| Oracle® Distributed Document Capture/Oracle® Document Capture Administrator's Guide Release 10gR3 E13871-01 |
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| Oracle® Distributed Document Capture/Oracle® Document Capture Administrator's Guide Release 10gR3 E13871-01 |
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This guide describes how to administer Oracle Distributed Document Capture's browser-based remote scanning and indexing application.
This section covers the following topics:
Oracle Distributed Document Capture provides scanning and optional indexing at remote locations using the Internet or a corporate intranet. It is comprised of these components:
The client, which is automatically downloaded and installed as soon as users connect to the server. Running entirely in the user's web browser, it uses the industry standard TWAIN interface to capture documents from desktop scanners or other TWAIN compliant input devices.
In the client, users scan or import documents in batches, review and index them, then send them to the server. Users scan and index documents using settings administrators save in scan profiles they create in the Profile Administration application.
The server, which runs as a service and processes batches received from clients. Documents are committed (archived) so they can be accessed in the content management system. Documents are committed using settings saved in a commit profile.
The Capture Administration component, which provides a centralized area for administrators to manage file cabinets, index fields, users, commit profiles, pick-lists, and database lookups. See "Capture Administration Overview" for overview information.
The optional Batch Manager component, which allows administrators to view all Capture batches located in the primary Capture database.
Oracle Distributed Document Capture supports VBScript for customizing application functionality. See the Developer's Guide for Oracle Distributed Document Capture for information about developing VBScripts for Oracle Distributed Document Capture.
In Oracle Distributed Document Capture, users scan groups of pages in batches, using settings saved by an administrator in a scan profile. A batch is divided into one or more documents, and each document contains one or more pages. Figure 11-1 displays a batch's tree view in the client's Review/Index screen. This batch contains three documents, each with one or more pages.
How Documents Are Used
In addition to visually dividing pages, documents are integral to indexing. When indexing, index values users specify on one page apply to all pages in the document. After the batch is sent, all pages with the same index values are archived (committed) as a single document.
If you do not include indexing in the scan profile, batches contain one document only. Typically, these batches are indexed and divided into documents later using another application such as Oracle Document Capture.
How Documents Are Created
Documents are created during scanning or importing based on profile settings. For example, if a profile is configured for separator sheet scanning, Oracle Distributed Document Capture creates a new document each time it encounters a separator sheet. Similarly, if a profile is configured for two-page, duplex scanning, Oracle Distributed Document Capture creates a new document after scanning each two-page document. See "About Scanning" for more information.
Users can make changes to documents when reviewing and indexing them. For example, they can move pages between documents as needed, and add, copy, paste, and remove documents. (A batch must always contain at least one document.)
About Sending Batches
Batches are temporarily stored while users review, edit, and index them. If needed, users can attach notes to batches, and assign batches a priority from 0 to 10 or an administrator-defined status. When users send batches, any notes and status and priority information are also sent for an administrator to view.
Batches whose scan profile includes indexing must be fully indexed before they can be sent. See "About Indexing" for more information. Once sent, batch results are displayed, and batches are removed from their temporary location.
About Scan Profiles and Settings
Scan profiles contain the main settings used to scan, import, and index batches. However, users can change default system settings that affect scanning, importing, and indexing. For example, users can select duplex scanning, identify an automatic document feeder, or set images to be automatically straightened (deskewed).
Oracle Distributed Document Capture can be used in the following ways:
Scan remotely, index centrally
For example, using this method, remote offices scan invoices they receive using the client and send them to corporate. The accounts payable clerks at corporate headquarters index the invoices into the accounting system using another indexing application, such as Oracle Document Capture Index. Batches received by the server can also be automatically indexed using bar code recognition technology such as Oracle Document Capture Recognition Server.
Scan and index remotely
With this method, a user in each office scans documents and keys indexes from image or paper using the client. When the documents are sent to the server, they are automatically committed into the designated content management system. Batches received by the server can also be committed using Oracle Document Capture Commit Server.
In the scan profile, you specify several scanning settings, such as the format, resolution, brightness, and contrast at which you want images scanned. In the client, users can modify certain settings. For example, they can set images to be automatically straightened (deskewed).
When creating a scan profile, you choose one of these scanning types:
The scanning type determines whether users enter index values and how documents are created within batches users create using the profile. Document Creation Options are special options available for the Scan and Index Batches type only.
Choose the Scan Only type when you want users to scan or import documents that do not need to be indexed using the client. When users scan a batch using a Scan Only profile, the client scans all papers loaded in the scanner (or auto document feeder) and lists the new batch in the Client screen.
