What Is Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Why Does It Matter?

If you’ve ever tried to find a specific document in a stack of scanned files, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. Scanned documents might look like a digital file, but without the right technology, they’re essentially just images of paper.

This is where Optical Character Recognition (OCR) comes in. It’s a powerful tool that transforms scanned files into searchable, usable, and compliance-friendly documents - and it’s a core part of professional document scanning services like those we provide at MDSS.

What is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?

OCR is a technology that converts text from scanned documents or images into editable, searchable digital text.

Here’s how it works:

1. Scanning – A physical document (or microfiche, microfilm, or aperture card) is scanned to create a digital image.

2. Character Analysis – OCR software recognises letters, numbers, and symbols in that image.

3. Digital Conversion – The software translates that recognition into editable text or metadata.

4. Searchable Output – You end up with a file (often a PDF) that can be searched, indexed, and even integrated into your digital systems.

   
   

Without OCR, a scanned file is like a photograph — you can look at it, but you can’t search within it.

Why OCR Matters for Your Business

Modern organisations — especially those in legal, healthcare, finance, and local government — deal with huge volumes of documents. When those documents are digitised using OCR, your team gains several important benefits:

1. Faster Search and Retrieval

With OCR, you can:

• Search for names, dates, or reference numbers in seconds

• Avoid hours of manual searching through digital images

• Quickly respond to audits or Subject Access Requests (SARs)

2. Better Compliance and Risk Management

OCR supports compliance with GDPR, FOI, and sector-specific regulations by making it easy to:

• Locate personal data quickly if requested

• Maintain clear audit trails

• Reduce the risk of missed or lost records

3. Enhanced Efficiency for Remote and Hybrid Teams

When files are searchable and accessible digitally:

• Staff no longer need to physically visit archives

• Hybrid and remote teams can access critical information securely

• Workflows become faster, leaner, and more collaborative

4. Improved Data Accuracy and Organisation

OCR can also be used to:

• Create metadata and indexes for your files

• Enable automated filing and document management

• Reduce human error caused by manual record keeping

How MDSS Uses OCR in Document Scanning

At MDSS, OCR is a standard part of many of our document scanning and digitisation projects, including:

• Bulk document scanning

• Microfiche and microfilm scanning

• Aperture card and large format scanning

By combining high-quality scanning with OCR:

• Your archives become searchable and future-proof

• Retrieval becomes instant and remote-friendly

• You gain peace of mind that your digital records meet compliance and operational needs

  
  

Start Making Your Documents Work for You

Digitising your records with OCR isn’t just a tech upgrade - it’s a strategic advantage. You’ll save time, reduce risk, and make your organisation more agile.

Whether you’re scanning boxes of files, historical archives, or specialist formats like microfiche, MDSS can turn your paper records into searchable digital assets.

Contact our team today to find out how OCR can unlock the value in your documents.