Eliminate manual data entry of written data with Capture and ICR from PlanetPress

Our friends and good folks at Objectif Lune have developed a nice addition to the great product PlanetPress Capture. Users can not only write on documents and electronically kick off the next steps in workflow, but also now the system will process the hand written numbers, dates and codes and prepare and perform the data entry for the next step of proofing.


With a data entry process, it's a good practice to have two steps - Entry and Verification - First the raw bulk entry procedure is accomplished, and then second the verification of the data entry. Best practices should have the verification performed by someone different from the entry person for the highest degree of accuracy.

From the new documentation: "The newest addition to optimize processes is Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR). Special ICR fields can be added to transactional forms to capture handwritten text. For example, this features allows handwritten quantities, dates, time, part-numbers, postal codes, meter readings, and addresses, to be input in systems while skipping manual data entry tasks. Best practices for implementation of this feature will ensure the best results possible. Documentation will be available."

ICR makes it possible to improve the process around corrections on delivery notes, bills of lading and order forms resulting in accurate invoices and up to date systems. ICR does not replace human verification, but it does replace the basic need for human data entry.

With human data entry, a person will rely a lot on detection of hitting a wrong key while typing. Data entry and verification cannot be done reliably by the same person. By nature, this results in lower quality data entry than if entry and verification are done by separate persons. But, an additional resource for verification adds cost to the process, making it a choice between cost of resource and cost of error.

Exactly this is where a major benefit of ICR arises. ICR is an interpretation of handwriting, allowing for subjectivity, thus some errors – just like with manual data entry. However, to alleviate the errors, now only the verification and correction step has to be performed. This reduces cost of resources and cost of errors.
  For more information, check with Warren Neeley with PCI Solutions at Printer Connection: 866-430-6202,  WNeeley@PCIprinters.com, http://www.chooseglmgroup.com/Pages/PlanetPressCapture.aspx

Document Management - Anywhere

Our newest offering at Printer Connection is not a printer at all.

Our PCI Solutions joint venture is seeking and presenting tools for today's market for the life of the information bound up in the legacy of the path of documents.

Or, as I wanted to say on a phone call with a vendor yesterday - "Huh? What did you just say?"

In plain words, folks are not printing nearly as much now as they did in the past, and they would like to print even less. Why? The customer preference statistics are clear with all the mobile devices (pocket computers/portals), ubiquitous email and web-enabled avenues for communication - and it's cheaper to send an email with a PDF or a web-address than a bill or statement in a letter.

Part of the promise of 'electrifying' the document is good electronic filing, recovery and re-use. Part of the solution needs to be in saving it and finding it later.

Welcome Fortis and FortisBlue from Westbrook Technologies to the product lineup available from Printer Connection and PCI Solutions.

Fortis is a powerful enterprise content management software solution that electronically captures, stores, and organizes documents, data, images, etc., thus enabling immediate and reliable access to critical information whenever and wherever it's needed. Fortis promotes efficient knowledge sharing by allowing easy retrieval, editing, annotating, and distribution of documents. Quickly obtain the decision-making information you need and provide superior service to clients, customers, and partners.

FortisBlue is a browser-based content management software solution that captures, archives, searches, annotates, retrieves and safeguards paper and electronic documents and data. It is accessible from the Internet or an intranet making it an affordable solution, of particular value for first-time users of content management.

Our blog has covered PlanetPress and PP Capture in previous entries. FortisBlue integrates with PlanetPress Capture and allows significantly powerful management of all PP documents with thin-client or mobile network of all authorized document access.

We are excited to add this strong technology to our growing list of "Print Less and Print Better" offerings.... ok, I'll say it since everyone else does --- SOLUTIONS.

For more information, contact Warren Neeley at wneeley@pciprinters.com or 817-939-5614.

Signed Documents in a FLASH

PlanetPress Capture

View more information by clicking here.

This innovation enables a customer to shorten process time, eliminate steps, and save money.

Consider companies that prints documents and require a signature. It could be bills of lading or delivery documents, sales orders or contracts, inventory or warehouse tracking forms, work orders or pick tickets.

One company could print on an impact printer with a pre-printed multi-ply “carbonless” form. When signed, they separate a copy or two to leave behind, and bring the rest back. Upon return, someone separates the sheets which are routed, perhaps scanned, and filed either manually or electronically. The form is reviewed for completeness. Any annotations or corrections are handled.

Another company may print on a laser printer, with either plain or more expensive “NCR carbonless” paper. Multiple sheets are printed, a signature is placed on the form, and the form is returned to the company for the same process.

This solution allows the printing of one sheet. That sheet has been electronically saved in the server awaiting the signature. The signature is made upon the page in ink with a special electronic pen. The x-y sweeps of the pen on that paper are saved and transmitted to the server, which inserts those graphics into the document, and creates the image of the signed document as if it had been returned and scanned!

The completed document can then immediately be emailed to destinations such as the customer, the salesman, the branch office. Processes that await the return of a signed document (such as invoicing after delivery receipt) can happen immediately. The document can flow directly and automatically into a document content management archive system.

For more information, contact Warren Neeley, GM of PCI Solutions, 866-430-6202 or WNeeley@PCIprinters.com