Scanner App - Scanning Guide

This guide covers everything you need to know about scanning business cards effectively, from camera positioning to troubleshooting OCR errors.

Camera Scanning

Positioning the Card

1. Place the business card on a flat, solid-colored surface (ideally dark for light cards, light for dark cards)
2. Hold your phone directly above the card, parallel to the surface
3. Keep a distance of approximately 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) from the card
4. Align the card within the on-screen guide frame
5. Hold steady until the app auto-detects the card edges

Lighting Tips

• Best: Natural daylight or bright, even indoor lighting
• Good: Overhead fluorescent or LED lighting
• Avoid: Direct sunlight (causes glare), dim lighting, strong shadows
• Tip: If you see glare on a glossy card, tilt the card slightly or move to a different light angle

Supported Card Types

• Standard business cards (3.5" x 2" / 85mm x 55mm)
• European-size cards (85mm x 55mm)
• Japanese-size cards (91mm x 55mm)
• Vertical/portrait orientation cards
• Double-sided cards (scan each side separately)
• Cards with QR codes (QR data is extracted automatically)

OCR Processing

Extracted Fields

The system uses AI-powered field classification to distinguish between phone and mobile numbers, identify job titles vs. department names, and correctly parse multi-line addresses.

Reviewing Results

After scanning, you are taken to the Review Screen:

1. Check each field - Extracted text appears in editable fields
2. Tap to edit - Correct any OCR mistakes by tapping the field
3. Swap fields - If the OCR placed a phone number in the email field, tap and drag to reorder
4. View original image - Tap the card thumbnail to see the original scan for reference
5. Add extras - Add tags, notes, or voice memos before saving
6. Save or discard - Tap Save Contact to store, or Discard to delete

Common Edits

• Correcting letter/number confusion (e.g., "O" vs "0", "l" vs "1")
• Splitting combined first/last names
• Removing decorative text misidentified as contact info
• Adding a missing field that the OCR did not detect

Batch Scanning

Available on Pro and Premium plans.

Batch scanning lets you scan multiple cards in rapid succession without reviewing each one individually.

How to Use Batch Mode

1. Tap the Batch icon (stacked cards) on the scan screen
2. Scan your first card - it saves automatically
3. Place the next card and scan immediately
4. A counter shows how many cards you have scanned in this session
5. When done, tap Review Batch
6. Review all scanned contacts in a list, editing any that need correction
7. Tap Save All to store the entire batch

Batch Scanning Tips

• Prepare a stack of cards before starting
• Keep the same lighting setup for the whole batch
• Scan cards face-up in the same orientation for consistency
• Review the batch within the same session for best results

Accuracy Tips

1. Clean cards: Wipe off fingerprints, dust, or smudges
2. Good lighting: Bright, even, diffused light with no glare
3. Flat surface: Place cards on a hard, flat surface, never scan while holding the card in the air
4. Steady hands: Hold the phone still or prop it on a stand
5. Full visibility: Make sure the entire card is visible in the frame with a small margin around all edges
6. One card at a time: Do not overlap cards or scan multiple cards in one frame
7. High contrast: Dark text on light background produces the best results

Cards That May Need Extra Attention

• Cards with unusual fonts or heavy stylization
• Cards with very small text
• Cards printed on dark or textured backgrounds
• Cards with watermarks or background images
• Handwritten cards

Language Support

NexaLink Scanner supports multi-language OCR for business cards in:

• Latin script: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, and more
• CJK: Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean
• Other scripts: Arabic, Hindi, Thai, Russian (Cyrillic)

The app auto-detects the language. For best results with non-Latin scripts, ensure the card text is sharp and well-lit.

Troubleshooting

Blurry Scans

• Hold the phone steady; use both hands or a phone stand
• Ensure the camera lens is clean
• Tap the screen to refocus before scanning
• Move to a brighter area

Missing Fields

• Check the original card image; the field may not be present on the card
• Manually add the missing information in the review screen
• Ensure the entire card was visible in the frame during scanning

OCR Errors

• Wrong field assignment: Tap the field to edit, or drag to reorder fields
• Merged text: If two fields merged, tap to split manually
• Special characters lost: Re-enter characters like +, @, or accented letters manually
• QR code not read: Ensure the QR code is fully visible and not damaged

Camera Issues

• Black screen: Close and reopen the app; check camera permissions in device settings
• No auto-detect: Ensure the card has clear edges against the background surface
• Slow processing: Check your internet connection; OCR requires connectivity

FAQ

Q: Can I re-scan a card I already saved?
A: Yes. Open the contact, tap Re-scan, and capture a new image. The new OCR results will update the existing contact fields.

Q: Does scanning a card use my phone's storage?
A: Minimally. Card images are compressed and stored temporarily during OCR processing. You can choose to keep or discard the original image in Settings.

Q: What is the maximum number of cards I can scan in batch mode?
A: There is no hard limit per session. We recommend batches of 50 or fewer for the best review experience.

Q: Can I scan a card from a photo in my camera roll?
A: Yes. Tap the Gallery icon on the scan screen to select an existing photo for OCR processing.