Test: docutain
Privacy and security
Before installing the app, I wanted to know how document handles the data and what access authorizations the application requires.
Docutain is an app "Made in Germany" and comes from INFOSOFT Informations- und Documentationssysteme GmbH based in Koblenz. The company is transparent about handling the data.
All data is only saved locally on the end device and can also be encrypted by the user. The encryption prevents third parties from reading the documents in plain text. If you load the encrypted app data into the cloud, you don't have to worry that third parties with access to the cloud will also have access to the documents. The key that is used for encryption is generated by a password entered by the user during the initial setup. This password should be remembered well, because so that Docutain can guarantee the user maximum security, the password is never saved with Docutain. There is therefore no way to restore the password if it is lost.
Error reports and statistics on app usage are stored through the Microsoft App Center. The collection of such analysis data is common, but it is anonymized and does not contain any personal data.
The access rights of the app include the camera, which is used to scan documents, the memory for storing the scanned documents and internet access, if you want to transfer data to the cloud.
Purposes and functions
Easy and quick scan
Docutain promises to cope with any type of document. Application examples are:
- Digitization of invoices and receipts
- Management of contracts of any kind
- Scanning and managing recipes from newspapers or screenshots
- Summary of operating instructions
- Digitization of homework and worksheets
So for a test run, I grabbed a folder and scanned different types of documents.
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Wait for the green overlay ...
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post-process the scan ...
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save or share as PDF / JPG.
The first scan was surprisingly quick and easy. Hold your smartphone camera over the document, wait for the green overlay and Docutain will do the rest. In automatic mode, the app triggers without user intervention if the alignment is perfect. In manual mode, as the name suggests, the user has to operate the release button himself.
Ideal lighting conditions or a high-contrast background are not a prerequisite. In most cases, the scan worked without any obstacles. If the distance to the document is incorrect, the app advises the user to move the camera closer to the document. Sharpening, cutting and aligning takes place in the automatic post-processing. Of course, it is also possible to carry out your own processing (cutting, rotating, filtering).
Comprehensive administration
Scanned documents can be provided with metadata (name, date, keywords, address, amount, tax relevance) and categorized according to document type (invoices, prescriptions, certificates, etc.).
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List recent documents
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Comprehensive document search
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OCR text recognition
Similar to a classic folder - only digital - all documents stored in Docutain can be searched for the metadata provided. With the help of OCR (text recognition), it is even possible to search directly in the text content of the documents. In addition, documents can be shared from the app as a searchable PDF or as an image (JPG).
PDF and cloud
In principle, Docutain saves all documents in a file format that can only be opened with Docutain. The export to PDF format can be activated via the settings, but is not available to users of the Pro version.
A practical feature that enables Docutain to be used across devices from anywhere is the cloud connection. The following cloud providers are supported: Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, OneDrive Business, STRATO HiDrive, MagentaCloud, Web.de, GMX Cloud, Box, WebDAV, Nextcloud and ownCloud.
iOS, Android and Windows
Docutain can be installed on pretty much any device. Apple iOS and Android users can download the app completely free of charge from the respective app store. Fortunately, INFOSOFT does not use advertising. An upgrade to Docutain Pro is possible as an in-app purchase and costs € 4,99 once. Docutain Pro offers, among other things, a batch scan, a reminder function and the option of importing PDF files. Here is an overview of the Pro features:
In addition to the app, Docutain is also available as a Windows application. In contrast to the app version, the desktop version can be used free of charge as part of a 14-day test phase. After the test phase, it is possible to purchase Docutain Desktop for € 24,99 per year / € 2,99 per month (business: € 199,00 / € 19,99). With the purchase of the Windows desktop license, Docutain Pro is automatically activated on the mobile devices.
Climate protection
Those who use Docutain also contribute to climate protection. As a partner of the Tree-Nation reforestation project, Docutain is helping with the replanting of our planet. Scanned documents mean trees that benefit the Tree-Nation project.
At the time of this writing, Docutain had already contributed 14857 trees to the project! You can see how many trees you have contributed yourself via the menu item “Climate Protection” in the app.
You can find more information about Docutain climate protection at: docutain.de/climate protection