The best PDF OCR solutions

How to find the best PDF OCR

90% of organizations still use manual data capture techniques for Document Processing, even though automation can save businesses time and money. One way to automate document processing is by implementing OCR technology in the department. Many OCR tools are available, but finding the right OCR tool for your business will depend on your company’s unique needs. 

Companies that need to process PDF files should look for the best PDF OCR tool, whether that is an online tool or software. The Google OCR API code allows programmers to implement OCR capabilities into applications so an organization can develop a unique OCR app. When processing physical documents, businesses may come across handwritten text and data that requires the same processing as printed text. Rather than manually reading the handwriting and typing the data, a company can convert scanned handwriting to text using an intelligent OCR tool. There are a few different ways to perform this task with OCR.

To convert handwriting to text, Google Docs has a method that requires using the Google Lens app on a smartphone. This simple tool works by detecting the handwriting in an image taken with the Google Lens app and converting that into digital text that can be pasted into a Google Docs file. Another method to convert handwriting to text, OneNote, can be used as an OCR tool for individual handwritten notes. The Evernote handwriting-to-text program can detect handwritten notes within the program or on image files you import into it. 

While these methods can perform the task of converting handwritten information into digital text, they are designed for individuals rather than a business’s Document Processing tasks. Companies require a more robust OCR tool like Rossum that can read handwritten information from hundreds of documents and can automate multiple steps in Document Processing with Artificial Intelligence capabilities.

Best OCR online

For businesses that only need to process a small number of documents with OCR, finding the best OCR online program can be a simple yet effective tool to help with this task. If you Google “OCR online,” you will find many websites and programs that can read the printed text and convert it into digitally readable text. Some of these sites will let you choose which format you need to convert the text into, such as Excel or Word documents. Because many of these tools are simple, they may not be able to read handwritten information in an image or PDF file. 

An OCR PDF tool that was developed to convert data that is locked inside a scanned PDF into a usable digital text format can be a helpful tool for businesses that work exclusively with PDF files. PDF OCR online websites are easy to find and use. However, as with the online tools that are not PDF-exclusive, these online sites may not be advanced enough to read handwritten text or to handle large quantities of files. For companies that need a more comprehensive program, the best OCR tool is one that can capture data from all kinds of documents and is simple to implement, like Rossum.

Best OCR software

If your organization is interested in an OCR software instead of an OCR online tool, there are different choices available, each with its pros and cons. For instance, the best OCR software for Mac users will likely be different than the best option for Windows users. Ideally, OCR software would be compatible with all operating systems so that companies could use it without completely changing their computer operations. An OCR software should also be easy to implement, or the goal of saving time is diminished. 

The best OCR software is one that has Artificial Intelligence and machine learning capabilities so that it can process documents faster than any other method. Some OCR software options require templates for processing documents which can result in a highly inefficient tool. If your business’s documents are not in the correct template format, the OCR software will not work. This is where AI can become the technology that makes OCR software the best for your business. With an AI-powered OCR software like Rossum, templates are not required because its intelligent technology can learn from each document and process it correctly and quickly.

Best OCR app

Another option for businesses looking for an OCR tool for Document Processing is to use or create an application. This can be a good choice for smaller companies that might prefer to use smartphones for certain tasks. The best OCR app has Artificial Intelligence technology embedded to recognize all kinds of text from images, such as handwriting and unique fonts. 

Depending on the operating system of the computer and smartphone, the right OCR app will be designed to work smoothly with both. For example, the best OCR app for Mac users will probably coincide with the app for iPhone users since both utilize Apple’s iOS operating system. Likewise, the best OCR app for Android users will probably work best with computers operating on Windows or Linux systems rather than Apple products. 

The simplicity of an OCR app can be beneficial, but it also presents challenges. These apps require smartphones, and businesses may not want images of documents stored on phones. Additionally, OCR apps are not useful for large quantities of documents because each file must be photographed separately, and the information must be extracted individually. Formatting is another issue that these apps may not be able to handle. On the other hand, an OCR software like Rossum can extract data from documents and enter the data into the correct fields automatically. 

Best OCR software for Windows 10

With Windows accounting for nearly 70% of the world’s operating system market, companies are more likely to use Windows than any other operating system. This is why businesses may be looking for an OCR for Windows software. An example of such software is SimpleOCR. This software is available for free, but the company admits that their software will not be helpful for documents with tables, columns, or non-standard fonts. With many business documents containing tables, such as invoices, and the inability of this software to read handwritten information, this SimpleOCR software may not be an effective tool for businesses.

The best OCR software for Windows 10 is one that can be downloaded and installed by the company in a short time so that it can be used as soon as possible. Additionally, the software should not require the use of a smartphone or other application because that can just add complexities and time. Instead, an OCR software for Windows should be able to read data from any file format and extract it so that the company does not need to hire employees to do manual data entry. An intelligent platform like Rossum can be used with a Windows operating system and provides a more reliable and accurate experience than simple OCR software.

Best online OCR

Online OCR tools can include websites that convert printed text into digital text after you upload the file, either an image or document, to the site. The converted text can then be downloaded from the site in an editable file format. However, other OCR tools exist online that are based on computer programming. While the best online OCR tool will not require extensive coding knowledge or time spent figuring out the program, there are circumstances when a code-based OCR tool would be helpful. 

Some handwriting OCR online tools may require coding knowledge to use them. For instance, businesses can use the Google Cloud Vision API tool to create an OCR application to detect and extract handwritten information. This tool acts as a connection through code between the application developed by the business and Google’s OCR technology. Vision API is an example of one of the best OCR API tools available online because it makes it easy for developers to implement OCR capabilities into the app that the business will use for their OCR needs. For companies that do not want to create a new OCR app for their Document Processing department, an OCR platform like Rossum that is pre-designed as a cognitive data capture solution is a better option.

Best OCR app for handwriting recognition

Knowing how to convert handwriting to text in Word starts with deciding between several options for performing this task. The first and slowest option is to manually read the handwriting and re-type the information as digital text in a Microsoft Word document. This is how manual document processing works and is an option to convert handwritten PDF to text files. However, this method is time-consuming and prone to human error. Another option is to use an OCR tool to convert handwriting to digital text. OCR tools for handwritten information can be either an application or software. 

The best OCR app for handwriting recognition would be helpful for individuals and smaller businesses that often do not have to detect handwriting in documents. Because these apps work with smartphones, they are not designed for a business’s Document Processing needs. For businesses, a comprehensive software option is an ideal solution. The best OCR software for handwriting recognition is a software that uses Artificial Intelligence to detect handwriting in any document format. Rossum is an example of the best kind of OCR software because it can capture data from text and handwriting and can be implemented in the company in only a day.