tj2001cobra
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:24:24 PM
I'm looking to buy a scanner for my business. My intentions are to scan signed invoices into PDF files, which is fairly easy to do and wont be hard. The difficuly part is that I was the software to be able to scan the document and then name the pdf file whatever the invoice number is. The invoice number is in the same spot on every invoice.

I know this can be done, but I dont know what to call it and therefor cant figure out waht to search for on the internet. I have been reading through the details of some different softwares but I haven't found the ability to do this specific thing.

Does anyone have any experience in this? Any recommendations?

Thanks!

HockeyDad
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:25:29 PM
Is this Ram27 approved?
tj2001cobra
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:27:29 PM

Is this Ram27 approved?

HockeyDad wrote:

No, but Lancaster said it was OK... :-"

z6joker9
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:35:50 PM
Acrobat does OCR pretty well in my experience. I use this scanner and it works *fantastic* and includes a full copy of acrobat (alone would be the majority of the price). I do have a network AIO that has a flatbed in case I need it.

http://amzn.com/B001V9LQH0 

tj2001cobra
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:46:01 PM

Acrobat does OCR pretty well in my experience. I use this scanner and it works *fantastic* and includes a full copy of acrobat (alone would be the majority of the price). I do have a network AIO that has a flatbed in case I need it.

z6joker9 wrote:

You use WHAT scanner?

Also, will it automtically name the pdf file or do you have to do it manually? I want to put a stack of invoices in, hit a button, and have them scanned, named, and put in a directory of my choice.

cacman
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 5:47:45 PM
Most of the scanning software allows you to set a naming convention for saving files in the preferences/set-up. Simply set it matching the first Invoice No. before scanning. Note that if you scan anything else you will need to reset the file name preferences to match the Invoice. Usually the software will prompt you to confirm the file name. When batch scanning a number of documents you only need to confirm the file name when saving the first file. The rest will increment automatically.

Acrobat's OCR function is great for changing an image PDF to a searchable PDF.

Look at Epson or Microtek (if they are still made). Most come with their own scanning and OCR software in he box.

tj2001cobra
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 6:08:09 PM

Most of the scanning software allows you to set a naming convention for saving files in the preferences/set-up. Simply set it matching the first Invoice No. before scanning. Note that if you scan anything else you will need to reset the file name preferences to match the Invoice. Usually the software will prompt you to confirm the file name. When batch scanning a number of documents you only need to confirm the file name when saving the first file. The rest will increment automatically.

Acrobat's OCR function is great for changing an image PDF to a searchable PDF.

Look a Epson or Microtek (if they are still made). Most come with their own scanning and OCR software.

cacman wrote:

No, that isn't what i want. I know for a fact that the capability is out there because we were in the process of implementing it at my prior place of work.

My issue is that I dont get the invoices in numerical order. We issue them numerically, but some customers sign them upon return (customers who have accounts) and it wouldn't be practical to hold them and try to sort them all. We file by name, not number.

tj2001cobra
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 6:25:03 PM
OK, I found something, but it is expensive.

http://www.edocfile.com/filebyocr.htm 

So does anyone know of other programs like this, maybe not as expensive?

z6joker9
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 7:04:51 PM

You use WHAT scanner?

tj2001cobra wrote:

Whoops, copy/paste fail

http://amzn.com/B001V9LQH0 

cacman
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 7:55:07 PM

OK, I found something, but it is expensive.

http://www.edocfile.com/filebyocr.htm 

So does anyone know of other programs like this, maybe not as expensive?

tj2001cobra wrote:

Just offered a simple solution that comes in the scanner box. The OCR software that comes with Jokers example comes with a number of other scanners too. It could be scripted to do the same as the software you suggested. But after the time setting-up you'd be better off buying the software. Hopefully it's available/compatible with the newer OS's/scanners, or your office's current copier/scanner/all-in-one machine.

Good luck.

tj2001cobra
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 8:36:50 PM

Just offered a simple solution that comes in the scanner box. The OCR software that comes with Jokers example comes with a number of other scanners too. It could be scripted to do the same as the software you suggested. But after the time setting-up you'd be better off buying the software. Hopefully it's available/compatible with the newer OS's/scanners, or your office's current copier/scanner/all-in-one machine.

Good luck.

cacman wrote:

Sorry if I came across sounding like a ******. I'm having a hard time explaining exactly what I want because I can't figure out a specific name for it. File By OCR might be the correct terminology. I just found that link when I was getting ready to leave work so I'll keep searching tomorrow.

Thanks for your suggestions! 🇨🇮

P.S. I have an A-I-O machine that I will keep but I'm going to buy a dedicated scanner that is built for scanning only.

tj2001cobra
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 8:37:57 PM

Whoops, copy/paste fail

http://amzn.com/B001V9LQH0 

z6joker9 wrote:

That is the EXACT scanner I was looking at. Read through a bunch of the comments already there on Amazon and felt like it would be a good scanner to buy.

teedubbya
Thursday, August 23, 2012 10:40:43 AM
I think what TJ is trying to say is the invoice numbers may not be sequential so he wants the software to pick up the number from the same exact location and use it in the naming convention.

Ask the Thunderous Gerbil. He knows all. He is like a testical or something.

Edit... or is that oracle.... I get confused.

Thunder.Gerbil
Thursday, August 23, 2012 11:59:50 AM
Thanks for the vote TW, but this isn't anything I could answer without researching it. I don't have any clients that use anything like what TJ is describing.
teedubbya
Thursday, August 23, 2012 12:11:22 PM
but you are the all knowing testicle
jojoc
Thursday, August 23, 2012 12:24:28 PM
TJ

I have had good luck with the Fujitsu ScanSnap Scanner line. as to software, I recently ran across this option (I have not tried it or looked into it further. I put my project on hold for the time being, but was looking for something similar to what you described.)

http://www.vircosoft.com/vFiler.htm 

From the description it looks like it can auto-index images based either on an applied bar code or a defined field via OCR.

Hope this helps and good luck.

I began scanning my files in about 1998. However we still manually index the files. I may have to start thinking along these lines again.

jojoc
Thursday, August 23, 2012 12:28:27 PM
TJ

I have had good luck with the Fujitsu ScanSnap Scanner line. as to software, I recently ran across this option (I have not tried it or looked into it further. I put my project on hold for the time being, but was looking for something similar to what you described.)

http://www.vircosoft.com/vFiler.htm 

From the description it looks like it can auto-index images based either on an applied bar code or a defined field via OCR.

May also want to look at:

http://www.irislink.com 

Hope this helps and good luck.

I began scanning my files in about 1998. However we still manually index the files. I may have to start thinking along these lines again.