Scanning Software

Scanning Software

Computers and scanners are making a huge impact on converting paper to electronic documents. Scanning software enables you to use a scanner or a digital copier to scan documents and photos into a computer system. From there, the software allows you edit, share, or store them.

Purpose

Scanning software is now very affordable to individuals and businesses, and there are options for any type of imaging task. Software now makes it possible to scan such things as:

  • 3-D images (RapidForm 3-D scanning, for example, scans orthodontic models)
  • Slides and negatives (Hamricks VueScan is recommended by many consumers)
  • Bates stamping, barcode reading, etc. for inventory control
  • Printed music (which is then converted into a MIDI or MusicXML file that can be imported to other formats, changed to a different musical key, or saved to a disk for playing back the music)
  • Optical marks (Remark Office OMR software recognizes such things as bubbles and checkmarks on forms)
  • Handwriting (try ReadIrisPro)


    • Several modern scanning software programs give you the ability to scan documents from one format (Word, Adobe PDF, RTF, ASCII, dBase, PowerPoint, or Excel) and convert them into a different format that you can edit and save. This software handles documents already saved on your computer as well as documents that you input from a scanner.

    Buying Scanning Software

    Scanning software varies widely in its capabilities and price ranges, so you will want to determine your exact needs first. For example, do you need to perform high-speed scanning, image enhancement, document management tasks, or scan something with a wide format? Do you need a home version or a professional version? If the software is for professional use, do you need to buy a license with options for more users?

    When shopping for scanning software, be aware that some programs are scanner-dependent, meaning the software works with only certain brands and models of scanners. AutoScan and Hamrick's VueScan software programs each support more than 400 different kinds of scanners.

    Look for software that is intuitive and has a logically designed user interface that you can use easily and instantly. There are Internet sites with consumer product reviews that will tell you a great deal about the usability of scanning software, the quality of output and even the company's customer service. The Internet is also a source for tutorials for best results in scanning black-and-white or color images and documents.

    By Kathleen Goolsby           


    Related Links:

    • ScanStore.com
      Product descriptions and prices for approximately 100 different scanning software programs


     

     

     

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