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Terminology Categories

14Aug

Document Scanner

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in Scanning and Capture

Document scanners provide a means to digitize paper documents through the process of “scanning”.  Scanners have camera elements, that are used to image the document as it passes through the scanners feed mechanism.   Modern scanners have two camera elements to image both sides of the document at the same time, thus reducing scanning time and effort.  Scanners usually have scanner software, combined with a scanner driver, to manage settings, improve image quality and integrate with the host operating system.  Document capture software is added to a scanner to increase automation and improve efficiency through the use of advanced data extraction, optical character recognition and other technologies.   Below are the primary document scanner manufacturers:

  • Fujitsu
  • Canon
  • Kodak
  • Panasonic
  • Epson

Many organization have moved away from desktop scanners, and now leverage network scanners to provide a one to many usage scenario.
Read more on Document Scanner Software

14Aug

Document Management

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in Document Management & Enterprise Content Management

Document management is the use of a device (computer, mobile, etc) to store, manage and track digital/electronic documents and images of paper based information captured through the use of a document scanner, document scanning software and document capture.  Document management is also a set of processes and procedures on how your organization stores, manages and tracks its electronic/digital documents.

Document Management Software (DMS) as the software that controls and organizes documents throughout an organization. It incorporates document and content capture, workflow, document repositories, COLD/ERM, and output systems, and information retrieval systems.  It also controls all the processes used to track, store and control documents.

Document management (DM) is one of the precursor technologies to enterprise content management (ECM). It provides some of the most basic functionality to content management, imposing controls and management capabilities into any document repository. It provide storage for long term archival, as well as overall management.

See our Document Management

14Aug

QPJOBLOG

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

QPJOBLOG in AS400/iSeries speak is a spooled file created by a job containing the job log of the job when it completes.

The QPJOBLOG will normally contain information gathered during the processing of a job. Depending on the logging level set, you may or may not see all the commands and programs used by the job, various error messages and informational messages.

Joblogs for different jobs can be very different in their nature, dependent on what each specific job does.  Joblog management can be a key focus in an AS400/iSeries environment.

14Aug

Spool File

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in iSeries and AS400, Terminology

Spooling is an operating system function that saves data in a spooled file for later processing or printing. Spool files work in a way similar to tape files or other device files. Spooled files can help you manage and queue your data targeted for externally attached devices, such as a printer.

A spool file holds output data until it can be printed or output. The spooled file collects data from a device until a program or device is able to process the data. Usually spool files are leveraged when the end device cannot function at the same speed as the source, and a program or application uses a spooled file as if it were reading from or writing to an actual device.

Spooling functions can help system users to manage input and output operations more efficiently. The system supports output spooling and input spooling. Output spooling can be used for printer devices. Input spooling applies to database file input.

At the end of a job, the job log can be written to spooled file QPJOBLOG to be printed. After the job log is written to the spooled file, the job log is deleted.

Spool files are not only used for print functions, but there are also tools that help you spool to digital format, including spool to pdf, spool to excel and more.

 

Read more on Spool Files

13Aug

Workflow Software

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in BPM and Workflow, Terminology

Workflow Software is an application that provides organizations the ability to digitally map out their business processes, or workflow.  It can be used to automatically assign tasks, route document, provide approvals and much, much more.  The benefit is to add efficiency and improve employee productivity through digital process, management and insight.  Workflow software is usually part of a business process management suite or application.

 

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13Aug

Document Management & ECM Terminology

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in Terminology

Access Rights/Permissions

With DM, your documents are protected against unauthorized access. Rights/permissions can be set for access to specific departments, documents, status, and actions. (View/read only vs. full access).

Administration

For those that are comfortable making additions and changes to the structure and usage of their system, the Administration Menu will allow for you to take the product and run with it! For obvious reasons, companies will limit admin rights to a few trusted individuals. Many DM products allow drag and drop functionality to change and create workflows, permissions, and other functionality within the product.

Archiving

Permanent (or very long-term) electronic storage space. After your documents have been indexed, they will be archived for storage. In the context of records management, archiving means storing documents/records in unalterable format on paper, on long-term storage media, and on digital storage.

Annotations

Just like the productivity tools you would use with paper documents, DM provides the same functionality with the ability to mark up records with sticky notes, highlights, redactions, and more. Annotations are a layer to the document and do not impact the integrity of the original file (this is important for records management).

