5 Indexing documents

Metadata values allow you to classify documents, particularly for retrieving them later from a content repository by searching for one or more of their metadata values. Whether you are performing production indexing or indexing as part of scanning or importing, the same methods apply. This chapter describes how you select a document profile to match the type of document to index and the various ways you may complete metadata fields, depending on client profile settings.

This chapter covers the following main topics:

5.1 Understanding document indexing

This section covers the following topics:

5.1.1 How does indexing work?

Follow these guidelines for indexing in the Capture client:

If the selected client profile is configured for indexing, metadata fields display in the lower left pane when you select a document in the batch pane.
All pages of a document share the same metadata values, so indexing one page of a document indexes all its pages. In the document pane, documents in a batch are visually divided by a light-colored bar. In the batch pane, documents are listed under their batch.
An asterisk (*) displays to the left of a metadata field name if it is required. A document is fully indexed when all required metadata fields contain a value. Documents do not need to be fully indexed to release the batch, but an error may occur in a later batch processing step. See Handling batch errors.
To ensure standard input, metadata fields may use input masks or input formatting, choice lists, or database lookups, as described later in this section.
To improve readability, you can adjust the font size of the metadata fields in the Preferences window. See How do I set scanning preferences?.

5.1.2 How do database lookups work?

A database lookup contains connection and search information to connect to a database and search for matching records associated with a metadata field value. Depending on the configuration, a list of search results may display, and database values may automatically populate other metadata fields when one database record is found. For example, a database lookup might be defined on a customer name field that then populates customer metadata fields such as customer Id and address. See How do I index by looking up values from a database?.

5.1.3 How do metadata fields use input masks?

If a metadata field uses an input mask, or filter, it controls what you can enter into the metadata field. For example, a mask might allow you to type numbers but not alphabetic characters into the field, or might limit your entry to four characters. If you type a character that does not conform to the mask, the system beeps and the application does not accept it. For example, a metadata field named Invoice Number might use an input mask that restricts entries to a 7-digit number.

5.1.4 How do metadata fields use display formatting?

A metadata field may use a display format to ensure that entries display in a certain format. When you move to another metadata field, Capture changes the data display, if needed, to match the display format. For example, an entry in a date field might be changed to display a standard date format. Note that the metadata value Capture saves is not changed.

5.1.5 How do choice list metadata fields work?

A choice list field provides a list of values from which to choose. Click the triangle next to the field to display and select from the choice list. (Depending on client profile settings, a choice list may allow you to enter rather than select a value.)

Choice list fields can be dependent, where a selection in one choice list field (the parent) determines the choices displayed in a dependent choice list field (the child).

5.2 Indexing documents

This section covers the following topics:

5.2.1 How do I index a document?

To index a document:

Select a document to index.

Either select the document in the batch pane or select any of its thumbnail pages in the document pane. The metadata pane displays in the lower left pane. Some metadata fields may already contain autopopulated values.
In the Document Profile field, select a document profile that matches the type of document to index.

For example, if indexing a customer order document, you might select a document profile with Customer Number, Customer Name, and Order metadata fields.

Note:

When changing the selected document profile, a message displays indicating that any values in fields not in the new profile will be discarded. Click Yes to continue.
Complete the required metadata fields. See Understanding document indexing. For indexing keyboard shortcuts, see Table 2-3.
Repeat steps 1 through 3 to index each document in a batch.

5.2.2 How do I index by looking up values from a database?

To perform a database lookup:

In the metadata pane, place the cursor in a metadata field for which a database lookup has been configured.

The Database Lookup button is active when you can perform a database search on the selected metadata field.
Enter the value to match. (Numeric fields often require exact values.)

In certain cases, you may be able to enter only the first few characters of the value to match, if allowed by the client profile. For example, you might enter New in a metadata field called Company to search for records whose Company field name starts with New. However, displaying lookup results can take a long time when you enter partial values with many records to return.
Click the Database Lookup button.

The Database Lookup Results window is displayed if multiple records were found or if the Capture workspace manager chose to display it. Otherwise, values automatically fill one or more fields without displaying a list of results.

Figure 5-1 Selecting From Database Lookup Results

Description of "Figure 5-1 Selecting From Database Lookup Results"
If lookup results were displayed, select a matching record and click Select. (You can also double-click a record to select it.)

Values from the database record are populated in the metadata fields.