Document Image Processing

For many years Document Image Processing was a more expensive way of capturing and storing business records, but retrieval was faster and cheaper. Today the economics have changed: The technology of electronic image processing has become less expensive, and the labor of maintaining paper or microfilm records has become more expensive, so the more desirable electronic image system has become the low cost form of records storage. The only question now is why everyone doesn't do it!

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• Frequently Asked Questions on Imaging and Work Management, when the answer is less than a formal paper, are collected on this separate FAQ page.
• A brief Introduction to Microfilm as used for office document records. This information is a prerequisite for doing a conversion or building an interface between film and digital image systems, but the paper should be boring to someone who regularly maintains film records. (Last updated August 20, 2004)
• Conversion of Microfilm office documents to digital images. This paper discusses in detail the steps involved in converting roll film and microfiche to digital images, including the quality and indexing steps required. Be sure to also see the Introduction to Microfilm paper above, and the Conversion document below. (Last updated January 5, 2004)
• Conversion of Paper Documents to electronic imaging, a discussion of the need for indexing at the time of conversion, and the opportunities of a concurrent file purge. The indexing issues are equally relevant to microfilm conversions. (Last updated April 11, 2001)
• "The Role of Gray Scale and Color in Document Imaging" discusses how color and gray scale can be used, and how we are ready for some uses today. The same document is also available in Microsoft WORD format, if you prefer. (Created March 2003)
• Image Resolution for displays, pictures, and documents. What resolution is required for scanning and storing pictures and office documents. What resolution to buy and use with a digital camera. Ergonomic issues with the use of a large computer monitor. If your large monitor just has large images rather than more data on the screen, also see the paper on Large Displays and how to "take back" the changes some computer vendors have made. (August 2004)
• Scan Center Staffing and Organization, a guide to setting up and staffing a mail room operation with scanning and indexing. (Last updated September 18, 2001)
• A Report on AIIM 2001, with information on scanning, color imaging, microfilm conversion, optical discs, and other topics. (Last updated September 10, 2001)
• Legality of Images, a paper (not a formal legal opinion) that describes the principles often used to support the legality of electronic image systems. (originally from 1994, with minor updates October 16, 2000 - images are still legal!)
• Image Standards, a brief look at image file formats and compression techniques. (Last updated December 8, 2000)
• Evaluation of Image and Work Management Systems, a checklist of features and functions to look for in image and work management systems. (A classic paper originally written February 14, 1996, but still relevant)
• Image and Work Management Systems, a summary of the characteristics of system architectures (personal, departmental, enterprise), the relation between image and work management, and the benefits to be expected when installing both together. (Another classic from March 9,1996. The analysts have changed the terminology, but the points are still relevant.)
• Color Space Considerations for Document Imaging, a relatively non-technical comparison of the RGB, CMYK, YUV, YIQ, YCbCr, CIELUV, and CIELAB color spaces, as related to color photographs and document imaging. (As if this could be considered a non-technical topic.) (Last updated March 11, 2001)
• Organization of Images on Optical Discs such as grouping all documents for a customer, filling discs sequentially, and so forth. (Most systems handle optical storage for you, but if you must work at the lower level, the issues are still relevant. Minor updates October 16, 2000, last major update December 9, 1996)

New documents are being added as I have the opportunity to generalize reports I have written recently, or update previous documents, and reformat them for the web. Please check back periodically.