Audit Trail

DM software tracks all activity on a particular document. This activity includes views, changes to the content, and edits to the indexing structure. These activities (and others) are logged in a database commonly referred to as an audit trail. This helps to prevent as well as track down, unauthorized access and any activity.

Capture

This generally means converting a paper document into a digital document and/or extracting data from a form. This allows quick access to information immediately and years into the future. Electronic documents can also be captured and added into a document repository.

Check in/Check out

Much like a book in a public library, specific documents can be set to be altered by only a single user at a time. Meaning, the latest version will always be the published version of a document. Meanwhile, if the doc is checked out, other users will have viewing access to the current latest version to prevent multiple people from working on the document at the same time.

Collaboration

Many documents need a number of users action to complete that documents process. Placing the document in an accessible location for any party to fulfill their actions together with others is working in collaboration. Think of Google Documents and being able to jointly work on a document simultaneously with others.

Configuration

No two filing cabinets are exactly the same. Just like no two electronic filing cabinets are the same. Configuration is the process in which your repository is customized to the exact needs for each the specific documents and/or processes in your business.

Digital Signature

A digital signature is a mathematical technique used to validate the authenticity and integrity of a message, software or digital document. As the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature or stamped seal, a digital signature offers far more inherent security, and it is intended to solve the problem of tampering and impersonation in digital communications.

Document Management Systems (DMS)

Document management, often referred to as Document Management Systems (DMS) is how to manage the filing, distribution, storage, and retrieval of documents which have been generated internally or ingested from external sources.

Enterprise Content Management (ECM)

Enterprise Content Management (ECM) is the strategies, methods and tools used to capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver content and documents related to organizational processes.

Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)

An electronic document management system (EDMS) is a software system for organizing and storing different kinds of documents. This type of system is a more particular kind of document management system, a more general type of storage system that helps users to organize and store paper or digital documents. EDMS refers more specifically to a software system that handles digital documents, rather than paper documents, although in some instances, these systems may also handle digital scanned versions of original paper documents.

Forms Processing

A process by which one can capture information entered into data fields and add that data directly into a database. For instance, extracting company name, address, values, and customer ID number from an invoice. The form can be saved as an image or just the data can be captured. Can be automated or manual process – the automated process is faster and more accurate.

Indexing

In order to find your documents, you first need to describe them. Indexing is a process of “tagging” your documents with descriptors that will allow you to find them with ease. It can be done manually with data entry or automatically with optical character recognition (OCR) technology.

Information Management

Information, as we know it today, includes both electronic and physical information. The organizational structure must be capable of managing this information throughout the information lifecycle regardless of source or format (data, paper documents, electronic documents, audio, video, etc.) for delivery through multiple channels that may include cell phones and web interfaces.

Life cycle

From creation to use to archival or destruction, every business document has a lifecycle. DM software helps automate the lifecycle of a document, particularly enabling the movement of records to a digital records management program for retention and destruction.

Recognition (OCR/ICR/OMR)

OCR: an OCR program can convert the characters on the page into a text document that can be read by a word processing program.
ICR: (Intelligent character recognition) is the computer translation of manually handwritten text characters into machine readable characters.
OMR: (Optical Mark reading) is a method of entering data into a computer system. Optical Mark Readers reads pencil or pen marks made in pre-defined positions on paper forms as responses to questions or tick list prompts.

Records Management

Refers to a set of activities required for systematically controlling the creation, distribution, use, maintenance, and disposition of recorded information maintained as evidence of business activities and transactions. Records management is an entire category of software (as well as career) in and of itself. Many DM software products also have a records management module.

Taxonomy

Refers to the structure you give your documents, or more specifically, how you classify them; similar to how you would in any filing system. With DM it’s easy to create a system for managing your records that reflects both best practices and your personal preferences.

Revision Control (Version Control

A key component of DM is maintaining the integrity of the original document. If changes are permitted, or if users are collaborating on content development, versioning saves each iteration along the way, allowing users to revert to a previous copy.

13Aug

IBM i (iSeries – AS/400) Terminology

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in Terminology

Advanced Function Presentation (AFP)

A set of licensed programs, together with user applications, that use the all-points-addressable concept to print data on a wide variety of printers or to display data on a variety of display devices. AFP includes creating, formatting, archiving, retrieving, viewing, distributing, and printing information.

Advanced Function Presentation data stream (AFPDS)

Advanced Function Presentation data stream (AFPDS) A presentation data stream that is processed in AFP environments. MO:DCA-P is the AFP interchange data stream. IPDS is the AFP printer data stream.

