Scanned Document Indexing with SimpleIndexScanned Document Indexing

Use SimpleIndex to automate the process of assigning keyword index values to scanned documents and minimize data entry, keystrokes, and errors. SimpleIndex uses dynamic OCR with complex pattern matching to find index values anywhere on a page and/or bar codes to index scanned documents automatically.

Once captured, structured data can be used to populate a database, document management system, SharePoint, and other repositories.

SimpleIndex can simultaneously process MS Office, PDF, text, HTML and other files using the same pattern matching technology. If the file already has text, SimpleIndex uses it for increased speed and accuracy, falling back on OCR for images and scanned document indexing.

Download document scanning and OCR software.

What is Document Imaging?

Document Imaging was the more commonly used term in the early days of document scanning and OCR and refers to any system used to replicate documents used in business. It evolved from the microfilm days where it was referred to as Document Image Management. Document Imaging allows for the scanning of paper documents, as well as the processing of files saved electronically. These files are then named and saved for later searching. Other document imaging terms include automatic imaging software, best digital imaging software, best imaging software, desktop imaging software, digital document imaging, digital imaging software, document imaging download, document imaging PDF, document imaging processing, document imaging products, document imaging software, document imaging solution, document imaging solutions, document imaging systems, document imaging technologies, document imaging technology, document imaging tools, image to database, imaging resource, imaging scanning software, imaging s
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Enable Post-Process when Input Folder is Empty

When you have multiple Job Configurations running in tandem with the Post-Process command line running one after there other there can be occasions where a Job Configuration earlier in the chain doesn’t have any images in the Input folder. When this happens a prompt occurs that must be clicked to proceed to the the next Job Configuration. When running unattended this can cause issues when the process stops for this prompt. This can be turned off in the Job Configuration’s XML settings. Instructions for suppressing prompt to continue when Input folder is empty: Right click on the Job Configuration file that you would like to suppress the prompt on and select Open With>NotepadSearch the XML settings text open in Notepad for this term: <POSTPROCEMPTY>Set the value between from “True” to “False”. It should look like this: <POSTPROCEMPTY>False</POSTPROCEMPTY> Save and close the file.
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Index With Non-Latin Character Sets

By default SimpleIndex uses the ANSI character set to display and edit captured OCR data, index field values and full-text OCR. This works for all languages based on the Latin alphabet (English, French, Spanish, German, etc.) To index documents in other languages like Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Arabic and other non-Latin alphabets, set the default character set using this registry key. If the key is not set correctly then Unicode text will show up as ??????????. Use Notepad to edit the “Charset” value from the sample setting below and save it to a .reg file. Then double-click the .reg file to install (Administrator privileges required). You can download the .reg file here but you still need to edit in Notepad to set the Charset value before installing. If you are on a 32-bit operating system be sure to remove the extra “\WOW6432Node” from the registry path. [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\SimpleIndex\Misc] “Charset”=”1” Charset
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Skip to Blank Index on Save Index

If you would like to have SimpleIndex automatically go to the next page with a blank field and highlight that field when the Save Index button or Enter a change to the XML text of the Job Configuration is needed. This can be useful to quickly move to the next document that has a blank Index field.

Instructions to set Skip to Blank index on Save Index:

  1. Right click on the Job Configuration file that you would like to suppress the prompt on and select Open With>Notepad
  2. Search the XML settings text open in Notepad for this term:
    <SKIP_TO_NEXT_BLANK>
  3. Set the value between from “False” to “True”
    <SKIP_TO_NEXT_BLANK>True</SKIP_TO_NEXT_BLANK>
  4. Save and close the file.
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Max List Size

If you have a field that has a list and it loads very slowly then the size of the list that it loads needs to be limited. You first open the Registry or regedit.  Then you find this location:  Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SimpleIndex\Misc Then you right click in the space to the right and select New>String Value Then you name this new entry this:  MaxListSize Then you double click on it and set the size of the list that it loads.  We suggest somewhere between 1000 and 5000
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Is there a way to just use part of a bar code or OCR value? For example, extract “50” from the value “124450”

To do this example, create a barcode field (Field 1 for example) and a 2nd field with type “Fixed”. In the template for the 2nd field, enter %FIELD1[5,2]% to get “50” from “124450”.

