Document Indexing
Services

All of the tasks and benefits of electronic document imaging, electronic document capture, image scanning are included with addition of processing the document image to extract key information. That information is typically used to permit significantly improved irretrievability of electronic documents. You have several options for storing the index information some are dependent upon the type of electronic document selected. ImageWorld Technologies offers up to five indexed keywords of fields as part of its basic imaging and indexing package with the advent of the new standard ISO 32000 users have a PDF standard that they can rely on to be the preferred electronic document storage standard for years to come. If you want to create searchable PDF documents you will be able to employ many indexing schemas to retrieve your information. From the simple desktop search engines such as Google desktop or Microsoft desktop search to more advanced searching tools like Concordance or SharePoint or Documentum your documents will be a keystroke away from providing you with more and better information to give you the tools you need to make better, more informed business decisions.

At the simplest when the document is stored as a TIFF or PDF file the indexed keywords can be stored as part of the document itself. The document image(s) can then be retrieved via a standard file search. For example, Windows Explorer (the file browser not the internet browser) provides a search feature that includes search for keywords and or file name (since the document content is still an image it cannot be searched as text). The actual images can be on a local computer hard drive, a network drive, CDs, or DVDs. Of course, if the images are stored on removable media (CDs or DVDs) the correct media must be inserted. (Note: Given the cost of on-line storage many companies opt to put the information on hard drives with removable media as backup.) With images stored on local drives or network drives access can be controlled in the same way as for other sensitive data.

Indexing is accomplished by processing the images and using a combination of forms recognition, OCR, and information inserted during the imaging process (one or more forms is/are inserted prior to actually scanning your documents usually with bar codes identify key fields). The preferred process is processing the actual captured image using sophisticated software. The software can be taught to recognize your standard forms and/or to apply OCR to portions of the forms in order to capture information. Other processing can include recognizing check marks on a form (OMR – Optical Mark Recognition) and/or hand-printed form entry information. The processed information is then stored with the documents as part of the file naming and/or keywords.