Advanced Printer Function (APF)

A function of the Application Development ToolSet feature that allows a user to design symbols, logos, special characters, large characters, and forms tailored to a business or data processing application.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)

A standard code used for information exchange among data processing systems, data communication systems, and associated equipment. ASCII uses a coded character set consisting of 7-bit coded characters.

Apache

Apache is an free/open web server developed by the Apache Software Foundation that enables easy access to Net.Data, JSP, PHP or CGI programs written in just about any programming language. The IBM i OS supports a fully functional Apache web server.

Binary format

Representation of a decimal value in which each field must be 2 or 4 bytes long. The sign (+ or -) is in the far left bit of the field, and the number value is in the remaining bits of the field. Positive numbers have a 0 in the sign bit and are in true form. Negative numbers have a 1 in the sign bit and are in twos complement form.

Control Language (CL)

The set of all commands with which a user requests system functions.

Data area

A system object used to communicate data, such as CL variable values between the programs within a job and between jobs. The system-recognized identifier for the data area is *DTAARA.

DB2® for IBM i

The integrated relational database manager on the system. It provides access to and protection for data. It also provides advanced functions such as referential integrity and parallel database processing.

Double-byte character

An entity that requires two character bytes.

Externally described data

Data contained in a file for which the fields and the records are described outside of the program (such as with files created by DDS, IDDU, or DB2 for IBM i) that processes the file.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

In the Internet suite of protocols, an application layer protocol that uses TCP and Telnet services to transfer bulk-data files between machines or hosts.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A type of computer interface that presents a visual metaphor of a real-world scene, often of a desktop, by combining high-resolution graphics, pointing devices, menu bars and other menus, overlapping windows, icons and the object-action relationship.

Host Print Transform (HPT)

An IBM i print function that converts an SNA character string (SCS) data stream into an ASCII data stream. The conversion enables consistent ASCII printing through hardware connections.

IBM i

IBM i is an operating system that runs on the IBM Power Systems. Initially introduced as OS/400 with the AS/400 line of computer systems. Later renamed to i5/OS, and then iSeries, and then to its current name IBMi in 2008.

Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS)

An all-points-addressable data stream that allows users to position text, images, graphics, and bar codes at any defined point on a printed page.

iSeries

A system in the System i family of general purpose systems that supports IBM i and Operating System/400 and that provides application portability across all models. See also Operating System/400, IBM i.

Job schedule entry

An entry in the job schedule object that describes the job to be submitted. The user can specify attributes of the job and when the job will be submitted.

Journal

A system object where changes made to data are recorded. The object created contains historical information about tasks, the database, messages, and notifications, which can be used to reconstruct a previous version of the data. The system-recognized identifier for the object type is *JRN.

Keyword

One of the predefined words of a programming language, artificial language, application, or command.

Level checking

A function that compares the record level identifiers of a file to be opened with the file description that is part of a compiled program to determine if the record format for the file changed since the program was compiled.

Logical partition (LPAR)

One or more subsets of a single system that contains hardware resources and operates as an independent system.

Mirrored protection

A function that protects data by duplicating all disk data in an auxiliary storage pool (ASP) to another disk unit (mirrored unit) in the same ASP. If a disk failure occurs, the system keeps running, using the operational mirrored unit of the mirrored pair until the disk unit is repaired or replaced.

Object

In object-oriented design or programming, a concrete realization (instance) of a class that consists of data and the operations associated with that data. An object contains the instance data that is defined by the class, but the class owns the operations that are associated with the data.

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)

A standard application programming interface (API) for accessing data in both relational and nonrelational database management systems. Using this API, database applications can access data stored in database management systems on a variety of computers even if each database management system uses a different data storage format and programming interface.

Operating System (OS)

A collection of system programs that control the overall operation of a computer system.

Output queue

An object that contains a list of spooled files to be written to an output device, such as a printer or a . The system-recognized identifier for the object type is *OUTQ.

Parameter (parm)

A value or reference passed to a function, command, or program that serves as input or controls actions. The value is supplied by a user or by another program or process.

Physical file

A database file that describes how data is to be presented or received from a program and how data is actually stored in the database. A physical file contains one record format and one or more members.

Queue

A data structure for processing work in which the first element added to the queue is the first element processed. This order is referred to as first-in first-out (FIFO).

Report Program Generator (RPG)

A programming language designed for writing application programs for business data processing requirements. The application programs range from report writing and inquiry programs to applications such as payroll, order entry, and production planning.

