ePC

automated-data-capture

Reduce manual data entry with automated data capture

Each day we complete a variety of paper forms – questionnaires, answer sheets, evaluation forms, and many others. To collect the data from paper forms, organisations have two options – manual data entry or automated data capture methods.

Manual data entry is expensive and labour intensive. It is time-consuming and prone to human error. Automated data capture software has become indispensable for collecting and processing information, as the data is automatically read and captured from data entry fields.

Learn more Contact us

What is manual data capture?

Many organisations rely on capturing high volumes of data in order to operate efficiently. Data is captured to enable analysis, records management, claims processing, job management, time recording or for many other purposes.

This critical data is often received on paper and is manually transcribed, which is cumbersome, slow and inefficient to handle but a necessity to many processes.

With manual data capture, an operator transcribes data from a paper form into an electronic format e.g. Microsoft Excel. The paper form could be a completed survey returned by a study participant or an internal training evaluation form.

As an example, a university runs a clinical trials study and sends out a paper form to their 500 study participants to complete. Each returned paper form needs to be manually keyed into a database which will take several days and is prone to human error.

Automatic data capture

With automated data capture software, you scan the paper survey on-site using a high-speed scanner rather than key-in data manually.

As documents are scanned, the software reads the information and extracts the data using OMR, OCR, ICR, barcode, and signature recognition technology. If the software is unsure about any character or field, it is held in a verification system for you to confirm or correct the data. Once verified, the data is exported to either an existing database or common format (e.g. Excel, CSV, XML or SPSS).

An automated data capture system includes the following tools:

Features

Survey and form design

Survey and form design

Survey and form design is an important first step in the data capture process.

Create forms with embedded logic, integrate live data, and distribute by printing, faxing, emailing, and saving as PDFs.

Read more


Form scanning

Form scanning

Automated data capture solutions allows you to capture data from scanners/MFPs, web, mobile, eMail and fax.

Once forms have been created, printed and filled in, they need to be converted from paper to an electronic image.

This is achieved by using a high-speed document scanner to scan paper surveys into automatic data capture software such as TeleForm in batch or non-batch modes.

Read more


Document recognition and data extraction

Document recognition and data extraction

Once the images are captured, automated data processing software will identify the paper based on the original template type.

At this stage, the image will undergo image pre-processing to confirm barcode readability, page size, presence of cornerstones etc.

After identifying a form, intelligent character recognition (ICR), optical mark recognition (OMR), and optical character recognition (OCR) technology will extract data from a scanned document.

Simple rules such as alpha, numeric, dictionaries, date ranges, database lookups and mandatory fields will be checked at this stage with exceptions queued for human review.

Read more


Data verification

Data verification

If human verification is required, scanned images of any field or form needing review are displayed, with operators able to visually review exceptions and correct information with minimal keystrokes before moving onto the next image.

Read more


Data export and archive

Data export and archive

Once the process is complete, each form image – and all verified data – is exported to third-party document management systems (DMS), records management systems (RMS), or common format (e.g. Excel, CSV, XML or SPSS) for true integration.

For many organisations, it is important to archive the scanned images for future reference or compliance reasons. To assist you, our web-based eStore system provides indexing, storage and retrieval of paper and electronic forms.

Read more

Why do organisations adopt automated data capture technology

There are several issues caused by paper-based processes that are driving the adoption of automatic data collection software. These include:

  • the amount of time keying (and re-keying) data
  • the risk of human errors (i.e. typographical) when manually transcribing data
  • the amount of paper stored by the business as well as the time spent searching for paper copies and filing
  • the cost of outsourced paper storage and employing people to manually input data
  • the risk of compliance and audit breaches due to lost/missing paperwork
  • employees who quickly become demotivated by the tedious, repetitive nature of manual data entry

Automated data collection benefits

Reduce manual data entry

Reduce time-consuming and error-prone manual data collection by 95% or more, allowing employees to spend time on more productive tasks.

Reduce errors

Reduce human (typographical) errors by reducing manual data entry.

