Developer

Five Apps: Utilities for converting paper documents to PDF

By · January 16, 2014, 3:19 PM PST

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  • Converting paper documents to PDF

    This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

    If you have a lot of paper documents laying around, it may be helpful to be able to scan those documents and save them as PDF files. PDF files take up less space than paper documents, and they can make it easy to search for specific information. Here are five utilities for converting paper documents to PDF.

  • 1. Soda PDF 6

    Soda PDF 6 is a full-blown PDF editor that also includes scanning capabilities. The utility is divided into a series of modules, each of which deliver different functionality. The installer allows you to pick and choose the modules that you want to install. It costs $39.00 (USD), but a free trial version is available for download.

  • Soda PDF 6 View tab

    Soda PDF allows you to scan and perform optical character recognition on paper documents, but it also offers the ability to edit existing PDFs. 

  • Soda PDF 6 Create tab

    With Soda PDF 6, you can batch import files.

  • Soda PDF 6 Edit tab

    Soda PDF 6 is able to save PDF files to alternate formats, such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, HTML files, TXT files, or even images.

  • Soda PDF 6 OCR

    Soda PDF 6 even offers a OCR Module.

  • 2. Softi Scan to PDF

    Softi Scan to PDF is a simple utility for scanning paper documents and converting them to PDF files. The utility offers a clean and simple interface that allows for control over color and resolution, but it lacks any of the features of a full-blown PDF editor. Softi Scan to PDF costs $29.95 (USD), but a free trial is available for download.

  • Softi Scan to PDF brightness settings

    You can easily change the brightness settings with Softi Scan to PDF.

  • Softi Scan to PDF DPI settings

    With Softi Scan to PDF, you can easily change the DPI settings.

  • Softi Scan to PDF color settings

    Here you see the color settings for Softi Scan to PDF.

  • Softi Scan to PDF Settings

    Scan to PDF Settings for Softi Scan to PDF.

  • 3. Advanced Scan to PDF Free

    Advanced Scan to PDF Free is a free tool for converting paper documents to PDF format. When installing Advanced Scan to PDF Free, be sure to perform the custom installation. Otherwise, the software will install a toolbar, change your browser home page, and change your search provider, in addition to installing other software.

  • Advanced Scan to PDF Free scan feature

    Here you can see the Scan to PDF/JPG to PDF tab.

  • Advanced Scan to PDF Free Compression

    One of the software’s main features is its ability to specify compression type.

  • Advanced Scan to PDF Free Paper Size

    Another main feature is its ability to specify paper size. There are also a number of features that can be used to adjust the image size and positioning.

  • Advanced Scan to PDF Free Tools

    The software even has the ability to add password protection and a digital signature to documents that you create.

  • Advanced Scan to PDF Free Help

    The Help tab in Advanced Scan to PDF Free.

  • 4. Readiris Pro

    Readiris Pro is a utility that is designed to scan paper documents and convert them to PDFs, Microsoft Office documents, or even e-mail messages. It costs $129.00 (USD), but a free trial is available for download.

  • Readiris Pro image file formats

    The software can also create documents from a variety of image file formats.

  • Readiris Pro Zones

    The Zones tab in Readiris Pro.

  • Readiris Pro Page tab

    The software offers a variety of document controls, such as the ability to rotate and adjust pages, plus the ability to delete blank pages.

  • Readiris Pro Cloud Setup

    In addition, Readiris has a cloud setup function through which the software can be linked to cloud providers such as SkyDrive or Dropbox.

  • Readiris Pro View tab

    Here you can see the Readiris Pro options under the View tab.

  • 5. SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR

    SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR is a utility for scanning documents and converting them to PDF format. It costs $295.00 (USD), but a free trial is available for download.

  • SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR File

    In addition to the basic image conversion process, SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR also performs optical character recognition in order to make the documents searchable.

  • SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR Edit

    The Edit options in SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR.

  • SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR View

    The View options in SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR.

  • SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR Options

    The program offers a number of Options that give you control of everything from document formatting to mouse functionality. 

  • SolarSys DocScan Pro OCR Language

    The software even supports the installation of additional languages.

Converting paper documents to PDF

This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

If you have a lot of paper documents laying around, it may be helpful to be able to scan those documents and save them as PDF files. PDF files take up less space than paper documents, and they can make it easy to search for specific information. Here are five utilities for converting paper documents to PDF.

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