The use of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) has just recently started in the business industry. This tool makes use of AI technology to perform document recording activities more effectively and efficiently.
We can easily find online OCR tools on the internet. We can search for those that are suitable for our needs and uses. This article will go into more detail on online OCR. In this article, we will discuss more deeply about online OCR, both its definition, how it works, to the best examples of online OCR at the time.
Definition of an online OCR tool
To comprehend online OCR, we must first understand what OCR is. OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is a technology that recognizes visual images and converts them into editable text data.
While online OCR tools are software with OCR technology that can be accessed via the internet to recognize text in an image or a document uploaded by the user. The text recognition is then processed by online OCR, and the identified text is output in editable format.
The benefit of using online OCR is that it is easy to use and doesn’t need the installation of additional software. It can also be used on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Even some online OCR provide language recognition and tables in a variety of formats.
The advantage of using online OCR tools
As previously discussed, online OCR is a new technology that allows computers to recognize and transform text from an image or document into editable text. The use of online OCR has many benefits!
1. Convert documents to text data
Online OCR allows us to extract text from a physical image or digital document without having to retype it. Those who are dealing with financial management may feel this.
2. Business process automation
Many companies use OCR to automate business processes such as the processing of purchase invoices or forms. OCR can assist companies in the process of extracting the necessary information from documents automatically and quickly.
In addition to converting physical documents to digital format, OCR may automate language translation from one language to another.
3. Archival storage digitization
By transforming physical documents to digital text, we can store document archives in a more efficient and accessible format. The benefit is that the process of searching for information if it is required one day becomes faster.
4. The flexibility to access online OCR from anywhere
The key advantage of online OCR is that it can be accessed from a variety of devices, such as a cellphone, tablet, or computer. The primary capital only device, and also an internet connection.
How online OCR tools works
Online OCR works in several stages, starting from process of scanning an image, analyzing image, to character recognition.
1. Image scanning
The first step is for the user to upload a physical or digital document containing text to online OCR tools. That image can be a physical document or a digital document, such as a photo, an invoice, or another image file.
2. Image analysis
After scanning, the next step is pre-processed of image to improve quality for character recognition. This may involve image cleaning, contrast adjustment, noise removal, etc.
The uploaded image can contain many elements such as text, image, table, and others.OCR also performs the process of separating the text from various elements during this process.
3. Character recognition
After the text has been separated, the OCR algorithm will analyze the image character by character. It involves recognizing patterns and shapes in images of characters.
The OCR algorithm will also try to use the context of sentences that are difficult to identify; for example, ‘I’ and ‘1’ look the same. OCR will read the surrounding context to determine which character is correct.
4. Advanced processing and display of results
The final process is the advanced process or post processing. OCR will return to correct minor errors and reformat text to make it easier to read. The result of text recognition will be displayed to users via website or application.
The results that are already on the website or application can then be directly edited according to user needs.
Document that can be read by online OCR tools
As explained earlier, online OCR is capable of converting physical or digital documents into editable digital text data as needed. Here are some types of general documents that OCR can be read:
- Name card
- Invoice or receipt
- Bank account
- Driver’s license
- Identity card
- Book or old article that difficult to recognize
- Documents in foreign languages (if OCR has a translation feature)
- Photos containing graphs or diagrams with text
Examples of the best online OCR
There are many online OCR tools that can be found on the internet, one of the best is OCR+ from Fintelite.
Fintelite is an AI-powered company that provides OCR technology for business people or companies in the financial sector. Fintelite’s OCR+ is capable of recognizing text from physical or digital documents and recording it into a report book automatically.
Aside from that, OCR+ can automatically provide the results of financial analysis based on the data collected to business growth needs.
