Optical Character Recognition (OCR) solutions can save time, money and lots of headaches

 
TechnoLawyer’s TechnoRelease of April 21, 2008 led with an interesting headline: The Seven OCR Habits of Highly Efficient Law Firms.

I was intrigued. The focus of the white paper from ABBYY USA is how to set up and use an optical character recognition (OCR) system without experiencing too much pain. I don’t do much OCR myself, but since attorneys may need to, I thought it worthwhile to investigate.

The release promised to address how to choose the right software and scanner, reduce copying costs, process incoming faxes, and streamline document review and the creation of pleadings.

There was only one problem: no download. However, I soon received an email with the white paper attached, which seemed a strange method of delivery and required more patience on my part than I usually have. I like to download stuff right away, but it was worth the wait.

The two case studies showcase ABBYY’s firm-specific solutions, but the firms had problems common to most law practices: astronomical amounts of paper and the need for a way to easily categorize, store, and search it.

The paper offers lots of insight into choosing the best solution for your firm, including these practical tips on how to use it and what to look for:

1. Use OCR to convert documents to electronic files instead of retyping. This cuts down on errors and proofreading. The software should convert the scan to a searchable PDF or word processor document.
2. Your OCR solution should also be able to convert digital photographs. If you don’t have access to a scanner, you can use a digital camera to capture the images. This saves on copier costs and automatically puts the documents into your electronic filing system. Again, the software should be able to convert these images to searchable documents.
3. Choose a scanner with advanced functions such as duplex scanning and an automatic document feeder. The time savings for your staff will more than pay for the extra cost for a full-featured scanner.
4. Keep in mind that more and more documents will be coming to you by email – if they’re not already. Your software should be able to translate attachments into readable files.
5. Replace – or supplement – your existing fax machine with fax software that receives and automatically converts them to electronic files.

There’s much more detail in the white paper to help you find the right solution for your firm. And, while I can’t offer a specific recommendation based on personal experience, an OCR solution for a document-intensive practice – and what practice isn’t? – will be well worth the time and effort necessary to implement it.

AABBY can be contacted at: (510) 226-6717 | sales@abbyyusa.com | www.ABBYY.com