6 scanning programs to automate document capture

Automating document capture is a key competitive advantage for businesses. Digitisation software can help you make the transition to digital, and successfully transform your entire organisation digitally.

Its technologies enable :

• automate data processing,
• Intelligent indexing of searchable files in a content management system,
• export document flows to business applications,
• delivering better customer service.

Compare electronic data capture solutions to boost productivity:

See all software Electronic Data Capture

How does data capture technology work?

The principle of ADR - Automatic Document Reading - enables documents to be scanned automatically.

During scanning, the software can extract targeted data and intelligently organise it in a content management system, also known as EDM (electronic document management), from which the entire company draws information.

The data and metadata (data structuring a document that can be used to enrich and automate the classification system) can also be sent directly to other systems.It can also be sent directly to business applications such as ERP or CRM, where it can be used.

The principle of ADR - automatic document recognition in the broadest sense - makes it possible to identify the different types of document and recognise the precise locations of the data to be extracted.

🛠️ DRL is made possible by the following document recognition technologies :

• RAD (automatic document recognition),
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition),
• OMR (Optical Mark Recognition),
• ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition),
• an integrated barcode recognition tool,
• etc.

The following image shows a diagram that simply summarises how document capture works and why it's important:

Compare document capture solutions for the enterprise

The following table summarises the comparison of scanning software to be discovered in this article. It reflects the features that distinguish each solution.

We recommend that you read each software description in detail to form your own opinion. We also recommend that you compare the key features and entry prices of each software package in our comparison table detailed later in this article.

Comparing the tools enables you to choose the right software for the flow of data to be processed in your company, taking into account the specifics of your sector or entity.

Bluemega

Developed by a French company, Bluemega is aimed at organisations with multifunction copiers: SMEs, local authorities or multi-site organisations. This tool simplifies document capture directly at the source, without having to install any software on the user side. The promise is based on a " no client, no driver" approach, which reduces IT constraints and speeds up adoption by field teams.

Overview and benefits for SMEs and local authorities

Designed for distributed environments, Bluemega is perfectly suited to the needs of organisations that already use multifunction copiers (MFPs) for their day-to-day document needs. Rather than adding a software layer on the user's side, the publisher relies on an interface embedded directly in the copier's screen, reducing installation costs and training efforts.

This approach is particularly well suited to SMEs, local authorities and multi-agency networks that want to automate the sending of documents to an EDM repository, ERP, HR or accounting tool, without involving their IT department. The indexing of documents can be customised, making them easier to use downstream and optimising the search for critical information.

Automating workflows also makes it possible to :

• reduce manual errors
• save time on repetitive tasks,
• guarantee the conformity of transmissions thanks to integrated traceability.

Bluemega's main features

• direct scanning from MFPs to email, directories, EDM, HRIS or ERP ;
• intelligent document recognition : OCR, barcode, forms, etc;
• automatic indexing of critical data (invoice number, date, customer, etc.);
• secure connection to information systems (LDAP, SSO, SFTP);
• structured export of files: PDF, TIFF, XML, JSON, etc. ;
• SaaS or on-premise, depending on the company's needs ;
• centralised administration to manage all document flows.

The benefits of the Bluemega Connect edition

The distinguishing feature of the Bluemega Connect version is its ability to create customised capture scenarios , without coding, for each department (accounting, HR, sales, etc.). So you can scan a customer order or supplier contract and send it directly to the dedicated application with the right business indexes.

Security is also a strong pillar, with every transmission traced, authenticated and encrypted, guaranteeing RGPD compliance.

CaptureOn Touch Pro: Canon's scanning software

Canon's CaptureOnTouch scanning software was released as a professional version in 2016. In theory, CaptureOnTouch Pro is suitable for any type of business.

In practice, we recommend this software for freelancers and small businesses, due to the capabilities of the software. Canon ImageFORMULA scanners are equipped with CaptureOnTouch Pro: Canon fans will appreciate this.

CaptureOnTouch Pro overview and compatibility

CaptureOnTouch Pro is ideally suited to small organisations with Windows-based computers.

The use of ImageFormula scanners also determines the use of CaptureOnTouch Pro software.

An important point to check is the compatibility of the software :

• with Canon ImageFormula scanners only;
• Microsoft Windows operating system only, with support for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or later, Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or later;
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 or later;
• Citrix XenApp 7.5 environment.

