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Automating Data Extraction: How Image-to-Text Conversion Can Improve Your Workflow

In this blog post, we’re going to be talking about how data extraction works, how images are converted to text, and how it can be leveraged to improve your workflow.

What is Data Extraction?

Data extraction is a broad and general term that refers to taking information from a source and presenting it in another style or format. It can refer to the process of analyzing some data and extracting the trends and patterns it contains.

In a professional setting, there are many different ways in which data extraction is used, and there are many different benefits that it can provide. One of these ways of data extraction is image-to-text conversion.

 

What is Image-to-text conversion, and how does it work?

Converting images into text basically refers to taking the text written inside an image and converting it into digital text. For example, if there is a poster that contains guidelines or any other type of lengthy textual content, an image-to-text conversion would take out all the text and make it digital/editable.

This type of conversion is based on a technology known as OCR. OCR stands for optical character recognition. This technology essentially scans an image or a noneditable document and recognizes the characters written in it. It does this by scanning the characters individually and checking them against an existing database. If the characters match one in the database, it is recognized as such.

How do you use image-to-text conversion?

Nowadays, image-to-text conversion can be done with the help of online tools and applications. These tools and applications incorporate the use of OCR, and they present an easy interface to the users.

Users can access these tools, import their images, and get the extracted text in the form of a TXT file, a Word file, or any other similar option, depending on the exact tool.

 

How does image-to-text conversion help your workflow?

Now that we’re done looking at the introductory information about image-to-text conversion, let’s move on to look at how it can help improve your workflow.

1.     Image-to-text conversion can help quickly scan data from physical documents and edit it

In an office environment, a situation can commonly arise where you have a physical document, such as a report or a letter, etc., that you need to edit and send to someone in soft form. For example, you may have to send a document to a senior member of the company sitting in another branch, and you may not have time to send the hard copy.

In situations like this, you can simply use OCR to scan the text from the document, assemble it into a TXT or DOCX file, and then send it where you want.

 

By doing this, there are many benefits that you can reap, such as:

-        You don’t have to worry about the time and cost taken up by the physical mailing of the document

-        You can save the document yourself and share it with others

-        You can edit the document before sending it and amend any possible mistakes

2.     Image-to-text conversion can help you edit PDF files

PDF files are commonly used in corporate environments. A lot of times, business letters are written in PDF format.

The PDF format is great for this type of use because while it presents the information in digital text, it cannot be edited. It can be signed and annotated, but the text inside cannot be changed.

However, if you need to access the text written inside the PDF file, you can use OCR to extract it and edit it as you please. You can convert the PDF file into a Word file and get the text in roughly the same arrangement and style.

3.     Image-to-text conversion can help you securely save your files

If you are writing a business memo on paper or if you are creating a report on physical paper, you won’t be able to save it digitally. You could take a picture of it, but then, in some parts, the text may not be readable.

What you can do here is use OCR to digitally save the text in a TXT or DOCX file. Instead of putting the file away in some drawer or cabinet, you can save it to your cloud storage. That way, you won’t have to worry about it getting damaged or misplaced.

 

Conclusion

And with that, we bring this article to a close.

You can automate data extraction by using OCR. OCR allows you to convert images to text. There are many uses to which this technology can be put, and there are many benefits that it can provide.

In the post above, we’ve looked at all of these aspects in detail. We hope that you enjoyed reading this post and that you will be able to employ these tips the next time you feel the need to improve your workflow.

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By Anil Singh | Rating of this article (*****)

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