How Merchaint reads different documents
A PDF made by accounting software already has its text inside it. A scan or a phone photo doesn't — it's a picture that has to be worked out. Merchaint handles both, and that's why results differ.
- A walkthrough video, then why the same supplier can read differently month to month
- What to expect from a software PDF, a scan and a phone photo
- How to get better results from a scanner or a camera
- FAQ
01 · Video
Feature walkthrough
02 · Why
Why does the same supplier read differently each month?
Because the file is different. One month they send a proper PDF; the next it's a photo of a printout. Same document, very different starting point.
Why is there nothing to set?
Merchaint decides how to read each document from what the file actually contains. A file with real text in it gets read from that text — fast and exact. A file that is only a picture has to be worked out visually, which takes longer and depends on how clear the image is.
There is nothing to switch and nothing to get wrong.
03 · What it means for you
| What you get | What to expect |
|---|---|
| A PDF from a supplier's system | Quick and accurate. This is the ideal, and worth asking suppliers for. |
| A scan | Usually fine, but worked out from the image. Quality matters. |
| A phone photo | The hardest. Shadows, angle and focus all affect it. Check the numbers. |
Getting better results
- Ask suppliers for PDFs from their system where you can.
- Scanning: straight, flat, good light, 300 dpi or better.
- Photographing: fill the frame with the page, no shadows or glare, hold the camera square.
04 · FAQ
Why is my scan slower than my PDF?
Working out a picture takes more effort than reading text that is already there.
Will a photo work?
Usually — but check the numbers. A flat, well-lit, square-on photo works far better than a dim one taken at an angle.
Common questions
Turn up the resolution, and scan in black and white or greyscale rather than poor-quality colour.