Save file

(1) In Backup, Recovery, and Media Services, an online file allocated on direct access storage for use as interim or short-term storage before off-loading to removable media or permanently deleting. (2) A file allocated in auxiliary storage that can be used to store saved data on disk (without requiring s or tapes), to do I/O operations from a high-level language program, or to receive objects sent through the network. The system-recognized identifier for the object type is *FILE.

SNA character string (SCS)

In SNA, a string of EBCDIC control characters carried within a request/response unit (RU); the string can also contain user data.

Spool file

A file that holds output data waiting to be processed, such as information waiting to be printed.

Structured Query Language (SQL)

A standardized language for defining and manipulating data in a relational database.

Subsystem *SBS

An operating environment, defined by a subsystem description, where the system coordinates processing and resources.

System/36 environment

A function of the IBM i operating system that processes most of the System/36 operator control language (OCL) statements and procedure statements to run System/36 application programs and allows the user to process the control language (CL) commands.

Systems Network Architecture distribution services (SNADS, SNA distribution services)

An IBM asynchronous distribution service that defines a set of rules to receive, route, and send electronic mail in a network of systems.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

An industry-standard, nonproprietary set of communication protocols that provides reliable end-to-end connections between applications over interconnected networks of different types.

User interface manager (UIM)

A function of the operating system that provides a consistent user interface by providing comprehensive support for defining and running panels (displays), dialogs, and online help information.

Virtual private network (VPN)

An extension of a company's intranet over the existing framework of either a public or private network. A VPN ensures that the data that is sent between the two endpoints of its connection remains secure.

Workstation

A configuration of input/output equipment at which an operator works. A workstation is a terminal or microcomputer at which a user can run applications and that is usually connected to a mainframe or a network.

Zoned decimal format

A format for representing numbers in which the digit is contained in bits 4 through 7 and the sign is contained in bits 0 through 3 of the least significant byte; bits 0 through 3 of all other bytes contain 1's (hex F). For example, in zoned decimal format, the decimal value of +123 is represented as 1111 0001 1111 0010 1111 0011. See also

13Aug

Workflow and BPM Terminology

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in Terminology

Activity

Processes can be sub-divided into smaller and smaller units or sub-processes. We define activity as the smallest sub-process that a given business process team decides to illustrate on their process diagrams. (We could reverse that and say that a process is made up of one or more activities.) Activities can consist of a single step, like approving a purchase request or placing a cap on a bottle passing on a production line. Other activities involve multiple steps, like filling out a form, or assembling a chair. There is no consistency about how the various methodologies use terms like task and step, but, increasingly, the term activity is reserved for the smallest unit of analysis. A given activity could be performed by one or more employees, by a software system, or by some combination. In the UML notation, both processes and activities are represented by rectangles with rounded corners. (See Business Process Hierarchy.) We sometimes indicate if activities are manual (normal line around rectangle), systems (bold line around rectangle) or mixed activities that involve both manual activities an systems (dashed line around activity rectangle).

Activity Cost Worksheet

A grid or matrix that one can use to analyze the various costs of a set of activities. Activities are listed on the vertical axis and data about outputs, costs, times and problems are described for each activity.

Ad Hoc Workflow Systems

Workflow systems that wait on users to indicate what should happen next. An insurance system might pull up documents for an underwriter only on request. Compare with Administrative and Transaction or Production Workflow Systems.

Application Programming Interface (API)

An application programming interface (API) is a set of definitions of the ways one piece of computer software communicates with another. It is a method of achieving abstraction, usually (but not necessarily) between lower-level and higher-level software. APIs are implemented by writing function calls in the program, which provide the linkage to the required subroutine for execution. Thus, an API implies that some program module is available in the computer to perform the operation or that it must be linked into the existing program to perform the tasks.

Asynchronous Process

In an asynchronous process, one activity sends a message to another, but does not wait until it gets a response.

Batch Processing

In either human or computer processes, a step where lots of items are accumulated and then processed together. In contrast to continuous processing where items are processes as soon as possible.

Benchmarks

As used in business process redesign, data about process measures obtained for specific types of processes. Many companies seek benchmark data on processes they seek to redesign in order to determine how well other companies manage the process.

BPM Software

BPM is software that automates, executes, and monitors business processes from beginning to end by connecting people to people, applications to applications, and people to applications

BPM System

BPM is a management practice that provides for governance of a business’s process environment toward the goal of improving agility and operational performance. This more holistic view offers a structured approach for optimizing processes and takes into account the software tools discussed above as well as an organization’s methods, policies, metrics, and management practices.

