Dicom, Adobe combine to simplify document capture

Jan 13, 2005: Information capture specialists Dicom Group's subsidiary Kofax has signed an agreement with Adobe Systems to integrate Adobe's LiveCycle Barcoded Forms into Kofax's Ascent Capture platform. The combined solution will enable companies, government agencies, and large organisations which process large volumes of paper forms to automate the collection of form data for use in business applications and databases.

Adobe LiveCycle Barcoded Forms automates the capture of user-supplied data from interactive Adobe PDF forms using 2 dimensional barcode technology. In conjunction with Kofax's Ascent platform, when the barcode is successfully scanned, data is extracted with 100 percent accuracy and routed to back-end enterprise applications. As a result, organisations can dramatically reduce errors, time and overall costs associated with manually re-keying data from paper forms.

"Through this agreement with Adobe, we can enable large organisations to more efficiently process information from both electronic and paper-based sources, and streamline their document-processing workflow," said Arnold von Büren, Chief Executive Officer, Dicom Group. "Working with Adobe, we can provide our mutual partners and customers with an integrated, comprehensive information capture solution that increases the overall efficiency of their daily operations and ultimately reduces operational costs."

As a result of the agreement, Kofax will market and sell the combined solution through its network of 1,100 Certified Solution Providers (CSP), enabling the company's customers and partners to accommodate any paper-based or online forms processing requirements and to offer a migration tool towards electronic forms processing. Using the combined solution, form designers can create interactive Adobe PDF forms that can be filled in on or off line. This offers organisations a solution for capturing data in a single format regardless of whether a form is submitted electronically or by paper. Now organisations can accelerate the flow of mission-critical information among employees, customers and suppliers, regardless of whether the workflow is electronic or paper-based.

"This agreement will help organisations realise faster, more accurate forms processing at the enterprise level and significantly improve the quality of information in the workflow," said Dan Baum, general manager, Paper-to-Digital Solutions Group, Adobe. "Kofax's information capture technology is a natural fit with our LiveCycle Barcoded Forms product, and we look forward to working with Kofax to help our mutual partners and customers maximise the productivity of their operational infrastructure."

The joint solution is expected to be available by the second half of the year.

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