Key features of CaptureOn Touch Pro software

• standard 3-step scan from scanner or software ;
• single-sided or double-sided scanning, and elimination of blank pages;
• export and conversion of files in the following formats: compact PDF/A, indexable and editable PDF, multi-page TIFF, JPEG, PowerPoint, etc. ;
• intelligent batch scanning and separation of documents;
• can be filed in separate folders or files;
• OCR, Patch Codes and barcode technologies (optional module);
• up to 10 recognition zones for index data files;
• enriched index file formats for documents: XML, CSV and JSON ;
• export scanned documents to the Cloud and other applications such as Dropbox, Evernote, SharePoint, SugarSync and Google Drive.

Simplicity for small organisations

CaptureOnTouch Pro scanning software is easy to learn and use, with a simple icon-based interface.

See the simplicity of the CaptureOnTouch Pro software interface in the image below:

Businesses save time in processing their document flows, and have access to a search tool that they can tailor to their activity (customisable indexing).

Connectivity with other devices is functional: scanned documents can be sent quickly by email, to a printer or to a cloud storage solution. Intelligent indexing makes it easy to find documents.

CaptureOnTouch Pro

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Efficient Document Scanning Solution for Professionals

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Continia

Continia Document Capture is a solution specially designed for companies already equipped with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. It integrates natively with the ERP to automate the processing of accounting documents such as invoices, purchase orders and supporting documents. This tool means less manual data entry, improved traceability and a smooth validation workflow within the Dynamics environment.

Integrated natively into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Continia Document Capture is aimed at companies that want to streamline and automate the management of their incoming documents, while remaining in an environment with which they are already familiar.

Overview and benefits for companies using Microsoft Dynamics

Continia is particularly popular with accounting and purchasing teams, as it simplifies the validation of supplier invoices, even in multi-site or multi-entity environments. The integrated approval workflow can be adapted to the specific requirements of each company, and the digital archiving of documents provides rapid access to the document history from the supplier files.

In addition to productivity gains, Continia also enhances regulatory compliance, by ensuring that documents are retained in accordance with tax and legal requirements.

By automatically capturing files (PDFs, emails, scanned paper documents), the software extracts key data using OCR, then automatically matches them to the purchase orders or delivery notes in the ERP. This intelligent matching eliminates data entry errors, while speeding up processing times.

Continia's main features

• automatic scanning of incoming documents (paper, PDF, email, etc.) ;
• intelligent OCR to capture data (invoice number, VAT, supplier, etc.);
• automatic matching with orders or receipts in Business Central ;
• integrated approval workflow for one-click validation;
• digital archiving with instant access from supplier records;
• processing of structured formats such as PEPPOL, XML, Factur-X, etc;
• real-time monitoring of status and exceptions.

The benefits of Continia Document Capture Advanced

The Advanced version of Continia deploys contextual recognition and advanced workflow functionalities . It can manage multiple legal entities, complex approval circuits and integrate customised accounting control rules.

For multi-site companies or international groups, this is an ideal solution for standardising document processing, while retaining business flexibility.

IRISPowerscan 10: scanning and data capture software

IRIS is Europe's leading provider of batch scanning and document recognition solutions .

The IRISPowerscan 10 software is compatible with the majority of scanners on the market and has the particularity of being very easy to size in relation to the needs of companies with a volume of documents to be processed of up to 10,000 documents per day.

For larger volumes and projects, the publisher will be offering even more advanced solutions with its ^IRISXtractTM technology.

Presentation of the software and benefits for SMEs

The solution is proving highly successful, especially in the hotel, medical, banking and logistics sectors.

Compatible with all makes of scanner, the scanning and data capture software enables :

• dematerialisation of all types of documents, structured or unstructured, such as passports, medical certificates, contracts, insurance certificates, delivery notes, etc. ;
• metadata management for indexing files that can be searched on demand;
• Eliminate errors and cut costs by reducing the need for manual data management;
• increase business productivity by automating processes.

