Unlock the Power of OCR with Zoho Creator: Create Custom OCR Models

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. What is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?
3. How OCR Enhances App Functionality
4. The LCR Model: A Text Recognition Tool
5. Types of OCR in Zoho Creator
   1. Pre-built OCR Model
   2. Custom OCR Model
6. Building a Custom OCR Model in Zoho Creator
   1. Six Simple Steps
   2. Creating a New Model
   3. Specifying Fields and Data Types
   4. Adding Sample Invoices for Training
   5. Tagging Text from Images
   6. Model Training and Publication
7. Deploying the Model in Zoho Creator
   1. Using the Model Button
   2. Drag and Drop in the Form Builder
8. testing the Custom OCR Model
9. Applications of OCR
10. Conclusion

👁️💡 Introduction

In today's digital world, extracting text from images has become a crucial functionality for various applications. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a powerful technology that can enhance the functionality of your app by recognizing and extracting text from images. This guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to building a custom OCR model using Zoho Creator.

🤔 What is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?

Optical Character Recognition, commonly known as OCR, is a technology that enables machines to recognize and extract text from digital images. It allows for the conversion of scanned documents, invoices, forms, ID cards, shipping container numbers, and vehicle number plates into editable and searchable data.

💡 How OCR Enhances App Functionality

Integrating OCR into your app can dramatically enhance its functionality. By leveraging OCR, your app can automate data entry tasks, improve data accuracy, and streamline document processing. Whether you need to extract information from invoices, receipts, or any other image containing text, OCR can simplify the process and save valuable time and resources.

🚀 The LCR Model: A Text Recognition Tool

The LCR model, available in Zoho Creator, is a robust text recognition tool. It utilizes a diet classifier and CRF entity extractor to identify text in various digital images. Whether you're dealing with documents, invoices, forms, ID cards, shipping container numbers, or vehicle number plates, the LCR model can accurately extract the required information.

📋 Types of OCR in Zoho Creator

Zoho Creator offers two types of OCR models: pre-built OCR and custom OCR.

📄 Pre-built OCR Model

The pre-built OCR model extracts all the text from an image without any customization. It is ideal for general-purpose text extraction tasks where specific field extraction is not necessary.

📚 Custom OCR Model

The custom OCR model, on the other HAND, allows you to train the model with specific data and scan and extract particular text from an image. This level of customization is beneficial when you need to extract specific information, such as amount, address, invoice date, and due date, from invoices.

🔧 Building a Custom OCR Model in Zoho Creator

Building a custom OCR model in Zoho Creator is a straightforward process. It involves six simple steps:

1. Creating a New Model

To start building your custom OCR model, navigate to the microservices section in Zoho Creator. Click on the "Create New" button and select "AI Models." Under "Custom Models," choose OCR. Assign a name to your model and select the data type you'll be training it with.

2. Specifying Fields and Data Types

Next, specify the fields and data types of the values you want to extract from the images. For each field, choose the Relevant data type from the drop-down menu. You can extract text for up to 10 fields in a model. Make sure to choose the correct format for the date field, matching your training data.

3. Adding Sample Invoices for Training

To train the model effectively, add at least five sample invoices with a similar layout. These images should be of the specified file formats and should not exceed 5 megabytes in size.

4. Tagging Text from Images

Tagging the text from the images, specifically the invoice, to the fields specified earlier is an essential step in training the model. You can create a bounding box by clicking and dragging or choose the highlighted Texts. Repeat this process for all the relevant fields in each of the sample images.

5. Model Training and Publication

Once the model is tagged and the images are added, proceed to train the model. The time taken to train the model depends on the number of images and fields added. After the model is successfully trained, a model summary will be displayed for review. Once reviewed, publish the model, and it will be ready for deployment.

🔀 Deploying the Model in Zoho Creator

After the custom OCR model is published, it can be deployed across all the apps in your Zoho Creator account. There are two ways to deploy the model:

1. Using the Model Button

Simply click on the "Use Model" button and select the application and form name to add the field. Drag and drop the OCR field from the AI Fields section into the Form Builder and choose the model. Ensure that there is an image field on the form to store the input image.

2. Drag and Drop in the Form Builder

Alternatively, you can drag and drop the OCR field directly into the Form Builder. Choose the model and select the field types in which the extracted text should be displayed. You can disable checkboxes to exclude irrelevant fields from extraction.

✅ Testing the Custom OCR Model

After deploying the custom OCR model, it's crucial to test its accuracy. Access the app and upload an invoice image to see how the model performs. You'll Notice that the extracted text is displayed in the specified fields, demonstrating the effectiveness of the custom OCR model.

💼 Applications of OCR

OCR has a wide range of applications across industries and sectors. Some of the key applications include:

• Automated data entry
• Document processing and management
• Invoice and receipt processing
• ID card recognition
• Vehicle number plate recognition

Integrating OCR into your app can revolutionize these processes and greatly improve efficiency.

📝 Conclusion

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a powerful tool for enhancing the functionality of your app. With the ability to extract text from images, OCR streamlines processes, improves accuracy, and saves time and resources. Building a custom OCR model in Zoho Creator is a simple and effective way to leverage this technology for your specific business needs. By following the step-by-step process outlined in this guide, you can create a custom OCR model that extracts specific information from images, such as invoices. Embrace OCR and unlock the full potential of your app!