Scanner software applications are generally designed to support scanning in one of two options, or a combination of both:
Text into text, database or other document management format.
Images into graphic, database or other document management format.
Most scanners come with their own proprietary or partner software package. Verify that the default package you have will fit your scanning needs, as well as your PC system capabilities. Many of today's packages are multi-platform compatible, and can be utilized by Windows, Mac or Linux systems.
Practically all scanner software packages include some form of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology that "reads" and converts text into word processor, database or PDF files.
For scanning graphics, your program should allow you to create files in .jpg, .gif or .bmp formats, with options to save at highest quality or smallest file size. Most programs today will also let you combine both text and image formats when scanning mixed documents.
Finally, be sure to check warranty information - some brands will not refund your money once the software package has been opened.
