Barcode in document management

Barcode in document management

Written by Ana Canteli on 28 February 2020

The use of barcodes continuously evolves with technology. There is practically no sector of activity in which document management through bar codes is not present. Modern documents and content management systems must be able to do the data capture reliably: read, generate, and process barcodes, whether encoded or based on pixels. Not surprisingly, a barcode scanning ability and the barcode recognition of different document formats is a must in today's document management software.

With smartphones, any user can scan code of any kind to search for information or consult the metadata contained in it. The experience is similar to personal computers, which can easily read the information contained in these formats. The data capture with barcode scanning through a document management system allows critical information to be read, evaluated, and processed automatically without human intervention. Automated barcode recognition speeds up the document indexing process, by capturing all the information contained in the code, while minimizing the entry of incorrect information; The reliability of this mechanism has meant that the use of barcodes has expanded beyond the first exclusively commercial uses to boost any business process.

For organizations that have a high dependence on information on paper support, the implementation of barcode technology allows the easy access and storage of critical documents. Bar codes are more reliable than manual data entry and are as accurate as optical character recognition. With simple barcode labelling printers, it is possible to implement document management with a barcode. These advanced document automation solutions allow a straightforward way to digitize the documentary fund in paper support, enabling identification - once these scanned documents are incorporated into the document manager - of the warehouse, shelf and box where it is physically stored. And all this with a simple barcode. The barcode scanning process ultimately allows you to save time and reduce costs for companies of any size and sector.

Easier, more efficient

The process of digitizing documents in any organization allows indexing and querying knowledge bases to locate information quickly. Barcode technology can help your organization make the most of your investment in a document management solution since it is built under the paradigm of document management by code.

Content management by barcodes can also be used to help with the compilation of documents and evaluation procedures. If a batch is composed of 15 pages, the document management software will contribute to the fulfillment of that premise and ensure that each batch is completed; otherwise, the system can create a channel for its proper management. On the other hand, if a document with code needs to be associated with information that already exists in the database, the presence of the code provides a quick shortcut to retrieve, from the database, the necessary information automatically.

The barcode module is one of the most notable features of the OpenKM document management software stem that helps the software automate the tedious processes of data incorporation.

Barcode recognition

Barcode recognition is an excellent way to convert batches of paper documents to electronic format, quickly and easily. The most used solution is the insertion of barcodes at the beginning of each group of files. This acts as a guide for the system, which recognizes each group of documents. The OpenKM document management system reads the information contained in the barcode and manages the batch as established by the automated system: divide the scanned document, index it, identify the document type, convert the format, assign a specific path within the repository, etc.

Integrated barcodes allow you to submit forms, as they are scanned automatically. Many times, a paper procedure can be done entirely in electronic format. However, sometimes the implementation of the paperless office becomes difficult, mainly because of the inertia and attachment that customers or suppliers can show to the manual management of forms. If you need to scan the same form repeatedly for different users, you can use integrated barcodes to automate the process. Embedded barcodes - either printed directly on the document or as a sticker - serve to let the electronic document management system know what type of document it is scanning and automatically archive it in the correct location.

In short, automatically recognize the type of document. It is a fast and accurate method of data entry since crucial information within a barcode can be used to manage the database properly.

Why use barcode in document management?

Document management by code is an increasingly frequent activity, and with the expansion of wireless scanners, more and more people use them. The software solutions that integrate barcode processing - such as QR codes - in the document management structure provide great help.

The main advantage of a document scanning platform is that with a barcode reader, it allows a quick search on coded documents. It is much more efficient than the manual process of data entry, document indexing, and archiving tasks, in which the appearance of human errors is almost inevitable.

Benefits of the barcode in document management

The use of barcodes responds to the achievement of specific purposes and objectives:

• Save time: by reducing the time spent on tasks that add little value to business processes.

• Cost savings: time is money; By opting for electronic document management, and automated business processes, we reduce the use of paper and consumables, in addition to being able to take advantage of time in more profitable activities.

• Easy access: the management of electronic documents and records, with the help of bar codes, facilitates access to the information that is needed, at the time it is needed, without place being a limitation, since cross-platform access makes sure that any user can access the system. It improves the insertion of information and documentation in the system, and therefore the search experience becomes simpler and more comfortable.

• Security: users will access the information and data they need to carry out their work, according to the specific security measures and protocols that the company applies. Enable or disable permissions or approve the distribution of content; Users can view the contents, or the information hosted in the barcode, under the conditions that the organization applies.

• Continuous and transversal improvement: the use of barcodes in the document management of the organization facilitates basic needs such as labelling, article reading, stock control, purchase, and sales statistics. It provides a series of advantages from which many departments or environments of the same organization can benefit equally.

For more information about all the barcodes that OpenKM supports, we recommend you access this link.