Forms processing: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Process of converting data from written forms into electronic format}}

'''Forms processing''' is a process by which one can capture information entered into data fields and convert it into an electronic format. This can be done manually or automatically, but the general process is that [[hard copy]] data is filled out by humans and then "captured" from their respective fields and entered into a database or other electronic format.

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==Manual data entry==

This method of [[data processing]] involves human operators keying in data found on the form. The manual process of data entry has many disadvantages in speed, accuracy and cost.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.formhero.com/paperwork | title = Paperwork: The Ultimate Guide | publisher = FormHero}}</ref> Based on average professional [[Data entry clerk|typist]] speeds of 50 to 80 wpm,<ref>{{Citation|author=Teresia R. Ostrach|year=1997|title=Typing Speed: How Fast is Average|publisherurl=http://onlinestudentreadiness.org/documents/TypingSpeed.pdf| publicationarchive-place=|page=|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502164156/http://onlinestudentreadiness.org/documents/TypingSpeed.pdf| accessdatearchive-date=2012-05-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> one could generously estimate about two hundred pages per hour for forms with fifteen one-word fields (not counting the time for reading and sorting pages). In contrast, modern [[Image scanner#Document processing|commercial scanners]] can [[Document imaging|scan and digitize]] up to 200 pages per ''minute''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/2006/11/03/kodak-intros-200-page-per-minute-i1860-commercial-scanner/ | title = Kodak intros 200 page-per-minute i1860 commercial scanner | accessdateaccess-date = 2011-11-04 | publisher = [[Engadget]]}}</ref> The second major disadvantage to manual data entry is the likelihood of [[typographical errors]]. When factoring in the cost of labor and working space, manual data entry is a very inefficient process.

==Automated forms processing==

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=== First Step: Assessment of the form structure ===

The first step in understanding automated forms processing is to analyze the type of form from which the extraction of data is desired. Forms can be classified as one of two high level categories for the purpose of extracting data. Four categories have been proposed<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=44arCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA425&lpg=PA425&dqq=example+of+a+fixed+form+for+extraction&sourcepg=bl&ots=iD0mWE1bvT&sig=K89y_JIljSGtXC4i2jtN9JYjG3Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjt4bHh-cTTAhVp0oMKHWAhBw4Q6AEIOTAE#v=onepage&q=example%20of%20a%20fixed%20form%20for%20extraction&f=falsePA425|title=Pattern Recognition and Machine Intelligence: 4th International Conference, PReMI 2011, Moscow, Russia, June 27 - July 1, 2011, Proceedings|lastlast1=Kuznetsov|firstfirst1=Sergei O.|last2=Mandal|first2=Deba P.|last3=Kundu|first3=Malay K.|last4=Pal|first4=Sankar Kumar|date=2011-06-25|publisher=Springer|isbn=9783642217869|language=en}}</ref> however the document capture industry has settled up these two:

# Fixed forms. This type of form is defined as one in which the data to be extracted is always found in the same absolute position on a page. This allows a type of lens grid to be applied to the document and every subsequent occurrence of this document in order to extract the data. An example of a fixed form is a typical credit application form.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bfma.org/resource/resmgr/articles/05_04.pdf|title=CAPTURING SEMI-STRUCTURED FORMS AND DOCUMENTS: CHALLENGES AND AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES|last=Vassylyev|first=Artur|date=10 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428144034/http://www.bfma.org/resource/resmgr/articles/05_04.pdf|archive-date=2017-04-28|url-status=dead|access-date=4 April 2017}}</ref>

# Semi-structured (or unstructured) form. This form is one in which the ___location of the data and fields holding the data vary from document to document. This type of document is perhaps most easily defined by the fact that it is not a fixed form. In the document capture industry, a semi-structured form is also called an unstructured form. Examples of these types of forms include letters, contracts, and invoices. According to a study by AIIM, about 80% of the documents in an organization fall under the semi-structured definition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aiim.org/pdfdocuments/MIWP_Forms-Processing_2012.pdf|title=Forms Processing- user experiences of text and handwriting recognition (OCR/ICR)|last=|first=|access-date=4 April 2017|website=|accessarchive-date=428 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428142430/http://www.aiim.org/pdfdocuments/MIWP_Forms-Processing_2012.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Although the components (described below) used for the extraction of data from either type of form is the same the way in which these are applied varies considerably based upon the type of document.

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{{wikiquote}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100529053053/http://www.aiim.org.uk/industrywatch/surveys.asp AIIM market intelligence reports]

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTCakdUA0yc Forms processing video demonstrating ICR and OMR data capture from survey forms]

==References==