How Do I Choose the Best Open Source Scanning Software?

In order to choose the best open source scanning software, examine the features of the software and ensure that it meets your needs adequately. When looking for a program of this type, it is imperative to confirm that the software is compatible with not only the operating system you are running but also your hardware — the scanner itself. If the software is not compatible, it won't work. The features of the open source scanning software are also important to consider as you may wish to have abilities such as scan-to-email or optical character recognition (OCR). Other considerations may be the licensing of the product, especially if it will be used in a business or commercial setting, and the product's ease of use.

When looking for the best open source scanning software, you must confirm that the software you are considering is compatible with your equipment. Software vendors commonly make this process very easy. The operating systems supported by the software should be in plain view on any packaging or can usually be found on the program website. The open source scanning software site also generally offers a way to search through a list of supported scanner models, allowing you to confirm whether or not your scanner is supported.

Features are also a necessary consideration as your experience will be best if the software has features that are useful for your purposes. Some of these features include scan-to-email, scan-to-format, in-software editing, or OCR. Scan-to-format allows you to scan documents directly into a specified format, and similarly, scan-to-email attaches scanned documents to an outgoing email. In-software editing simply means that you can scan a document and make simple edits without having to use additional software. OCR technology is also a feature of open source scanning software that can be very useful, allowing for text on scanned documents to be captured, instead of remaining just an image.

You might also keep in mind that open source scanning software is not necessarily free. If the software is going to be used in a business or office environment, you would be wise to investigate the licensing requirements of the product. Finally, in a business setting, ease of use may be one of the most important aspects of the software. It is usually important to ensure that the scanning software being used in an office is easy to understand and user-friendly so that all employees can benefit from it, save time, and scan documents without trouble.