Cognition is a software solution for automated forms processing and data collection. It transforms paper forms into actionable data for cost-effective reporting and analysis.

Cognition is the software that will create, scan, recognize and export forms to a database, file, or XML document. A complete solution would include Scantron's Cognition software and professional services for customization, implementation and support as necessary. Each solution component is priced individually or as a package by your sales representative.

Unlike previous forms processing products available from Scantron, Cognition is a Scantron solution. Scantron has made a strategic decision to develop, support, train and market its own capture solution, in order to align with customer needs and offer better customer service.

No. Any TWAIN- or ISIS-compatible scanner will work with the Cognition software.

No. At this time, there are no certified scanners for use with Cognition. Cognition supports the open standard TWAIN, which is the same for nearly all scanners on the market. Cognition can also support ISIS scanners for an additional cost.

Cognition is available in three editions: Standard, Professional and Enterprise

• The Standard edition is an imaging recognition solution that provides traditional OMR forms processing support.
• The Professional edition is a complete forms processing solution that supports OMR, OCR, and ICR recognition from images.
• The Enterprise edition is a distributed, scalable imaging forms solution that is ideal for distributed, multi-user, multi-module applications.

Choosing the best edition depends on your business needs. Traditional customer organizations that are processing OMR forms but want to retain the image should use the Standard edition. Organizations that process a variety of forms and want to read OMR, print head, and user printing, such as departmental forms or surveys, should use the Professional edition. An organization that has a high volume of forms, multi-processors, and a distributed network should use the Enterprise edition.

The Standard and Professional editions can be implemented in typically 2 to 4 hours. The Enterprise edition takes approximately 4 to 8 hours. Both estimated times may vary, depending on the complexity of the implementation and your requirements.

Yes. Non-profit organizations receive approximately 20 percent discount.

Yes. Scantron's Professional Services can customize Cognition to meet specific business needs. Customization services include API programming, scripting and business logic, customer rules, mentoring, training, and integration services.

The Standard and Professional versions of the software are integrated standalone software solutions, and only PDF Import/Export is offered separately. The Enterprise edition however has different modules available to extend the system and meet your organizations requirements. These individual modules include Form Designer, System Administrator, Scan Station, Recognition, Verification, Correction, Exporting, Monitoring, and PDF Import/Export.

Cognition software provides several export options and works with many popular databases. Processed data can be exported in XML, DBF, Microsoft Excel, and CSV (Comma Separated Values) file formats. This data file can be used for integration in your other applications, such as Enterprise Resource Planning Software, Statistical Software, Reporting Tools, and Web sites. Cognition is also ODBC compliant, which allows you to integrate clean data directly into a database for further reporting or analysis. Images can also be exported into databases or file systems and stored in common electronic formats, including PDF, BMP, TIFF, WMF, and PCX for later storage and retrieval.

Both training and support are available with Cognition. For training, you can contact the Professional Development Center for standard and/or customized training services. Technical support is also available with a maintenance service plan.

Cognition has numerous installations and, on average, companies using this solution see an improvement of 20 to 70 percent.

The current users of Cognition range from banks and educational institutions to service bureaus and professional individuals. Their business needs vary from simple, single-user computer solutions to process a single form to processing many simple-to-complex forms in a multi-user, distributed environment.

The security system for both the Standard and Professional editions is based on the operating system that is being used. With this, selection of the proper version of Microsoft Windows is important to ensure your security needs can be addressed. The Enterprise edition has its own role-based administrative security model in addition to the features of Windows security. In Cognition Enterprise, security is granular down to the batch level.

Yes. Cognition can be integrated with other backend databases by using the standard ODBC interface. The Cognition API and scripting interfaces allow for further customization into existing legacy systems, programs, and applications. Scantron's Professional Services can also help with this customization and integration.

You can arrange to view an online demo or schedule a customer site visit by contacting Scantron at 1-800-722-6876.

Scantron offers maintenance and upgrade options for Cognition customers. Maintenance packages provide prompt and accurate support when it is needed most from the Technical Support Center. With Scantron's Right To New Version (RTNV), customers stay current by automatically receiving all major and minor releases of licensed software. Upon release of new versions, customers with RTNV service will be shipped the new media once software becomes generally available. Customers who choose not to subscribe to the RTNV service will be notified when new major release software is being offered.