Forms exist in many different types and layouts and it is a common task to automatically identify and/or extract data from filled forms. Form handling features of CSDK allow developers to create applications that perform such batch-like form processing tasks.

Use the Form Template Editor tool to prepare forms for automated processing by these programs. As input, the application can take many different image file types and various PDF flavors.

The Form Template Editor lets you

• Create form page templates from your scans and files.

  Do this by:

  • Defining the type and position of form input fields by drawing fillable field zones.

  • Add data rules to the zones to check the correctness of recognized text.

  • Drawing anchor zones around some pre-printed static form content: these aid the processing program to identify specific forms and adjust the positions of the fillable fields to follow possible image distortions, like slipping.

• Organize templates into template libraries: these can contain a number of form templates related to a specific task.

• Export the designed Template Library to a specific file format that contains only the definition of the template zones. The exported library is used later on by the form processing program.

• Load test images (filled forms) and use the testing features to see how they match the templates in a Template Library.

• Extract the data from actual filled forms after successful testing.

During form processing, CSDK automatically selects the appropriate template for each scanned image. It matches the selected template to the actual image (form registration), recognizes the form fields, and converts the captured data to the selected output formats. Templates and fields can be adjusted to similar images. Data rules can be applied to the recognized fields.