Digital document imaging integrates paper documents into the electronic workflow of organizations. This process can be facilitated with a combination of peripherals and application-integration solutions. For example, a multifunction peripheral (MFP) running a library of application connectors can scan documents directly into enterprise content management systems such as IBM's FileNet and Microsoft SharePoint. Such a combination of peripheral and application connectors can also attend to security issues by keeping logs of completed jobs, with details of users and job destinations. Before scanning can take place, users would have to identify themselves to the system. These quick and secure movements of paper-based information to business workflows can help organizations streamline their e-Business processes. Digital document imaging can be done in a distributed manner with the paper information being captured at points of origin. This information, once captured and moved to the content repositories, becomes available to everybody in the enterprise with permission to access the content. Digital Document Imaging and Incidental Processes Digital document imaging involves scanning paper documents and outputting a digital image in a standard format such as JPEG. Text-based document images obtained in this manner would then be converted into a machine-readable document using technologies such as OCR and ICR. Once the machine can read the text content, it's possible to generate meta tags for each document and index them for subsequent querying and retrieval. Documents are then categorized according to relevant classification practices and sent to the applicable repository. It's at this stage that the paper-based information becomes part of the electronic workflow, enabling persons located anywhere in the enterprise to access the information and use it for decision making. Such access is possible from anywhere in the world, provided the user has an Internet connection and authority to access the information. Digital document imaging and subsequent processing make paper documents part of the enterprise content management system. Information in paper form is less likely to be available as decision-support information. Even if it was, the range of access would be geographically limited. No large enterprise of today can stay competitive if it tries to manage the flow of information using traditional paper/folder/filing-cabinet/file-room retrieval methods. Digital Document Imaging Technology Includes Recognition Technology Digital imaging technology is not just scanning and outputting a digital image. It also includes development of more refined and specialized recognition technologies. For example, barcode recognition is an important activity in various identification and other scenarios. Identification information, item prices, etc. can be bar-coded and written to documents. It would then be possible to automate quick identification of paper documents or speedily prepare bills at point-of-sale terminals. Electronic recognition of the barcodes is what underlies these uses. Conclusion Digital document imaging technology along with character recognition, indexing, and other document management tools can quickly move paper-based information into the electronic workflow of document-management or content-management systems. Implemented in a distributed fashion, these technologies and tools can capture paper content from anywhere in the enterprise and make it instantly available anywhere else.
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