The challenge of integrating document scanning capability within SharePoint is being addressed by Australian developer Dark Blue Duck with the Scanning Enabler product.

The software adds a simple Scan icon that enables documents to SharePoint directly from the SharePoint User Interface, and is available for SharePoint 2010, 2007 and Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (WSS).

It is able to work with desktop scanners connected by USB, a shared desktop scanner or Multifunction Printers (MFPs) via network TWAIN.

When a document is scanned, Microsoft Office Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is automatically applied to to create searchable pdf/a, mdi, tif, jpg or gif formatted documents.

Automated workflow is able to be applied by means of Dark Blue Duck's support of defined Zonal OCR and Zonal Barcode templates.

The Scanning Enabler Capture Desktop application can be used to to bulk load and index paper documents.

Tight integration with SharePoint Content Types and Site Columns eliminates complex setup and maintenance work

Integrated support for Content Types and Site Column values is provided using the main Scanning Enabler application installed on the target SharePoint front end server (the small business, medium business or unrestricted edition).

A Routing Coversheet Service uses barcode separator pages and barcode labels to route incoming documents and to correctly add Site Column values.

Dark Blue Duck also offers a WorkSite Enabler 2007 Product that adds the ability to copy from or link to Autonomy Interwoven WorkSite documents without leaving the SharePoint user interface.