The following video explains the benefits of IRISPowerscan 10:

Main features of IRISPowerscan 10 software

• scan and import documents from any source: secure cloud (DropBox, OneDrive, Box), printer, scanner, email, etc;
• ultra-fast scanning of all types of documents (invoices, forms, ID cards, etc.) and file formats (PDF, JPEG, DOC, TIFF, etc.);
• more than 20 techniques to improve the quality of scanned documents;
• control processes to check and eliminate inconsistencies;
• all LAD RAD technologies for recognising, classifying and extracting data: OCR, ICR, barcode recognition, sorting by regular expression recognition, etc. ;
• patented ^{IRISFingerprintTM} technology;
• extraction of data and indexing of documents in the archiving or EDM system of your choice: OneDrive, Dropbox, box, Therefore, Microsoft Sharepoint, etc;
• hyper-compression of files with identical quality retention for archiving.

Remarkable advantage: data export with complete freedom

IRISPowerscan software allows you to export and compress documents and data to folders, email, CMIS (Alfresco, Documentum, etc.), the Cloud or to all business applications such as Therefore, ODBC, Autonomy Worksite, SharePoint, FileNet, OpenText, etc.

And that's not all: you can also use connectors to export to SAP, EBP, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle Financials and other solutions.

You choose the export format: DOC, PDF, JPEG, IRIS hyper-compressed PDF, etc.

IRISPowerscan

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Advanced Document Capture for Efficient Workflows

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ITESOFT

Designed for SMEs and large companies, ITESOFT enables incoming documents to be captured, sorted, validated and automatically injected into information systems. Thanks to a combination of advanced OCR,AI and intelligent workflows, this solution covers the entire document processing chain, from initial scanning to export to ERP or EDM. It is particularly well-suited to organisations managing large volumes of documents or subject to stringent regulatory requirements.

Overview and benefits for companies looking for intelligent automation

Thanks to its multi-channel capture engine and advanced analysis algorithms, the solution enables end-to-end management of incoming document processing, from receipt to integration into business tools.

Its flexible architecture adapts to both on-premise and cloud environments, with customisable configuration options thanks to a low-code interface. Documents (invoices, contracts, customer files, etc.) are automatically sorted, analysed and then fed into ERP, EDM or internal validation workflows.

Another of ITESOFT's strong points is its ability to detect document fraud or duplication using AI technologies. This function is particularly useful for companies subject to strict regulatory constraints, or requiring rigorous document traceability.

Key features of ITESOFT

• multi-channel capture: scanner, email, web portal, mobile ;
• advanced OCR and AI to recognise documents and detect duplicates or fraud;
• intelligent indexing and automatic extraction of key data;
• integrated workflow for validation, control and monitoring;
• extensive compatibility with ERP, HRIS, EDM, CRM, etc;
• SaaS or on-premise model, depending on security requirements;
• low-code interface for creating customised capture processes.

The benefits of the ITESOFT Streamline for Invoices edition

The Streamline for Invoices version specifically targets the dematerialisation of supplier invoices, with a clear promise: process an invoice in less than a minute. Thanks to its multi-format recognition engine (PDF, Factur-X, XML, etc.), and its automatic verification module, processing times are reduced by over 60%.

Another strong point is its ability to detect anomalies or attempted document fraud using behavioural analysis algorithms, making it a popular solution with CFOs and CISOs.

Itesoft

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Kofax Capture: modular document capture software

The publisher describes its Kofax Capture software as a "multi-channel" document capture solution .

The software is also modular, enabling SMEs and large groups to add additional modules to their departments to meet specific document capture and data extraction requirements.

Presentation and benefits for large companies

Kofax Capture meets the needs of IT decision-makers who have to manage complex infrastructures within a large organisation.

In a context where the diversity of hardware, scanners, computers and web services must coexist with the network and business applications, the decision-maker must also meet the challenges of data centre cybersecurity and productivity.

Implementing Kofax Capture will simplify the information processing and routing production chain, and make it possible to handle large volumes of documents while protecting against cyber-attacks.

The risk of new hackers is completely eliminated. The most demanding experts can use secure technologies with complete peace of mind, thanks to :

• A flexible API for setting their own processing rules,
• compatibility with all intelligent devices,
• a modular, secure offering.

The only drawback is that Kofax Capture software must be used in conjunction with the Kofax Transformation Modules platform to convert documents into usable digital data, thereby accelerating the document processing workflow.

