1. Where do I take my documents to for processing?
All processing is done in the Forrestal building, room BH-039.  It is preferred that the customer arrange for documents/boxes of documents to be delivered, but the staff can also help arrange for some documents/boxes of documents to be picked up.  If you have more than a few boxes please contact the workgroup manager, Heidi Palombo, (202) 586-5251, so they are ready to receive your boxes.

2. What is the standard file format that is created?
For almost all conversion needs, the proper file format is Acrobat + Text.  This is an Acrobat file that contains the actual scans of the pages for all viewing and printing purposes, so you always see the actual page.  By containing the actual scanned page no information is lost, all handwriting, charts, photos, etc. are viewed and printed.  This file also contains a layer of text behind the image, which is created at the OCR stage.  This text layer of the page/document allows the file to be treated like any other text-based document, and can have text searches performed like any other text-based file.  These files can be stored, searched, and indexed in any standard document storage and management system, or with any standard text-based search program.

3. How good is the OCR you use?
The group utilizes a state-of-the-art OCR system that uses seven OCR engines, along with artificial intelligence, to 'vote' on the accuracy of the characters, achieving high accuracy.  This allows us to create an Imaged file that has indexable and searchable text that can be trusted and relied upon for accurate search results.

4. How long does it take to process work?
The group normally processes an average of 10,000 pages each week, the equivalent of one black five-drawer filing cabinet.  As much as possible work is scheduled through the group to allow for consistent, quality processing.  If your job has a specific timeframe/due date please make sure the staff knows and your needs will be accommodated as best possible.

5. How much does this service cost?
There is a flat rate charged of 28 cents per page, through the Working Capital Fund (WCF).  This charge covers all of the services performed from decollating and otherwise preparing the documents for processing, through scanning, quality controls, OCR, and CD creation.

5. What do I the customer need to do before submitting a job?
Your documents need to be organized in such a way that the staff clearly and easily can determine what pages make up an electronic file, and what name you need for that file.  You may have much of this organization done already, our staff can assist in reviewing your files before they are moved to our offices to advise you if they are already organized properly or if further organization is necessary.  We do have a Document Separator Page that can be used to specify where documents start and end, and what name you would like for that file.  Follow this link to the main Document Imaging page to see further details on preparation before submitting a job.

Follow this link to the main Document Imaging page to view the full service description.