If you work in an industry where you must handle large volumes of documents, you probably have an idea of how tedious manual data-handling processes can be. This is probably why almost every company in the healthcare, legal, or finance sectors is looking to go paperless.The goal is, of course, to minimize workload without breaking the bank.
The most effective way to achieve this is by using Apryse’s OCR API tool. But what exactly are OCR services or tools? How can your business benefit from OCR services?
This write-up will help you learn how Optical Character Recognition streamlines document processing in businesses by transforming printed and handwritten text into digital data. Read on!
What is OCR (Optical Character Recognition)?
Optical Character Recognition is a technology designed to help you convert scanned text from documents into editable and searchable digital files. This includes invoices, receipts, and reports.
The technology primarily aims to reduce costs, increase security, and boost efficiency in organizations.
OCR conversion starts with the scanner getting the image and enhancing its quality. Ideally, the OCR software classifies scanned areas of scanned images as the backgrounds of images and dark areas as text.
From there, the processing stage follows, where the software cleans the images by deskewing (correcting a tilted image so it’s aligned properly) the scanned documents. It then removes digital image spots and finally smoothens the edges of those text images.
In essence, OCR software accurately transcribes text into a format that computers can process, search, and store.
The Shift from Paper to Digital Transformation
In almost every industry, you’ll find that paper-based documentation is inherently inefficient and prone to human errors. These are the main problems OCR technology aims to solve as we advance with digital transformation.
OCR is intended to eliminate the tedious process of handling data manually, especially data entry. This technology has played a huge role in bridging the gap between physical documentation and digital systems.
As a result, you can now integrate data into existing software systems with the help of OCR API. OCR APIs are programming interfaces that allow users to incorporate OCR technology into business workflows.
How Can Your Company Benefit from OCR?
Some of the key benefits that OCR can bring to your business include:
- Enhanced accuracy: OCR reduces manual entries, which are prone to human error.
- Save storage space: Organizations handling huge volumes of documentation regularly can leverage OCR by digitizing their workflows. Are you aware that 1 MB storage can store up to 500 pages of printed text? Now you know.
- Reduced costs: OCR reduces the labor and storage costs that come with physical documents.
- Enhanced security: OCR systems offer centralized, secure data sets as opposed to paper-based documentation that can be accessed by anyone. Digitized documents can be protected with a password.
- Ease of access: You can access digitized documents from anywhere and at any time. Moreover, the system allows you to search for the documents you want because it converts scanned files into searchable text.
Real-World Applications of OCR
OCR technology can help streamline your data extraction processes, saving you a great deal of time and resources.
Below are excellent examples of OCR use cases in various industries:
- Healthcare setups: OCR facilitates Electronic Health Records (EHR) management in hospitals by converting printed or handwritten medical records into digitized documents. It enhances the searchability and accessibility of important information, such as medical prescriptions, minimizing errors in medication management.
- Legal sector: When working in the legal sector, you must handle vast amounts of sensitive information from clients. OCR facilitates the digitization of legal documents, making them searchable for efficient retrieval and analysis of important data.
- Finance and accounting: OCR helps automate bank statements and invoice processing in the finance and accounting sectors. It helps you accelerate data extraction from invoices and convert paper-based and PDF bank statements into digitized, machine-readable documents.
- Logistics and supply chain: In logistics, OCR helps you automate data entry for shipments, including packaging slips and shipping documents. Moreover, digitized inventory management in the supply chain helps improve accuracy and tracking.
Final Word
Optical Character Recognition has revolutionized how we handle documentation in various industries. It has facilitated the transition from physical to digital transformation in different businesses, allowing them to digitize all the paperwork related to operations and services.
If you are looking to save yourself precious time and resources, Apryse OCR SDK has all the necessary tools and technology to streamline your workflows. Even better, the software has a demo version where you can evaluate its capabilities before committing to a paid plan.
