OCR for AnyDoc will give you a business environment where there are no more overdue bills because of system inefficiencies, no more space-hogging files filled with paper forms, and no more long hours searching through paper or microfilm files.

OCR for AnyDoc automates the data entry process, increasing staff productivity and improving accuracy. OCR for AnyDoc is installed at thousands of businesses worldwide, with tens of thousands of licenses, helping organizations double, triple and even quadruple their productivity and dramatically reduce their costs. You can even define your own business rules through our easy to use graphical interface allowing OCR for AnyDoc to work with almost every kind of form.

This technological invention is an eight-stage process that starts with Image Capture, Quality Assurance, Form Identification, Data Capture, Data Validation, Data Verification, Output and lastly Management.

Let us take a closer look at the following steps: -

A. IMAGE CAPTURE OCR for AnyDoc reads data from any scanned form and works with most standard production scanners, including color and bi-tonal (black and white).

OCR for AnyDoc is designed to maximize scanner features that improve image quality based on logical groupings of forms. If the images are created by any other means (e.g. other imaging system, faxes, etc.), they can be imported into the OCR for AnyDoc environment. In addition to processing standard forms, OCR for AnyDoc can handle multi-page and duplex forms (e.g. 10-page questionnaires or surveys), as well as booklets, drop-out forms and even complex formless forms with ease.

OCR for AnyDoc first level of image enhancement is applied to improve image quality. The software is designed to maintain or improve the images it handles. Given the importance of high-quality images, not just for forms processing, but also for storage and retrieval. Using Microsystems’s Capture IT™, you can automatically route faxes to OCR for AnyDoc, which can enhance low-quality faxes, turning them into higher-quality images suitable for processing.

B. QUALITY ASSURANCE Before any other processing begins, an optional Quality Assure step can immediately assess the quality of the scanned or imported images. Each image can be visually inspected in detail, and if the image is too light, dark, noisy, etc., the scanner settings can be adjusted and you can selectively re-scan to get the best possible image. For those not-so-perfect forms, you can enhance the image utilizing Image Cleanup, including deskew, despeckled character- smoothing, deshading, etc. Image Cleanup can be performed on images originally imported as well as scanned. In addition, you are able to prioritize the batch for immediate processing, which will place it ahead of all other batches in the queue.

C. FORM IDENTIFICATION Once a paper document is scanned, imported or faxed into the system, OCR for AnyDoc detects, identifies and routes the data image to the proper PC station for processing. OCR for AnyDoc automatic form identification eliminates the time consuming work of sorting forms. In addition to automatic form identification based on the topography of the form, you have the ability to supply patch or bar codes to differentiate batches of forms, or you can define an area on the form for specific form identification. OCR for AnyDoc can even identify document sets and multi-page images. When a document contains both forms and attachments (e.g. Medical Claim form with corresponding chart information). OCR for AnyDoc will carry all attachments through the system. These attachments will then be saved with the corresponding batch. When a form cannot be identified, OCR for AnyDoc first automatically rotates the form 180 degrees to determine if it was scanned upside down. If the form is still unidentifiable after this process, users can set up a number of options from automatic routing to manual exception processing.

D. DATA CAPTURE Next, OCR for AnyDoc has its greatest impact in reducing your processing costs when it automates work that was previously performed manually. During this process, the system executes form removal, image enhancement and character regeneration. These technologies enable you to process your existing forms, removing distracting clutter (lines, patterns, background noise, etc.), thereby maximizing the readability of your data and allowing the system to work more efficiently with greater accuracy. In addition, OCR for AnyDoc utilizes some of the leading technological recognition engines to process machine print, check boxes, barcodes and handprint. Data capture software must be both flexible and precise. Therefore, the system will interpret these formats according to your specific requirements; ensuring clean characters are used in the recognition process. OCR for AnyDoc excels at processing even the most complex forms.

E. DATA VALIDATION Accurate data regeneration and recognition is one of the ways OCR for AnyDoc technology expedites forms processing. Another way is through Data Validation, which minimizes the number of characters that need to be reviewed by an operator during the verification phase. By limiting the amount of manual intervention that needs to be performed, this technology further speeds up processing. Through a series of pre- and post-processing rules you define for your specific business, even questionable or incorrect entries can be validated, corrected and captured automatically. All this occurs before a single person intervenes, other than place the forms in the scanner.

F. DATA VERIFICATION Data verification is a high-speed, heads-up procedure confirming all data entered is correct and complete for optimal accuracy. During verification, the user visually reviews and corrects questionable characters and fields that do not conform to your business rules. The important benefit is instead of manually entering 100% of the data from paper, you only verify a few questionable entries; the rest is automatic. In addition, you are able to target a specific user to receive a particular form for verification. This allows each user to focus on one type of document for consistency and increased productivity. You also have the option of defining critical data fields for mandatory verification to ensure the data is accurate. The system was designed for maximum user productivity. Users only need to hit one key to move from one questionable character to another. The system will automatically move through all of the images in the batch; random movement of the hands on the keyboard is rendered irrelevant. In addition, the user has the ability to scroll within the images by paging up or down.

G. OUTPUT The final step is for OCR for AnyDoc to generate an output file and/or an image file for future reference. OCR for AnyDoc provides flexible tools to generate an ASCII file in almost any format required. With Microsystems’ ExchangeIT software, you are able to transfer the data file to a wide variety of formats, easily integrating the software into both your legacy and new applications. ExchangeIT acts as a bridge, allowing data to be transferred into databases, ASCII files and/or imaging systems. ExchangeIT enables you to schedule production jobs; it performs additional logic and validations using VBScript and AccuZip.

H. MANAGEMENT To assist in the management of your workload, there is a historical database containing statistical information on the batches that have been processed, as well as operator productivity and errors. With Microsystems’ ManageIT, you can have additional reporting and statistical information. You can view and monitor operator performance and throughput in real time, allowing supervisors to be alerted to potential bottlenecks in the system. You can generate extensive reporting information about the system and operator performance so you can adequately allocate resources.

CONCLUSION OCR for AnyDoc can handle almost every kind of form used in the workplace today, thereby increasing productivity and improving accuracy. This solution is meant for automation of form processing and data entry. On the other hand your critical scanned documents images can also be indexed and linked with data for easy retrieval and viewing. For example: by linking documents and data, tax officials can have access to the original VAT Return Form, the database update, official recommendations or attachments, copies of cheques paid and any other claims reports - all with one query. Micrographic systems, digital document imaging system, form processing and automated data entry systems can all be integrated and offer a more streamlined solution. In today’s world, security is always a primary concern. With OCR for AnyDoc, complete data security is under your control. Security levels are modified as needed by the Administration