Deltalink Consulting, the exclusive southern African distributor of Russia-based ABBYY, today announced the latter`s ABBYY Recognition Server, a server-based solution for delivering scalable, reliable and rapidly deployable optical character recognition (OCR) functions in a service-oriented environment.
With all processing performed remotely on a server, the new product offers automated document recognition and PDF conversion with minimum user intervention. This initiative is part of ABBYY`s ongoing effort to deliver document recognition technologies to suit a variety of business needs.
Based on ABBYY`s award-winning recognition platform, ABBYY Recognition Server offers highly accurate conversion of images into text or searchable PDF for the purpose of categorising, archiving, searching or integrating with third-party content management systems. This robust solution automates recognition and PDF conversion processes by providing ready-to-use functionality deployed on a server, giving system administrators, enterprises, and service providers greater flexibility in deployment, management, and integration of OCR and document conversion functions.
Automated OCR processing with centralised management
ABBYY Recognition Server allows administrators to set up a full, dedicated recognition and document conversion service, from image input to export that is easy to control and maintain. With all processing taking place on a server as opposed to a client, all functions are managed centrally. Administrators pre-define settings and control functions across the enterprise. A remote management console (based on Microsoft Management Console) serves as a central point for defining processing parameters and managing recognition stations to create specific `workflows` for a particular workgroup or project. Examples include:
* Archiving documents in multiple formats. An administrator can set up an archiving system for converting scanned documents and images into multiple formats (such as searchable PDF and editable RTF files simultaneously), with all of the settings pre-configured. Administrators can pre-define the following parameters: which folder to obtain images from, image pre-processing functions, processing language, output/export formats, and location for depositing final files. Processing can be scheduled once a day after peak business hours (although images may be submitted by end users throughout the day) or the moment a file is placed in a designated folder.
* Concurrent processing of different tasks. An administrator can set up folders for each particular type of document that needs to be processed such as contracts, sales orders, invoices and press clippings. Each folder will have its own processing parameters, output format, priority and processing schedule. Corporate end-users simply place images in or scan them directly to the designated folder (shared or FTP) using network-based scanners or multifunction devices such as a digital copier. Recognition Server will do the rest without user intervention.
As a result, corporations can standardise their document recognition and conversion processes and allow corporate users to access powerful recognition functions with minimal training. In practice, processing can be set to run unattended or in the background, allowing users to save valuable employee time.
Turnkey solution, easily integrated with third-party workflows
Since today`s technologies must be flexible enough to respond to rapidly changing business needs, Recognition Server is designed for easy deployment either as a complete standalone solution or as an integral part of an external system. Deploying Recognition Server is easy because it offers:
* Ready-to-use functions. Recognition Server comes equipped with a standard set of ready-to-use functions (such as converting document images into editable and searchable electronic formats) for document recognition and conversion requiring minimal pre-configuration to get up and running.
* Open API. With an open, COM-compatible application programming interface (API), Recognition Server can be easily integrated with third-party enterprise content management (ECM), electronic records management (ERM) or document management systems (DMS). As a result, companies can easily add powerful OCR without disrupting their existing document workflows.
* XML- Ticket support. Recognition Server can work with XML-tickets for automating document recognition or changing processing parameters. Client-side or third-party applications can be created to enable instant management of processing using XML-tickets.
"ABBYY Recognition Server addresses a growing need for easier document recognition deployment in complex work environments," commented ABBYY Chief Product Manager, Alexander Rylov.
"Today`s IT administrators and service providers are faced with the difficult task of increasing technology functionality while ensuring that it is interoperable with other technologies, and easy for workers to use," continued Rylov. "ABBYY has combined its years of experience working with a range of recognition technology, from end-user applications to software development toolkits, to offer a product that provides OCR functionality in a `black box` implementation; one that is easy-to-deploy, easy-to-integrate and easy-to-use."
Ideal for service bureaus or business process outsourcing (BPO)
Fast deployment, ease of integration and interoperability as well as the ability to configure settings for a variety of processing jobs makes Recognition Server the ideal solution for service bureaus. With its flexible functionality and scalable architecture, server-based OCR processing and centralised management, Recognition Server helps service providers improve and speed up their processing performance as well as save hardware resources and valuable time.
Remote OCR delivered via HTTP
Users can work with Recognition Server via HTTP (provided that Microsoft Internet Information Server is installed) to create a Web-based OCR processing service. Using a specially designed ASP sample, VARs and IT administrators can easily design a Web interface to communicate with Recognition Sever via the Internet (and intranet) and make it accessible from remote stations. This feature can be useful for corporations with distributed offices and remote workers as well as for service provides to offer their customers a Web-based processing service.
High volume processing and extendable scalability
Recognition Server is designed to handle any volume of documents. Concurrent processing with automatic job distribution and load balancing help maximise throughput. IT managers can easily scale up processing capacity by adding additional CPUs or processing stations as demand increases without interrupting current processes.
Based on award-winning recognition, PDF conversion technology
In addition to ABBYY`s high recognition accuracy and PDF conversion quality, Recognition Server offers support for 185 languages, including old European type fonts such as Fraktur, Schwabacher and majority of Gothic fonts, plus 1D and 2D barcode recognition.
Recognition Server provides the ability to convert a variety of input image formats to a multitude of searchable and editable output formats (including DOC, RTF, XML, DBF, XLS, HTML, and PDF) and can be set up to create multiple document output formats for a single process. In addition, it supports searchable PDF files and linearised, tagged, and secure PDF formats. It supports native PDF encryption - 40-bit and 128-bit AES.
For further information, please contact Gerrie Terblanche telephone (+27) 11 888 7622; fax (+27) 11 888 7372; e-mail gerriet@deltalink.co.za.
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Deltalink Consulting, established in 1993, is an independent company that provides fixed content management solutions within the African market. Its solutions incorporate products from international suppliers that satisfy the need for document capture, document conversion and the sharing, managing, processing and archiving of `unstructured documents`.
Deltalink Consulting is the exclusive southern African distributor of Russia-based ABBYY`s FineReader, FormReader, FlexiCapture, Recognition Server and FineReader SDKs; the sole South African distributor for Germany-based ImageWare`s Bookeye overhead scanners and Italy-based Buic cheque and small format scanners; and one of only two distributors in southern Africa for US-based Captaris with its Alchemy fixed content management software and its business process management solutions.
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