PDF Capture, Version 6

PDF Capture, Version 6

Looking for an all-in-one package that actually works? Well, hang on to your office chair because DocuLex PDF Capture is something that will make your day. If you are venturing into the world of creating Portable Document Format files or are already imaging your paper, PDF Capture is something you should consider. Personally, I found this software made my life easier by converting paper or saved image files into PDF files painlessly.

Currently my office has a couple of ways to convert documents into PDF files. One is to try to use the “Publish to PDF” method in Corel WordPerfect. Anyone who has tried this method will have a few bad words to say about it. These attempts often crash WordPerfect or create PDF files with error codes. I gave up on that method and began publishing to PDF using TextBridge Pro software. TextBridge is good but doesn’t compare to the speed and accuracy of PDF Capture. I took the last document I scanned with TextBridge and put it to the test. PDF Capture passed. It took less than one minute to scan and export a 20-page document to a PDF file. I opened the document in my Adobe Acrobat viewer without any parsing errors or any of those other annoying error messages normally encountered with other software.

Of course, you can get as complex as you want using PDF Capture. Version 6 provides a combination of scanning, capture, indexing and PDF formation convention in one place. It also can be managed easily and distributed in Web-based information management systems and networks.

Some key new features in Version 6 include tagging capabilities (you can tag a page or document for printing), optical character recognition, endorsing, redacting and OCR by zone. You also can create a PDF from an image file. If you already have documents that are in Group IV TIFF files, PDF Capture can import these image files and export them to PDF.

The new “Run Zonal Evaluation” feature lets you OCR specific information on a page, which would fill a specific search field you designated. Instead of OCRing the whole document, you can designate that particular zone to be OCRed.

The new Technology Without an Interesting Name Autoscan Interface automatically will pick up which scanner you are using if it’s on the supported list of scanners. DocuLex has included most of the TWAIN-compliant drivers.

“Create Field Data” files creates a comma separated values file containing field data for each PDF file created. This is a way to collect the data from any table so it can be conveyed as input to another table-oriented application, such as Microsoft Excel or relational database application that can read CSV files.

If you need to bar code your documents, DocuLex has included a free addition called “Goby.” Goby opens on your desktop. You type in a document profile and then print the profile on your local desktop laser printer. You simply scan the document via scanner or copier along with the printed profile sheet.

Using the “Monitor” feature, PDF Capture recognizes the 2-D bar code on the sheet, fully indexes the accompanied document, and then forwards the fully searchable PDF file to the destinations you define. This is important if you need to categorize or profile your documents.

Many firms find it necessary to Bates stamp or number their documents. PDF Capture has a built-in feature that will let you input document numbers based on what you require and embed the stamp into your PDF documents. You also can use confidential or custom imprinting.

The only problem you might encounter is if the auto scan feature doesn’t recognize your scanner or if your scanner isn’t on the supported list. I had this problem initially with a Hewlett-Packard scanner connected to a Small Computer System Interface card until I moved to a workstation with a high-speed Panasonic scanner, which was on the supported list. DocuLex will consult you about your hardware and check the compatibility. The company will advise you on the appropriate models that will work best with PDF Capture. If you need the hardware, it’s partnered with most major brands to help get you going.

You also will have to pay a steep price for PDF Capture. It might be out of budget for smaller firms. You will have to decide what you need and whether it’s better to have the Lite Version as opposed to the Full Version. If you are heavily into converting documents to PDF, it will be worth your investment.

DocuLex Inc.
(863) 297-3691, ext. 250

www.doculex.com

Price: $6,995 for Full version; $2,495 for Lite version.

Windows 98/NT/2000/XP

Reviewed by Milton Hooper, a litigation support specialist in Macon, Ga.

Apr/May '03 Issue

PROS
In just a few clicks, you can have text-searchable PDF documents.

CONS
The scanner configuration can be an aggravation if you don’t have a scanner on the supported list. It’s pricey for small firms.

VERDICT
This is creating PDF files for dummies. It’s as easy as you want it to be and as detailed as you need to make it. If you create a lot of PDF files, I recommend it.