Business Intelligence (BI)

Software systems and tools that seek to extract useful patterns or conclusions from masses of data.

Business Process Automation

Refers to the use of computer systems and software to automate a process. Processes can be completely automated, so no human intervention is required, or semi-automated, when some human intervention is required to make decisions or handle exceptions. Techniques used for BP Automation, include workflow, BP-XML languages, ERP, and software development and EAI.

Business Process Management (BPM)

Refers to aligning processes with an organization’s strategic goals, designing and implementing process architectures, establishing process measurement systems that align with organizational goals, and educating and organizing managers so that they will manage processes effectively. Business Process Management or BPM can also refer to various automation efforts, including workflow systems, XML Business Process languages and packaged ERP systems. In this case the management emphasizes the ability of workflow engines to control process flows, automatically measure processes, and M can also refer to various automation efforts, including workflow systems, XML Business Process languages and packaged ERP systems. In this case the management emphasizes the ability of workflow engines to control process flows, automatically measure processes, and M can also refer to various automation efforts, including workflow systems, XML Business Process languages and packaged ERP systems. In this case the management emphasizes the ability of workflow engines to control process flows, automatically measure processes, and ems that align with organizational goals, and educating and organizing managers so that they will manage processes effectively. Business Process Management or BPM can also refer to various automation efforts, including workflow systems, XML Business Process languages and packaged ERP systems. In this case the management emphasizes the ability of workflow engines to control process flows, automatically measure processes, and to change process flows from a computer terminal.

Business Rules

A statement describing a business policy or decision procedure. Some programming languages run business rules together into very complex algorithms. In business process analysis, each rule is usually stated independently, in the general format: If A and B, Then C. Workflow tools and detailed process diagrams both depend on business rules to specify how decisions are made. We generally associate business rules with activities. A decision diamond is adequate to show what happens if a loan is accepted or rejected, but dozens or even hundreds of business rules may need to be defined to clarify what a loan should be accepted or rejected. Training programs, job aids, software systems and knowledge management systems aim to document business rules either to automate the decision process or to and make the rules available to other decision makers.

Collaborative Tools

Tools like discussion forums, dynamic workspaces, and message boards that are provided within the BPM platform framework and are designed to remove intra- and inter-departmental communication barriers.

Composite Process Application

An enterprise application that is developed and deployed using a BPM platform to solve a particular business problem, such as complying with regulatory standards or managing a company’s assets. By integrating existing applications, pulling relevant data, and connecting appropriate people, it overcomes the limitations of traditional enterprise applications, offering more flexibility and scalability as well as better collaboration and integration.

Dashboard

A user interface that resembles the dashboard of an automobile. Dashboards contain small graphs, charts, and gauges that provide data on key information within an organization.

Packaged Applications

Generically, any pre-packaged software application. Normally it is used as a way of referring to vendors who sell ERP or CRM application platforms that are organized to be used to integrate all of a company’s main software applications. By installing a number of packaged applications a company can assure that major business process applications in finance, accounting, human resources, and manufacturing all communicate smoothly and store data in a common database.

Process

A set of activities and transactions that an organization conducts on a regular basis in order to achieve its objectives. It can be simple (i.e. order fulfillment) or complex (i.e. new product development), short-running (i.e. employee on-boarding) or long-running (i.e. regulatory compliance), function-specific (i.e. proposal management) or industry-specific (i.e. energy procurement). It can exist within a single department (i.e. billing), run throughout the entire enterprise (i.e. strategic sourcing), or extend across the whole value chain (i.e. supply chain management).

Rules Engine

BPM component that manages the flow of information and activities within a process according to the formulas and rules assigned to it.

Sub-Processes

Process analysis necessarily occurs on levels. A high-level process diagram shows major processes. Each major process is typically divided into sub-processes which are represented on separate process diagrams. Those processes, in turn, may be sub-divided into sub-processes. There is no logical limit to the number of times we may sub-divide processes into sub-processes. We repeat it until we understand the process in sufficient detail to successfully redesign or improve it. The smallest sub-processes we identify in any given analysis effort are arbitrarily called activities.

Workflow

Generic term for a process or for the movement of information or material from one activity (worksite) to another.

