one we configured the software to perform the same tasks:

  • Scan a batch of 10 pages
  • Capture a 7-digit account number using Zone OCR
  • Correct any fields that fail to recognize
  • Use a database lookup to populate additional index fields
  • Export the batch to PDF files

Using our standard benchmark batch* we recorded the following processing times:

  • SimpleIndex: 0:45
  • Kodak Capture Pro: 1:50
  • Kofax Express: 2:20
  • PaperVision Capture Desktop: 3:00
  • DiamondVision: 3:20

As you will see in the videos below, SimpleIndex provides the most efficient scanning and indexing workflow of any major document capture application.

SimpleIndex™

Kodak Capture Pro™

Kofax Express™

PaperVision™ Capture Desktop

Note: This video depicts PaperVision Capture Desktop, a now discontinued software that has since been replaced by the similarly functioning updated version of PaperFlow.

Office Gemini DiamondVision™

Testing Methods

The benchmark times were recorded using all available software shortcuts, and by performing data entry and user interactions as fast as possible. The same scanner and computer hardware was used for each test. Much care was taken to ensure that each application yielded the most accurate OCR results possible given the sample documents.

Unfortunately none our competitors could accurately capture the account number on all 10 pages. The extra time to correct these errors accounts for 15-30% of the difference in processing times. The difference in accuracy is due in large part to SimpleIndex‘s pattern matching OCR feature, which the other programs lack.

Keep in mind these videos were recording using the latest version available at the time this test was taken. Results may vary with with later versions.

Batch Scanning, Database, Database Autofill, Document Imaging, Document Scanning, Fast Scanning, Front End Scanning, Image Scanning, Keyword Indexing, PDF, Scanned Document Indexing, Workflow, Zone OCR
Batch ScanningDatabaseDatabase AutofillDocument ImagingDocument ScanningFast ScanningFront End ScanningImage ScanningKeyword IndexingPDFScanned Document IndexingWorkflowZone OCR
Read more
No Comments

SharePoint Document Scanning

Tuesday, 03 October 2017 by Simple Software

SimpleIndex gives you an affordable, automated way to populate custom metadata tags when migrating documents to SharePoint. SimpleIndex uses a variety of methods to extract data, including zone OCR, barcode recognition, mark recognition (OMR) and text pattern matching. The data is assigned to index fields that correspond to the custom columns in your SharePoint document library. The extracted values can be reviewed and corrected if necessary before uploading.

Uploading individual documents to SharePoint is easy. The hard part is migrating thousands of files and tagging them with custom metadata that can be used for fast, precise searching and sorting.

Without metadata, only the filename is used for searching scanned documents. OCR can be used to enable text searching of images, but there are several limitations to text searches:

  • OCR cannot recognize any handwritten data
  • Low quality scans or documents with complex layouts often OCR poorly
  • OCR errors mean that you won’t always find all the files you are searching for
  • Cannot perform date range or number range searches
  • Cannot sort results by anything other than title and create/modified date

Advantages of the SimpleIndex SharePoint migration solution include:

  • Complete document imaging solution as well as electronic document migration
  • Advanced text pattern matching finds precise data in unstructured text
  • Parse folder and file paths to find metadata values
  • Unattended server processing mode available
  • Easy yet powerful alternative to managed metadata services
  • Far more features for the price than other SharePoint migration tools

SharePoint Wiki Manual Pages

KB Articles for SharePoint Document Scanning

  • How to connect to a SharePoint Online site that uses multi-factor authentication
  • Reset SharePoint Login Information
  • How to Fix SharePoint Login Issues
  • Troubleshooting SharePoint Permissions Issues
  • SharePoint Managed Metadata
  • Can SimpleIndex integrate with Microsoft SharePoint?
Front End Scanning, OCR Scanning, Scanning Software, SharePoint Migration, SharePoint Scanning
Front End ScanningOCR ScanningScanning SoftwareSharePoint MigrationSharePoint Scanning
Read more
No Comments

Search

Contact Us Today!

=

Search Knowledge Base

Recent KB Articles

  • Database Export Error
  • SimpleIndex Standard Workstation
  • SimpleIndex OCR Workstation
  • SimpleIndex Barcode Workstation
  • SimpleIndex Professional Workstation
  • SimpleIndex Barcode Server 1M
  • Simple Software Server Processing Add-on for SimpleIndex
  • SimpleIndex Barcode Recognition Add-on Workstation

Feature Cloud

Document Management Software SimpleSend Watermark Bar Code Printing Watermark PDF Files Document Scanning Robotic Process Automation Scanning Coversheet Command Line Interface CSV Barcode OCR MS Office Document Retrieval TIFF Microsoft Word Data Extraction XSLT Paperless Office PDF Barcode Recognition Document Classification Document Imaging Required Documents Auditing Text Processing PaperVision Document Capture Solution Distributed Scanning XML Remote Capture Screenshot OCR Invoice OCR QuickBooks Online Document Automation 1-Click Processing Keyword Indexing PDF417 TWAIN Scanning Software Unattended Processing Contentverse Scanned Document Indexing OCR Form Processing Invoice Scanning Software ODBC OMR Screen Scraping OCR Automatic Indexing Software Optical Mark Recognition

Online Support Options

Check our Wiki Help, Knowledge Base and Training Videos, or Contact Support if you still need Help

How to Buy

Solutions start at just $500! Buy SimpleIndex online or from an Authorized Dealer in your area.

Authorized Dealers

Authorized DealersSimpleIndex is a great addition to any system integrator's product line. Become an Authorized Dealer.

Get a Web Demo

Get a free online demo with a scanning specialist who can configure SimpleIndex on your computer remotely.
Sign up for a demo now!

Download a Trial

SimpleIndex Trial30-day trial downloads are available for all Simple Software applications.
Download Now!

SimpleIndex Applications

SimpleIndex Applications Packaged apps built with SimpleIndex.
SimpleInvoice for AP
Sales Tax Manager
Mortgage LoanStacker
MSDS and Patents
SimpleIndex

© 2022 Meta Enterprises, LLC | Knoxville, Tennessee | A Family Owned Company
© 2022 SimpleSoftware | Consulting Services in the Field of Software as a Service

TOP
Manage Cookie Consent
We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional cookies Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
});