What is data capture?

Data capture is an electronic process which captures and extracts the data from paper and digital documents documents, offering the capability to search or share information at the touch of a button. This means that using data capture can help you streamline business processes, free up staff time and reduce storage space.

How does the data capture process work?

Before the information can be extracted from paper documents they have to be scanned. Scanning is incredibly quick and efficient; here at Pro-Doc we use powerful scanners which can scan many thousands of documents in a single day. No matter the age, size or type, almost any document can be scanned, from postage stamps up to architectural plans, through to legal documents, correspondence, invoices or historical documents.

After the scanning process is complete, documents can be quickly converted into the digital format of your choice, such as HTML and PDF file formats. Optical character recognition – OCR – is then used to convert the scanned version of a document into a fully searchable format.

Can all types of data be captured?

The simple answer to this question is yes! OCR allows for the conversion of most types of printed text, regardless of how the page has been laid out, the font used, or how the text is arranged upon the page. OCR produces incredibly accurate results and once a document has been converted, you’ll be able to share the data quickly and efficiently.

Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) provides a way to take the data capture process to another level. Designed to interpret and capture handwritten text; this powerful software has the ability to interpret handwriting of any size or style; either from purely handwritten documents or documents with a combination of handwriting and typed text. As with OCR, ICR offers an exceptionally useful way to capture, search and share data from written records, archives and historical documents.

Using data capture to free up storage space

One of the biggest benefits of data capture is the reduction in document storage space it can offer. Once documents have been scanned, a wide range of online document storage solutions are available, providing safe, secure storage. Designed to help you streamline your business processes and free up valuable storage space, storing documents electronically, rather than in a traditional filing cabinet (or a pile on your desk!) can help you revolutionise the way you work and run your business. Online data storage facilities are actually pretty simple and once the original, paper versions of your documents have been scanned, the digital versions are stored electronically, ready to be accessed as and when you need them. It’s even possible to request copies of the original, paper documents, or to have the paper versions shredded, all at the touch of a button.

Data capture solutions from Pro-Doc

We offer a range of data capture solutions, designed to help businesses and organisations reduce their reliance on paper, streamline their systems and reduce storage. If you would like to find out more, or talk through your requirements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.