A Scan Only batch may actually include many documents, but all the pages are grouped into a single document for review purposes. Users can add pages but not documents to them. No indexing fields appear.
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Note: Document Creation Options do not apply to Scan Only type profiles. |
Choose the Scan and Index Documents type when you want users to scan documents that contain a variable number of pages, and to index each document immediately after scanning it.
When users scan a batch using a Scan and Index Documents profile, the client scans all papers loaded in the scanner's auto document feeder and automatically displays the new batch in the Review/Index screen for reviewing and indexing.
Scan and Index Documents batches are created with one document, but users can add documents and pages to them. Indexing fields appear.
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Note: Document Creation Options do not apply to Scan Only type profiles. |
Choose the Scan and Index Batches type when you want users to scan all documents in a batch first, and then perform post-batch indexing of the documents. Documents can be defined within the client, or blank pages can be used to automatically separate and define documents. The client scans all papers loaded in the scanner (or auto document feeder) and lists the new batch in the Client screen.
Batches scanned using a Scan and Index Batches profile typically contain multiple documents. The selected Document Creation Option determines how documents are created. Indexing fields appear.
Document Creation Options
Document creation options for Scan and Index Batches-type scan profiles include:
This option creates one-page documents, and is typically used with single-sided documents. When users scan a batch, the client inserts each scanned image as a page in its own document, as shown in Figure 11-2.
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Note: The scanner's simplex/duplex setting determines whether it scans one or both sides of a page. If the profile is set to one page (simplex), the client creates one-page documents, regardless of the simplex/duplex setting on the scanner. |
This option creates two-page documents, and is typically used with two-sided (duplex) documents, such as forms with two sides. When users scan a batch, the client inserts two scanned images in a document, as shown in Figure 11-3.
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Note: The scanner's simplex/duplex setting determines whether it scans one or both sides of a page. If the profile is set to two page (duplex), the client creates two-page documents, regardless of the simplex/duplex setting on the scanner. |
This option creates documents with a variable number of pages.
If users insert separator sheets (blank pages) between documents, the client scans all pages until it detects a blank page, in which case it starts a new document, scans all pages until the next blank page, and so on. The client discards the separator sheet pages, and places all the documents in a single batch, as shown in Figure 11-4.
If users do not insert blank page separator sheets between documents, the client scans all pages in the scanner into a single document in the batch. After scanning, users can define documents using the Create New Document option.
A scan profile set for indexing contains all the indexing settings for users to index batches of documents. A profile's scanning type determines whether indexing is included, as described in "Scanning Types and Document Creation Options".
Configuring indexing involves selecting the index fields you want users to complete. You can then apply properties to the index fields that determine how users complete them, as described in "About Index Field Types". For example, you can make an index field required, automatically populate it with a value such as a date, or allow only numbers to be entered.
This section describes special index field types.
Pick-list Index Fields
A pick-list provides users with two or more values from which to choose. You create pick-lists in Capture Administration, then select them in the scan profile. For more information about pick-lists, see "About Pick-lists".
Linked Pick-list Index Fields
You can create relationships (links) between pick-list index fields. In a pick-list relationship, a parent field is linked to two or more child pick-lists, one of which is displayed after the user makes a selection in the parent field. For example, if a user selects Accounting from a parent index field called Departments, a linked child pick-list called Document Type might display accounting document types only.
You create pick-list relationship profiles in Capture Administration, then select the relationship profile and pick-lists in the scan profile. For more information about linked pick-lists, see "About Pick-list Relationships".
Index Fields With Input Masks
An input mask is a filter that controls what users can enter into an index field. For example, a mask might allow users to type numbers but not alphabetic characters. If the user types a character that does not conform to the mask, the application does not accept it.
Index Fields That Format Input Values
An input format option provides a way to ensure that data entered by users matches a certain format. When the user moves to another index field, Capture changes the data, if needed, to match the specified input format. For example, you might format a date field to a standard date format.
Auto Populated Index Fields
You can configure the scan profile to automatically fill (populate) selected index fields with certain values. For example, you might want to automatically populate a date field with the batch's scan date instead of having users type it in. Or, you might provide a default value for a field that the user could change if needed.
Index Fields Populated From a Database
A database lookup searches an external database for a value the user specifies and populates index fields from a matching database record. For example, users might perform a database lookup after entering the first part of an account number, and the remaining index fields would be populated from the matching database record.
You create a database lookup in Capture Administration, then select it in the scan profile. For more information about database lookups, see "About Database Lookups".
