Scanning Package Hits Suite Spot

It doesn't take a chronically disorganized person to produce a hard drive cluttered with files and documents. All it takes these days is a scanner. If your multigigabyte hard drive is so full of scanned documents and images that you can't find what you need quickly, consider Pagis Pro 3.0, a time-saving document manager and scanning suite that helps you to stay on top of your scanning tasks.

At a street price of $119, Pagis Pro 3.0 costs a tad more than ScanSoft's previous version, but it also has more management features and is bundled with better software than the $99 Pagis Pro 2.0. Like its predecessor, Pagis Pro 3.0 works with virtually any TWAIN-compliant scanner. You can use Pagis to convert paper documents into editable text, annotate scans and fill in forms, edit photos, send faxes, and make quick copies (using your scanner and printer in tandem). Then Pagis will help you to keep all of these images and documents organized and at your disposal.

Manage Your Scans

As someone who has worked with lots of scanners and used a variety of scanning software, I was eager to give Pagis Pro a spin. Installing the shipping version I tested was a breeze, and I liked the CD-ROM's multimedia tour, which provided an excellent overview of the product's many features. Version 3.0 also has a Scanning Wizard that automatically sets up your scanner to work with Pagis Pro, and a new toolbar provides one-click access to all the scanning suite's functions.

Once I set it up, I quickly became acquainted with Pagis Pro's intuitive document management tools. Pagis Pro can create full-text indexes of your documents in any folder (or on an entire drive) that you select. The software works seamlessly with Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0--so you can complete all management tasks by working with thumbnail images of your documents from within Windows Explorer.

The upgraded version also has more powerful search capabilities, including enhanced Boolean features such as the ability to use fuzzy logic and to search for things by what they sound like.

Pagis Pro lets you convert your scanned documents to HTML (including graphics), so you can deliver them via the Web. You can also share Pagis documents with others who don't have the program; just click an option to add the new Mini Viewer to your scanned files and e-mail them as attachments.

A Better Bundle

Pagis Pro's excellent document management features have consistently placed it ahead of similar scanning suites, such as NewSoft's Presto PageManager and Visioneer's PaperPort (recently acquired by ScanSoft). But electronic file management isn't Pagis Pro 3.0's only trick: This latest upgrade also incorporates full, integrated versions of TextBridge Pro 9.0 optical character recognition software and the Adobe PhotoDeluxe Business Edition image editor. Both of these products are outstanding performers, and both provide top-notch tools for the average businessperson. Considering that TextBridge and PhotoDeluxe are $99 and $45 respectively, it doesn't take a calculator to figure out that at $119, Pagis Pro 3.0 is a real bargain.

Using a Hewlett-Packard ScanJet 5200Cse in tandem with the Pagis suite, I scanned a variety of photos using PhotoDeluxe Business Edition, and text-based documents (including single- and multiple-column formats and pages with tables and graphics) using TextBridge Pro's OCR features. As expected, I obtained excellent results using both of these applications.

All in all, it's easy to recommend Pagis Pro 3.0 as a worthy scanning solution for any user who wants more powerful software than what came bundled with the scanner hardware. And if you already have TextBridge or an earlier version of Pagis Pro, you may be eligible for a 3.0 upgrade at a reduced price. Check with ScanSoft for details.