Have you been looking for a document scanner online to scan and upload your files quickly? With so many options available out there, your search can become very difficult. Don’t worry! We will help make your search easier by introducing you to the crucial features every online document scanner must-have. Online document scanning allows you to scan and upload your documents directly to your website, saving time. Let’s go through the features and specifications that make an online document scanner the right choice for your business.
Features to Consider in an Online Document Scanner
- High Speed: When choosing any document scanner, speed plays a key role. Your scanner should be able to scan multiple documents in one go. Leading document scanning solutions can scan thousands of documents in a single session.
- Multi-Browser Support: Different users use different types of browsers. Hence, you cannot choose a document scanner that supports one or two common web browsers. Choose an online document scanner that supports Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.
- Supported Operating Systems: While looking for a document scanner online, be it desktop or mobile, make sure it provides support for different operating systems and technologies. The standard operating systems are Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- View and Edit your Documents: Scanning and uploading documents is crucial for a document scanner, but basic features such as viewing and editing are essential too. Look for an online document scanner that offers basic editing features such as cropping, rotating, mirroring, adjusting brightness and contrast, etc. Having these features eliminates the need for photo editing software as you can perform editing with the document scanning application.
- Support for Various File Formats: Another critical feature for an online document scanner is supporting various file formats such as PDF, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and BMP. It should also be able to save your files to local and network repositories.
- Robust Security Features: While looking for a document scanner online, you can never overlook the security feature. Everyday operations involve scanning all sorts of documents, including confidential ones. Hence, you cannot compromise with security. You need to choose a document scanner that offers a host of robust security features. Some common ones are data encryption, authorization to access local files, digital signature, and built-in HTTPS support, among other security mechanisms. Not to mention, choosing an ISO-certified organization will further add a layer of security.
- Regular Updates: Technology giants such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft keep updating their browsers for better performance. Hence, it becomes critical for the document scanner provider you choose to provide timely updates. Regular updates ensure that your application is free from bugs and is running smoothly. Always choose a vendor that keeps upgrading its solutions for better performance. This way, you’ll always get a leg up on your competitors.
- Additional Features: Add-on features such as barcode scanning, text recognition, webcam capture, and PDF Rasterizer further strengthen your daily data capture needs. Barcode technology provides a large number of benefits in different applications and industries such as retail, inventory tracking, healthcare, logistics, etc. OCR recognition helps recognize text on images and convert them into editable PDF files. With PDF Rasterizer, you can convert the text in PDF files to images. You won’t need different solutions for these operations if you choose a vendor that offers all these solutions.
- Good Technical Support: Although the document scanner you choose should reduce the footprint of technical requirements, you may require support at times. Hence, the document scanner provider you select must provide good technical support. All your queries should be resolved, and good training sessions should be provided for smooth functioning. Look for a vendor that is known for providing good technical support.
- Free Trials: Always try the product before you purchase it. Therefore, look for document scanners that provide free trials and demos to let you go through their features. This way, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions.
So, these were the essential features that an online document scanner should have. Try different options, compare their features, and then make a decision. Now, let’s take a look at which technology is the most suitable for an online document scanner.
Deciding which Kind of Document Scanner to Choose
Adopting document scanning is one of the initial steps towards digital transformation. Hence, most companies are opting for it. With so many options available, it becomes overwhelming to choose the correct one. Not to mention, different document scanners work on various technologies. The type of document scanner depends on the scanning drivers it uses to convert physical images into digital forms. Depending on your needs, you can choose one for your organization.
Below are the four types of document scanning drivers that you can choose to integrate document scanning in your workflows.
- TWAIN Scanner: First released in 1992, TWAIN is a scanning protocol that allows you to scan an image using a scanner directly into an application such as PhotoShop. TWAIN document scanners are among the most popular scanners in the market as they provide maximum compatibility with most scanners. They are compatible with Mac OS, Linux/Unix, and Windows and provide good scanning functionality. They also offer good digital camera support. Hence, they work well with all sorts of scanners and setups. Not to mention, the TWAIN scanning interface is free to use, which is why it has a good market share. Fun fact, TWAIN stands for Technology Without An Interesting Name!
- WIA Scanner: WIA or Windows Image Acquisition Scanner is an image scanning driver that is delivered with a Windows Operating System. WIA scanners provide good support for digital cameras and scanners. Although the features are pretty similar to a TWAIN scanner, WIA is suitable for basic scanning functions. For complex features such as scanning in duplex mode, a TWAIN scanner is the best choice.
- ISIS Scanner: Developed by Pixel Translations in 1990, ISIS is a proprietary scanner interface that doesn’t come for free. The users have to pay a royalty fee to use the ISIS scanners. Initially designed for a production environment, ISIS scanners are not used widely because of their high cost. Also, they do not provide good digital camera support and work only on Windows. When it comes to scanner market share, it’s not very impressive for ISIS scanning drivers.
- SANE Scanner: SANE stands for Scanner Access Now Easy. SANE APIs are designed for Linux/Unix systems. It is an open-source project. Although its scanning functionality is good, the driver does not work well with digital cameras. Hence, it is not much preferred for enterprise use and has a low scanner market and application market share.
Out of all, TWAIN scanners clearly have an edge. They not only work well on different types of platforms but also provide good scanning functionality. You may also prefer choosing a WIA scanner for simple applications, but you will have to switch to a TWAIN scanner as soon as the complexity increases. As stated above, do not forget to try different options before purchasing a scanner. Free demos and trials are also very helpful in choosing a solution for your business. So, make the most of it and deftly analyze the features of every scanner before you choose one. After all, you will be using that solution for years.
Author bio
Aarna is a Technical Support Executive with a combined experience of more than 12 years. She is currently working with Dynamsoft.com – an Enterprise-Grade Document Capture and Barcode Reading SDKs provider. In her free time, Aarna enjoys reading, writing and travelling.