Improve data accuracy and lower risk

Intelligent OCR, OMR, ICR document recognition technology captures your data with accuracy; with any ambiguous data flagged for human verification.

Improve productivity

Allow your employees to focus on more productive tasks rather than time-consuming manual data entry, document sorting, and searching for information.

Cost savings

Save money on postage, transportation, storeage, and end reliance on expensive scanning bureaus.

No lost paperwork

Questionnaires and surveys are scanned on-site with a digital copy immediately available and stored in a records retention system.

Eliminate paper storage

Digitising paper forms eliminates the need for manual filing and releases valuable floor space.

Efficiently collect information

Capture data from multiple sources (MFPs, scanners, fax, eMail, web, and smartphones) in centralised or distributed environments.

Minimise GRC concerns

Get real-time access to form images and verified data for audits and compliance with regulatory guidelines.

Secure deployment

Forms processing software is installed on-premise with no need to send confidential information to an off-site scanning bureau.

Accelerate digital transformation

Processing paper surveys using OMR, OCR, and ICR document recognition technology such as TeleForm and ABBYY can be a stepping stone to workflow automation.

Hybrid data capture

Use the most appropriate method of data capture for your target audience, with hybrid paper, fax, web and mobile capture.

Intelligent data capture software

We select the best data capture systems to meet your requirements.

OpenText TeleForm

OpenText TeleForm

TeleForm automatically captures and indexes data and images from any form type, using handprint (ICR), machine print (OCR) and checkbox (OMR) recognition technology, ready for export to a database.

It aims to reduce manual data entry time by 90% or more and can eliminate hundreds of operator keystrokes.

Learn more

ABBYY FlexiCapture

ABBYY FlexiCapture

ABBYY FlexiCapture is a highly scalable forms processing solution for intelligent and accurate extraction of data from structured, semi-structured and unstructured forms and documents for input into backend applications for further processing and archiving.

Learn more

Next Distribution

NEXT automates weekly timesheet processing at six UK distribution centres

Automation of the bonus timesheet has been a major step forward. In the past, it took one-person 2½ days a week to manipulate the data and manually key the information into payroll. We’ve reduced this time by almost two days already, but we anticipate further efficiencies in the next phase...

Richard Churchill, Productivity Support Manager, Next Distribution Ltd

Read more

Case studies

  • University of Bristol

    University of Bristol

    Based at the University of Bristol, the ‘Children of the 90s’ study uses TeleForm to capture data from the paper versions of their questionnaires.

  • Civica

    Civica

    Following a OJEU tender process, the British Council commissioned Civica as the prime contractor to deliver an on-screen marking (OSM) solution to mark up to 2.25 million ‘pen and paper’ IELTS tests each year.

    As part of the agreement, Civica appointed ePC as its sub-contractor for the script capture, processing and verification work.

  • Keele University

    Keele University

    Keele CTU saves time by capturing data from paper-based clinical trials with TeleForm.

    Read more

    Testimonials

    stars

    Teleform/ePC have been the lynchpin of data collection in our home diagnostic clinical trials for many years. As a small team, the software has given us cost-effective and flexible control to manage a diverse range of paper-based trials using a fully-featured form designer with support for downstream verification workflows all the way to export, while ePC have been instrumental in managing and maintaining the service availability with a high standard of professionalism and technical capability

    SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH

    stars

    We did a scoping exercise across a number of UKCRC Registered CTU’s to see what data capture software was in use and by who. During this process, another CTU recommended ePC for support. We decided to contact ePC directly as we knew they were a reputable TeleForm reseller and we wanted to upgrade to a Workgroup licence so we could scan, verify and export simultaneously as well as design new forms.

    Jo Smith, Database Interface Manager, Keele CTU

    stars

    It’s liberating and frees our staff to do more meaningful work rather than manual data entry all week.

    Mae Andrews, Finance Director, MMS

    stars

    Designing, processing and analysing thousands of questionnaires a year requires an effective and efficient data capture system. TeleForm, provided by ePC, has been the central hub to this system for many years – we could not function without it.

    Sue Thrower, RAF Cranwell

    Testimonials