The Only Guide to Using Kofax OCR Software That You'll Need in 2024

As the need for efficient document scanning grows, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) has become crucial for digital document management. OCR converts scanned documents and images into editable and searchable text. Whether you're digitizing old documents or creating electronic copies of important papers, a reliable OCR tool is essential. Among the many options available, Kofax OCR stands out for its capabilities. In this article, we'll explore Kofax OCR's functionality, usage, pricing, pros and cons, and introduce a strong alternative: UPDF OCR. Download UPDF and try it for free today.

Comparison of a scanned PDF before and after using UPDF's OCR feature:

What is Kofax OCR (Now Tungsten Automation)?

Kofax OCR is an advanced optical character recognition software that is designed to extract text from scanned documents, images, and PDF files. It accurately converts your scanned documents into editable formats such as Word, Excel, or searchable PDF files; this allows for seamless document digitization and can enhance your productivity by getting rid of repetitive manual data entry tasks. It also has great features available for editing your PDF files. Therefore, Kofax OCR can make your life a whole lot easier when it comes to document management.

How to Use Kofax OCR

Using Kofax OCR is relatively straightforward; users can simply upload their scanned documents or images into the software interface in order to start the OCR process. The software will then automatically identify any text elements and convert them into editable and searchable content. Kofax OCR also offers customization options which can help to enhance recognition accuracy and to be able to tailor output formats according to your specific requirements.

In order to use Kofax OCR, there are a couple of options that you can choose from:

Automatic OCR

1. After scanning your document, open the PDF file in Kofax Power PDF 
2. Next, you'll see a pop-up menu offering three options:
3. "Cancel" - no OCR will be performed
4. "OCR Page" - OCR will be performed on the current page
5. "OCR Document" - OCR will be performed on the entire document.
6. Choose your preferred option, and let the software work its magic.

Manual OCR

You can also choose to perform OCR manually. To do this, click "Edit" then "OCR Page". Kofax Power PDF will then begin to perform the OCR process and you'll see a progress bar appear on your screen.

Tips to Improve the OCR Results of Kofax

• Make sure you are using a crisp and clean document, as clear and legible text will produce much more accurate results.
• Place your physical document on the scanner as straight as you possibly can. If you have scanned a document that wasn't 100% straight, you will be able to edit this within the Kofax Power PDF software.
• Make the background of your scanned document as white as possible by using the "Deskew and Adjust Image" tool; a document that is highly contrasted is more likely to provide more accurate results.

Pricing of Kofax OCR (Kofax Power PDF)

Kofax OCR, included with Kofax Power PDF, offers a 15-day free trial and flexible pricing for individuals and businesses. You can choose between a standard version at $129 per year or an advanced version at $179 per year, with options for a subscription or a one-time payment.

However, these prices can be high for a PDF tool with OCR—and without an AI assistant to help read PDFs. A better alternative is UPDF, which provides two OCR options (AI OCR image and a traditional OCR tool), along with AI integration for analyzing PDFs—all at half the price of Kofax OCR. To learn more, check out part 5 or click the button below for a free trial.

Pros, Cons, and User Reviews of Kofax OCR

Like any form of technology or software on the market, Kofax OCR has its own set of positive and negative aspects. We've researched what real users are saying about Kofax OCR and which of its features they do and don't like. Read on to be able to weigh up the pros and cons of using this OCR software.

The Best Kofax OCR Alternative - More Accurate & Cost-Effective

While Kofax OCR is a viable solution, it has notable drawbacks, including a high price. An excellent alternative is UPDF OCR, which offers reliable OCR technology supporting 38 languages. You can also integrate it with PDF scanning and store your PDFs in your UPDF account for easy access. Try it for free now.

UPDF OCR is a lot more competitively priced than Kofax OCR, too - and it's currently on sale, offering you a huge discount! There couldn't be a more perfect time to purchase this innovative OCR software. After purchasing, you can use UPDF on all browsers and platforms such as Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android all at the same time (The OCR feature is available on the Windows and Mac versions). It doesn't charge separately for using it on different platforms and can be used on up to four devices simultaneously.

Additionally, the AI assistant in UPDF can function as an OCR tool. Simply upload or paste an image or screenshot of the PDF and ask the AI to extract the text. You can even request a translation or have it explain the content! This is far more convenient than traditional OCR.

1. How to Use the Traditional OCR Tool

Next, we'll guide you on how to use UPDF's traditional OCR tool—ideal for converting multi-page scanned PDFs into editable formats.

Step 1: First, you will need to download the UPDF software. To do this, click the "Free Download" button.

Step 2: Once installed, open up your chosen document in UPDF, and choose "Recognise text using OCR" from the panel on the right-hand side. (You may need to download this feature as a plugin; click "Download if the pop-up appears.)

Step 3: If you have had to download the plugin, go back into the UPDF window and select the same button as before. Choose from the two options that populate; the first of the two is "Searchable PDF" which means that your documents will be scanned and then converted into searchable and editable documents.

Step 4: If you've chosen "Searchable", you'll be asked to choose a layout for your document as well as select the language required, image resolution, and page range.

Step 5. Finally, click the "Perform OCR" button and you can convert your scanned PDF into editable now.

If you'd like to learn more about UPDF OCR and its wide range of capabilities for your document scanning needs, watch the video below or visit HowToGeek for an impartial and detailed review.

2. How to Use the AI OCR Tool

Within the UPDF desktop app, you can extract, translate, summarize, and explain text from images (note: this feature is not available on the mobile apps). In this section, we'll guide you on how to use the AI OCR tool in UPDF.

Step 1: Download UPDF on your computer. Alternatively, you can use the online version of UPDF AI, which offers the same features.

Step 2: Open a PDF or create a new blank PDF. Activate the AI by clicking the AI icon in the bottom-right corner.

Step 3: Switch to Chat mode, paste the screenshot of the PDF in the chat box, and enter the prompt: "Extract the text from it." The AI will then extract and display the text instantly."

Conclusion

If you're looking for a reliable solution for document digitization and text extraction, Kofax OCR can definitely be a great option. However, for those seeking a more cost-effective and user-friendly alternative, UPDF OCR is a huge competitor with lots of innovative features. UPDF OCR not only offers OCR technology but also provides additional features like recognition of multiple languages, as well as seamless integration with PDF scanning and editing capabilities. But that's not all - its competitive pricing and multi-platform compatibility make it an extremely attractive option for users who are looking for efficiency and affordability, whether it's for personal or professional use. Try it for free now and you won't regret it.