The business of doing business is changing. Organizations that succeed today have adopted new and more efficient ways to manage information. This is important because analysts tell us that global data volumes will reach 175 zettabytes by 2025, a significant jump from 97 zettabytes in 2022. This explosion of data is largely driven by unstructured formats, such as emails and documents, which make up a substantial portion – approximately 80% - of enterprise data.
With the increasing volume of data and documents flowing into businesses, an effective document capture solution is essential to ensure more efficient operations and optimize compliance efforts and data security. Document capture involves converting physical and digital documents into compatible formats that can be stored in a centralized system. This provides several important benefits, including the ability to take advantage of automated workflows and consolidated search, directly improving process performance. This blog post will explain the document capture process and its benefits.
Table of Contents
- What is document capture?
- How does document capture work?
- What are the benefits of implementing document capture?
- Key DocuWare document capture features
- How efficient document capture reduces invoice processing time for the Armonea Group
- Moving forward
What is document capture?
Document capture is the process of converting paper and electronic documents into a digital format that can be indexed, organized and stored by a document management system (DMS). It enables businesses to streamline their processes, reduce paper dependency, and improve data accuracy by capabilities such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and machine learning.
Document capture not only speeds up document processing but also ensures better consistency, security, and compliance in handling critical business information – all essential attributes for any business today.
A modern capture solution can handle structured and unstructured content. Structured content is well-defined and data elements always appear in the same spot. Common examples include:
- Databases
- Financial records
- Tax forms
- Time sheets
- Utility bills
Unstructured content isn't as easy to capture. Common examples include:
- emails
- Contracts
- Incoming invoices
- Photographs
- Meeting notes
- Scanned documents that include annotations
Additionally, advanced document capture solutions come with built-in security features, such as encryption and index-driven security protocols, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure.
How does document capture work
Let's break down its core elements:
- Scanning: The first step in the document capture process is scanning paper documents into a digital format. This can be done using high-speed scanners or multifunction printers equipped with scanning capabilities. Scanners transform physical documents into digital images, which can then be processed and indexed for retrieval.
- Optical character recognition (OCR): OCR is a key feature in document capture solutions that enables the automatic extraction of text from scanned images, PDFs, or other electronic formats. By converting printed or handwritten text into machine-readable data, OCR allows the system to recognize and categorize documents, improving searchability and reducing manual data entry.
- Conversion to digital format: After OCR processing, the captured documents are converted into various digital formats, such as TIFFs or searchable PDFs. This enables companies to store and manage their documents within a digital repository, making them easily accessible to authorized users. Additionally, metadata like document type, date, and other critical information, also known as index or metadata can be automatically assigned during this step to enhance organization and retrieval.
- Barcode recognition: Barcode recognition is another powerful tool used in document capture systems. By reading barcodes embedded in forms or labels, the system can automatically categorize and route documents to the appropriate workflows, reducing the need for manual sorting and improving processing efficiency.
- Importing electronic documents from a watched folder: Today, many documents aren’t received in paper format. Electronic documents such as invoices, reports, and contracts are also part of the mix. These digital documents can be sent to a watched folder. This folder is configured to perform a specific action when a document is placed in it. The system detects the new input at predetermined intervals and performs the appropriate action – like routing an invoice to the correct employee for processing.
- Importing emails and attachments from an email box: Many businesses deal with a significant amount of documentation sent by email. Document capture solutions can be configured to import emails and their attachments directly into the DMS. This ensures that no important information is lost in individual inboxes and that all communications are securely stored and accessible.
What are the benefits of implementing document capture?
For organizations aiming to improve efficiency and reduce costs, document capture is the key to unlocking several important operational benefits:
- Improved accessibility: With a digital document capture system in place, information can be accessed from anywhere at any time. Employees no longer need to manually file records, rather they simply capture and then index documents and data in a centralized location. Introducing capture at the beginning of the document lifecycle allows users to retrieve relevant documents in seconds using a quick search, improving productivity and collaboration across departments.
- Enhanced searchability: One of the key advantages of digital document capture is enhanced searchability. Thanks to technologies like OCR and automated indexing, users can search for documents based on keywords, metadata, or document content. This capability is particularly useful in large organizations that manage thousands of documents every day.
- Accuracy and security: Manual data entry is prone to human error, but document capture systems reduce this risk by automating the process. This leads to more accurate data, which is crucial for compliance and decision-making. Additionally, advanced document capture solutions come with built-in security features, such as encryption and role-based access controls, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure.
- Contribution to a paperless office: By digitizing documents, businesses can significantly reduce their reliance on paper, contributing to sustainability goals and reducing costs associated with printing, storage, and document retrieval. A paperless office not only lowers expenses but also supports remote work initiatives by providing employees with easy access to information from anywhere.
Key DocuWare document capture features
DocuWare is a powerful document capture platform with intelligent automation, making it a powerful choice for any business. Here are some key features of DocuWare’s document capture capabilities:
Automated data capture and indexing: DocuWare offers advanced data capture from various sources, including scanners, email, and network folders. The platform’s intelligent indexing capabilities allow for automated classification and indexing of documents, removing the need for manual data entry and reducing errors. Documents are quickly processed and routed to the correct storage location, boosting overall productivity. Scanner connectivity: DocuWare integrates with a wide range of scanning devices, ensuring that businesses can capture physical documents directly into the digital system. This connectivity simplifies the process of digitizing invoices, contracts, and other important paperwork, allowing seamless digital transformation. DocuWare printer: The DocuWare Printer enables users to "print" documents directly into the digital archive from any application. This not only saves time but also ensures that every file is indexed and stored securely, supporting a paperless workflow. Intelligent document processing and workflow automation: DocuWare automates document workflows by intelligently processing documents through approval stages, version control, and task assignments. By incorporating electronic signatures and intelligent routing, businesses can automate complex approval workflows, ensuring timely completion and reducing bottlenecks. Secure and accessible document management: DocuWare provides a secure environment for managing documents, with role-based access controls, mobile access, and detailed audit trails. Team members can securely view, edit, and share content while maintaining compliance with industry regulations. Comprehensive system integrations: DocuWare integrates seamlessly with a variety of business-critical systems, including ERP, CRM, and email platforms. These integrations enhance the document capture process by ensuring data flows effortlessly between platforms, creating a unified digital ecosystem. How efficient document capture reduces invoice processing time for the Armonea Group
The Belgium-based Armonea Group provides nursing and residential care services at 132 facilities and serves more than 15,000 seniors. DocuWare processes all non-standard (unstructured) invoices for the company. Documents that are received by email are sent to a watched folder where they are automatically routed to the appropriate accounting team member. The team uses DocuWare Intelligent Indexing to extract the supplier’s name, invoice date, amount, payment deadline and other data. Machine learning technology remembers each document and the indexing corrections that are made, so every capture increases the speed, accuracy and reliability of the tool. After just a few documents, capture is automated and human intervention isn’t needed.
After an indexed document is stored, the DocuWare system transfers the relevant data to the Armonea Group’s accounting system. Automated indexing and posting data directly to their accounting system saves employees an enormous amount of time. The information they need is only a mouse click away.
Moving forward
Document capture is a vital component for the success of any modern business. By transforming physical and electronic documents into structured, easily accessible digital formats, companies can significantly improve workflow efficiency, accuracy, and security. Solutions like DocuWare not only automate the capture process but also integrate intelligent workflows, making it easier than ever to manage and leverage information. If you are looking to reduce costs, improve accessibility, and enhance decision-making, mastering document capture is essential.
Learn more about document management.