Workflow Model

Another name for a process diagram. Often includes both a diagram and rules that define the flow of information from one activity to the next. If used in conjunction with a workflow system or engine, a software-based process diagram that becomes the program for a workflow system that will move information from a database to one computer terminal after another.

Workflow System or Engine

A software tool or program that helps analysts define a process and the rules governing process decisions, and then manages the actual distribution of information related to specific instances or cases to terminals and databases.

13Aug

Document Capture and Scanning Terminology

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in Terminology

Document Capture & Scanning

Document Capture and Scanning is the process of ingesting paper documents and electronic documents for processing to extract metadata; and then export to a database table; and export the image of the document to a repository.

Document imaging

Document imaging is a historical term for the process of scanning and converting paper to image. Essentially, they are the same action, but today document scanning is the most commonly used term.

Document scanning

Document scanning is the process of scanning and converting paper to image.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Enterprise Resource Planning systems integrate internal and external management information across an entire organization, embracing finance/accounting, manufacturing, sales and service, customer relationship management, etc. ERP systems automate this activity with an integrated software application. Their purpose is to facilitate the flow of information between all business functions inside the boundaries of the organization and manage the connections to outside stakeholders. ERP systems can run on a variety of computer hardware and network configurations, typically employing a database as a repository for information.

Image

An image is a logical container for files. It is a parent to image files and universal files. An image consists of file consisting of image 1, image 2, etc. Properties of an image include filename, image type, Has Image, Has Universal, Original Filename. A universal file is something other than an image format file. Image format files are files ending with identifiers such as TIFF, JPG, or GIF.

Index

An index is what is known as metadata, meaning “data which describes data.” An index can exist as multiple levels such as a document index or batch index. The properties of an index can include attributes such as: Name, Value, Source (OCR, Typed, Barcode, etc.), Location (Page, X, Y, Length, Width), and Barcode Type.

Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR)

ICR is an acronym which stands for Intelligent character recognition. It is a handwriting recognition system that allows fonts and different styles of handwriting to be learned by a computer in order to generate a textual value of a scanned section of handwritten text. ICR is most frequently used to decode predefined areas on fixed forms. ICR is not frequently applied to decode an entire page of handwritten text, and almost never applied to analyze a page of mixed machine printed and handwritten text.

Metadata

Metadata is technically, "data about data." Metadata in the capture world is a transaction, system, and document data captured during scanning and passed to an data capture solution for further processing, including the document set, batch number, operator ID, bar code(s) and more.

OCR scanner

An OCR scanner is a scanner with built-in OCR (optical character recognition) software. ... Ordinary scanners do not have this capability; a scanner that is not an OCR scanner will only create non-searchable images of documents. However, using the correct software, you can effectively turn any scanner into an OCR scanner.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is the process of taking a scanned image and converting the words into text. OCR Software Solutions can provide automated data extraction, as well as provide you with searchable content. Specific solutions, like SharePoint OCR, can be specific to a system and provide for solving specific OCR requirements.

Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)

Optical mark recognition is the process of capturing human-marked data from document forms such as surveys and tests. They are used to read questionnaires, multiple choice examination paper in the form of lines or shaded areas

Semi-Structured Document

Semi-structured documents contain common data elements but the data has a different location, from document to document. For example, nearly every invoice contains data such as a P.O. number and an invoice total, but it is in a different location on each invoice depending on the vendor. Because of these location differences, it is not feasible to use templates to capture data from semi-structured documents.

Structured Document

Strucutred documents are standardized forms that come in the exact same format or layout every time. Examples of structured documents include credit applications, surveys, and order forms. The data to be captured is always located in the same place on the form. To eliminate the need to manually enter the data from structured forms, a template is created to define each of the individual data fields to capture, like name, address or Social Security Number. Document capture or forms processing software can then capture that information at the same location every time.

Unstructured Document

Unstructured documents are forms and documents where the desired data can be located in varying positions on the page of the same document type. An example of unstructured documents is and an EOB (Explanation of Benefits) document.

12Aug

Document Scanning

Written by Ken Kramer. Posted in Scanning and Capture, Terminology

Document scanning is the process of taking paper documents and using a hardware device, or scanner, to convert the paper to an image file. It is a critical component to any Paperless Office initiative, and reduces the costs and pain associated with paper documents.  Typically, documents are scanned, and an image file is created.  Industry standards leverage the TIFF and PDF file formats as an output for document archival.  Document scanning differs from document capture in that its sole purpose is just to create a digital image, and any advanced data extraction or data collection is absent, and operators manually name the digital file.

 

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