The mobile version of the Kofax Capture software interface can be seen in the following image:

Key features of the modular solution

• multi-source scanning and capture: from a scanner, a printer, email, the Cloud, etc;
• extraction of information from paper documents or digital files (contracts, hand-filled forms, invoices, etc.);
• multiple data indexing processes, with a validation stage for all types of digitised file;
• 50 modules are available for customised image processing, barcode checking, reading handwritten text, forms, etc. ;
• quality processing thanks to patented Kofax VRS® technology (cleaning, cropping, alignment, etc.);
• data can be exported to a wide range of BPM, ERP and ECM solutions, and system providers such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and Open Text;
• modules for customising business processes such as automated document separation, forms extraction, etc. ;
• compatibility with 300 models of multifunction printers and scanners (Canon, Lexmark, HP, etc.).

The benefits of the Kofax Capture Enterprise edition

The Enterprise edition of Kofax Capture meets a number of additional needs:

• high availability and disaster recovery functions,
• real-time remote performance monitoring,
• connection to Terminal Services and Citrix
• compatibility with databases such as IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise and Oracle Database.

Kofax Capture

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Advanced Document Management Software Solution

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How to choose a document capture automation tool

Summary table of the 6 best document capture tools

Criteria to consider for an optimum choice

Choosing document capture software is not just a matter of comparing lists of features. Above all, you need to identify the right solution for your processes, your processing volumes and your existing business tools. Here are the main criteria not to be overlooked:

• type of documents to be processed: invoices, contracts, order forms, identity documents... not all have the same capture or OCR requirements;
• volumes and frequency: some tools are designed to process a few hundred documents a month, others 10,000 a day;
• IS compatibility: good software should integrate easily with your ERP, EDM, CRM and even your existing approval workflows;
• automation capabilities: from intelligent recognition to automatic separation, the level of automation determines how much time you save;
• cloud or on-premise: depending on your security, RGPD or multi-site deployment requirements, the technical architecture counts;
• ease of use: intuitive interface, low-code configuration, pre-configured scenarios... user comfort is a real driver for adoption;
• support and scalability: make sure that the vendor offers solid support, and that the solution can grow with your needs.

What are the 10 benefits of document capture?

Automated document capture, made possible by professional scanning software, offers the following 10 advantages:

Benefit no. 1: capture and extract data for reuse

You can scan and import any type of document from a paper or digital source. Reading and recognition technologies automate the process of classifying and indexing documents and metadata.

Advantage no. 2: determine your own intelligent indexing system

You tell the software your own filing rules. It recognises and indexes your documents according to your organisation and your needs.

Advantage no. 3: Automatically classify your documents for easier retrieval

The technologies are based on the criteria you define. They classify documents by type before indexing them in your EDM platform according to your own rules.

Benefit no. 4: export data to your business applications

For example, the software can extract data from invoices, retrieve them and import them automatically into accounting software, classifying them in a supplier account.

Benefit no. 5: dematerialise a large number of documents

Dematerialising invoices means that they can be monitored and processed more quickly. Management costs can also be halved.

Benefit no. 6: Use reliable data on demand

Thanks to metadata, the software will index and archive your documents according to classification rules that are useful for all the departments concerned within the company. When someone is looking for a document or specific data, they can find it quickly and easily.

Benefit no. 7: save time, increase productivity and responsiveness

Your teams have access to reliable data and the same level of information, which encourages collaborative working. By quickly identifying the right data and using quality data, your teams are more responsive and productive.

Benefit no. 8: Reduce manual errors

Repetitive tasks performed by humans lead to errors. Automation eliminates input errors and speeds up the processing of data flows.

Benefit no. 9: Lower processing costs

Manual processing is greatly reduced. Tasks are automated, speeding up data capture and extraction processes. All of which means lower operational costs.

Benefit no. 10: save storage space

For electronic archiving, you can choose to compress your files. This reduces their weight. They take up less online storage space. What's more, by reducing your company's use of paper, you reduce the amount of physical storage space needed for archives, and you adopt an eco-responsible approach.

See all software Electronic Data Capture

Automating document capture: a strategic decision

Automating document capture is no longer an option. It is a direct lever for productivity, reliability and compliance, whatever the sector of activity. The tools we have compared here meet a wide range of needs: from small structures to multi-site organisations, from manual processing to full automation.

Each company has its own constraints, workflows and business tools. The right software is the one that integrates naturally into your processes, while saving you time and reducing human error.

💡 Our advice: start with a pilot, test effectiveness under real conditions, then roll out on a larger scale. Because at the end of the day, better document capture means better business management.