%FIELD1% would get the entire value for Field #1, the barcode field. By adding the [5,2] you tell SimpleIndex to start at the 5th character (5) and take 2 characters from the value (50).

Find out more about barcode scanning on our Barcode Scanning Guide and read up on Optical Character Recognition on the SimpleOCR scanning solutions guide.

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How do you configure a field to select from a list of possible values?

List fields are populated using a text file or database field containing the values for that list. The text file scenario will be described first. To configure a list field, go to the Index tab in the Job Options. Create a list field by selecting “List” for the field type and give it a name. In the “List File/Field” setting for this field, put the full path or UNC to the text file containing the list or click “Set” to browse to the file. If you have not created a file, you can put the path where you want the file stored here and click the “Edit” button. This will open the file in Notepad; new files will prompt you to create them. On each line of the text file you will put one of the possible values that you want to be able to select from while you are indexing with SimpleIndex. You can copy this information from another source and paste it into the text file. Save the file in Notepad and close it. The List field is now configured! To use

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Can the values of 2 or more fields be combined in a single field?

Set the Type for the field that you want to store the combinded value to “Fixed”.

In the template setting for that field, you can enter the keyword %FIELD#% (where # is the field number) and the keyword will be replaced with the value of the designated field when it is saved.

For example, to combine your first 2 fields into third, inserting a comma between them, set the template for field 3 to:
%FIELD1%,%FIELD2%

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Why does the word “MISSING” show up in filenames and index fields when the field is blank?

“MISSING” is what SimpleIndex puts for any field value used as a filename or folder name and is left blank by defualt.

You can change this to whatever you want it to say when a field value is left blank. To do this go to “Job Options” then to the “Index” Tab now click “Advanced Options”. In the middle of the window you will see a box labeled “Use this value whe a field is empty” just change “DEFAULT” to whatever you want (including leaving it blank) and click OK. Now the next time you have a blank field value for a filename or folder name it will have your new message.
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How do I configure the output folder and file naming scheme?

Use the Folder and Filename check boxes on the Index tab in the Job Options to indicate whether field values will be used to generate subfolders or filenames. Any field with the Folder option checked will create nested subfolders for each value in the order the fields are listed. Any field with the Filename checked will have the values concatenated to form the filename. For example, if Field 1 and Field 3 have the Folder option checked, and Field 2 and Field 3 have the Filename option checked, image filenames will be created in the format: %OUTPUTFOLDER%\Field 1\Field 3\Field 2 – Field 3.tif The Filename Separator option on the Advanced tab lets you change the ” – ” between the fields in the filename to anything you want.

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Automatic Indexing Using Existing Data

Automatic Indexing Using Existing Data The Autofill feature of SimpleIndex is an easy way to associate many index fields with one document without retyping data that already exists in another database. Autofill uses a database lookup to retrieve records that match a key value entered by the user. Blank index fields are then filled in automatically with the data from this lookup. The result is a document database with many different possible search fields, of which only one needed to be entered during scanning. The key field may be typed by the user, or it may be read from the document automatically using barcode recognition or OCR. The lookup is performed either when the user changes this field or when the index values are saved. If the lookup finds multiple matching records, the user will be notified and the first set of values will be used by default. When used with pre-index batches, key information can be read automatically from barcodes or OCR and matched to database records with
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Barcode Scanning Guide

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. Barcod

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Compare Leading Solutions

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™ [vi

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Features

SimpleIndex is the perfect solution for small business and departments looking to manage their files from a single interface, developers who don’t want to reinvent the wheel and large companies with many locations looking to decentralize their scanning. SimpleIndex organizes scanned images and electronic documents into a single document management database your employees can access on their desktops. SimpleIndex takes the labor out of document imaging by providing powerful barcode recognition and OCR search algorithms that can find index values no matter where they are on the page. By providing these essential automations for a reasonable price, we make document management affordable for anyone. The most unique automation is our OCR template and dictionary matching search algorithms. This lets you find information like date, customer name, invoice number and other information on documents with different layouts. These can even be applied to the text in Office documents and PDF fi
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