Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software lets you scan a document and edit it using your word processor. OmniPage Pro 11 is ScanSoft's latest attempt to perfect the process.

The program has an uncluttered interface and three ways to start OCR. The Manual option allows you to mark out zones onto a scanned document for greater accuracy. The Auto option uses drop-down menus to select document type, description and export location.

A Wizard asks about the layout and content of the document to ensure more accurate results. You can decide whether you want speed or accuracy to be most important and specify recognition in up to 100 languages. It is also possible to specify the degree to which the document will retain its original layout.

Scheduled OCR allows a specific time to be allocated to start a job. This is especially handy if you use a sheet-fed scanner, such as those built into many multi-function devices, as multiple pages can be processed consecutively.

The Direct OCR feature allows OCR to be activated from within any text-editing program; it scans and recognises the document on-screen rather than printing it and using the scanner. It even allows PDF files to be edited.

When tested, recognition accuracy was close to 100 per cent on most document types, with performance on magazine pages displaying a marked improvement from version 10, retaining original tables, formatting and fonts.

Our only concern was the cost but the £435 price falls to £100 if you already use any OCR package from any manufacturer. If you take OCR seriously, OmniPage Pro 11 is worth a look.

Contact: ScanSoft UK
0118 966 8421
www.scansoft.co.uk.

Also consider: Abbyy Finereader Pro 5. A cheaper and less fully featured OCR alternative. £70.