Digitization

Document conversion is the process of converting paper documents into digital formats. By converting your documents into digital formats, you can preserve your documents. Services allied with such conversion work are termed as Document Digitizing Services. Any kind of document or data, right from texts, images, audio, video, business cards, books, periodicals to news papers, can be digitized and converted into:

• A digital format such as text, html, xml, pdf, doc, xls, giff, jpeg, tiff and mdb amongst others
• Any media such as Dvd, CD, USB flash drive, tape, or portable drive.

Further, digitized documents can be shared with anyone, irrespective of the geographical location, through data sharing mediums like Internet, FTP, VPN, and Telnet.

Why document digitizing?

There are many benefits of shifting to digitized documents. Digital documents and data are:

• Easy to preserve
• Easy to store, retrieve and update
• Easy to clone
• Quickly accessible
• Easy to share and transport
• Compatible with all modes of digital data transfer

Document digitizing process

1. Identifying the need: The customer’s need is identified and captured in this stage to understand their exact requirement
2. Collecting and aligning documents: The documents are collected from the customer and aligned properly in this stage. Special care is taken to remove all foreign objects like pins, paper clips, thread, spiral bind and others
3.  Scanning the documents: The aligned documents are then scanned properly and saved as an image file
4. Transferring to a digital format: The scanned documents/images are converted into text files by using Optical Character Recognition (OCR). The output is then manually checked by proofreaders before converting it into the desired digital format
5. Indexing the documents: The documents are saved with detailed file names so that they can be easily retrieved whenever needed
6. Organizing the documents: The documents are organized into separate or combined image files as per the customer’s requirements
7. Packaging the digitized documents: The digitized documents are checked for quality. The error free digitized data is burnt onto a CD, packaged properly and delivered to the customer

Microfilm Digitization

Microfilm scanning plays a very important roll in any document preservation and access strategy, and Raycom Data Technologies are world leaders in this field – the result of over 30 years of working with micrographic media. Our microfilm laboratory has converted hundreds of millions of images from microfilm, microfiche and aperture cards. We utilize proven high-speed conversion equipment combined with proprietary processes that can digitally convert more than 5 million images of 16mm or 35mm microfilm per month.

Microfilm conversion is a multi-step process. At Raycom Data Technologies we begin by auditing a random selection of the client’s film and running a project test to determine the scope of work and the best methods for accomplishing the clients desired end result. As part of this consultative approach, all scanning samples are saved in a template and examples are sent to our client for approval. Upon approval, scanning begins with inspection of the film to identify scratches, tears, reels without headers, etc. If problems are found, we notify our client so that adjustments can be made.

During scanning, variances in film density are automatically adjusted and manually verified. We then automatically locate the position of each individual image within the scanned output and proceed to Quality Inspection. Several inspectors simultaneously confirm the quality of the scanning since quality verification is much more time consuming than the actual scanning process….and quality is our primary concern. A wide range of validations are meticulously conducted. If corrections are needed, they are done immediately at the inspection station.

The images are indexed according to predetermined criteria. Folders can be created by name, number, date, department, etc. Individual documents can be identified with metadata such as document type, date, subject, etc. Documents and folders that consist of more than one image will be consolidated into multi-image files. Files are then processed for desired file type (TIFF, JPEG, PDF and others). If desired, the grayscale images are converted to black and white (bi-tonal) format. We also offer full-text search using Optical Character Recognition. If the documents will be uploaded into an existing imaging system, the required output structure is generated.

Final Quality Control confirms that the steps above have been correctly implemented. We statistically inspect final output to insure that image quality, indexing/file generation and outputs formatting are precise. If required, rework is performed. Delivery is completed as specified. We can transmit images through secure and encrypted FTP protocol or record the data to CDs, DVDs or External Hard Disk Drives.