Nuance Communications is launching a new version of the eCopy ShareScan Suite 5 for networked multifunction printers (MFPs), due out in Australia and New Zealand in January 2011.

The new release of the document scanning and workflow solution expands support for devices from leading MFP vendors, as well as all TWAIN or ISIS-capable MFPs and scanning devices.

The product will include unlimited document and forms processing as a standard feature, letting office workers turn paper into digital information – as easily as making a copy.

New to the product are eCopy Extenders, an open snap-in architecture that allows for advanced document processing to be added to eCopy ShareScan by Nuance, its partners or customers.

eCopy ShareScan 5 also allows scanning menus to be tailored to specific individuals or workgroups, presenting them with the same personalised menu selections from any MFP that they access via the network.

For example, the marketing department can have a “Process Sales Lead Form” selection, while a R&D vice president can have a “Convert to XML” and “Process Engineering Change Order” within her eCopy menu.

eCopy ShareScan Suite 5 provides unlimited forms processing capabilities as a standard feature, giving organizations the ability to extract data from paper forms directly from the MFP. eCopy ShareScan also includes unlimited document conversion capabilities, providing the highest level of accuracy in turning paper into fully-formatted Microsoft Word and Excel documents, as well as searchable PDF files.

The new Personalized Scanning capability presents only workflows that are specific to an individual or department, removing menu clutter, simplifying use of the system and making scan processes easier, faster and more relevant. The new release also better supports mixed-brand MFP environments and improves security and scan audit capabilities through an enhanced eCopy ShareScan Administration Console, which allows administrators to configure, monitor and report on document capture workflows for MFPs on the network.

A new Visual Workflow Designer provides automated design of MFP touch-screen menus, while the Workflow Simulator allows for rapid testing and one-button deployment to all supported MFP devices.

Also new is eCopy PDF Pro Office 5, an upgrade to eCopy PaperWorks that delivers Acrobat Professional features for about one-third the cost. The desktop application provides an MFP scanning “inbox,” and includes desktop connectivity to content management applications such as Autonomy Interwoven and SharePoint.