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How to scan a document from printer/copy machine onto computer?

Need help with my computer and scanner?

  • i recently bought a printer/copier/scanner/fax machine, and I've never really used one before... I've only used a copier and a printer. I'm wondering if there is any way to scan a document, just a peice of copy paper with information on it, to my computer and be able to open it in a file like Microsoft Word, and be able to edit that peice of paper? I'm wanting to change some information I have on this peice of paper, and I need it, to permanently change the information continuously (for my business)... I only have this copy for reference purposes, but I need to be able to fill in information, and I don't want to have to type out this every single time...I have about 40 or so other documents that I need to do this with, and if there isn't a way, then I have to resort to typing every single page to save on my computer...omg that will suck!! is there any way??

  • Answer:

    When you scan in a document see if there is a document or OCR (Optical Character Recognition) option in your scanner/printer scanning software. You might also be able to select the software (Microsoft Word) that you'd like the scanned file to be put into. This should scan the documents and the process them to text.

brittany at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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When you scan a document you get a raster file, a BMP or JPG, something like that. That file is just an arbitrary arrangement of pixels, little specs of color, so the computer can't read the text. You need a program to convert it to text. This is sometimes called an OCR program (Optical Character Recognition) and sometimes Scan to Text. Sometimes it comes with the scanner, otherwise you have to buy one, Well I just looked it up and there are some free OCR programs. Try them, they might be good. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-5-free-ocr-software-tools-to-convert-your-images-into-text-nb/ The article looks interesting. I just wish there weren't so many damn ads. The article also explains some stuff you want to know about OCR.

Mr. Smartypants

Yes, most papers, when scanned, can be edited. However, when opened in something like word, the scan will be like a picture, so editing it will be harder than just writing on it or so.

Shawn

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