Customer Reviews

CardScan Executive v8 Card Scanner

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

I'm not sure why the previous reviewer had so much trouble with the character recognition. Perhaps it is a defect in the particular unit he received. In my case, it did a very fine job recognizing the data on a large variety of business cards. Very fast, and easy to use. I did not activate the integration with Outlook, but did set it up to make the Cardscan contact list available in Outlook, and that worked just fine.
My only quibble is with the free online backup that they offer: the fine print tells you that they will email everyone on your contact list periodically to encourage them to join up. This sounds like a great way to lose all your friends, so I didn't do it.

After years of delaying the purchase of a business card scanner, I decided to make the plunge after amassing a pile of 300+ business cards. Generally, I am an early adopter of any technology that introduces additional efficiency into my life. However, I was a bit skittish about obtaining a business card scanner due to the negative impressions of the product category. However, despite a few of its shortcomings, the CardScan Executive has been a worthwhile investment.

In the past, coworkers have argued that the accuracy of such products is so low (<90% that they offer little value beyond the manual entry process. While the OCR accuracy of scanning complicated multicolored business cards is in fact only 85% to 90%, the CardScan software facilitates very rapid manual correction of the data. Not only are all of the relevant fields laid out in a consistent tabular form regardless of the original order, but the CardScan software highlights questionable data. At the same time, it allows the user to compare this data to the saved scanned image of the card. This juxtaposition is an important element of the value proposition of CardScan Executive solution. Regardless of the accuracy, the scanned images can be flipped through while inspecting the estimated OCR text. It is important to note that the user can scan hundreds of business cards, rapidly one at a time, before any of the time consuming manual correction takes place.

This automated process capability is one element of the software that I didn't fully understand before purchase. Assume you have 500 business cards that have elaborate graphics, which leads you to correctly guess there may be a high error rate. This isn't necessarily a problem as you can 1) scan all of the cards then 2) process (i.e. OCR)then 3) verify manually. The manual step can be done weeks later if you chose. In my case, I often don't know if I will need any of the cards, so the ability to scan and throw away the paper cards is important. Unfortunately it does not have a multi-card sheet feeder so assume that 5-10 seconds per card must be devoted to the original scanning process.

Another shortcoming of the CardScan Executive solution is that it does not learn as it goes. For example, if you have several business cards with crazy graphics from employees of a single company, the software does not recognize that you already identified key text on the previously manually verified cards. Moreover, where it can correctly recognize URLs and email domain names, the software can't intelligently determine the company name with this information. The difference between the domain name and the spelling of the company name is most notable with companies that have elaborate icons embedded in their company names.

The limitations of the device and software are most likely driven by cost. For several thousand dollars, the afforementioned limitations could be addressed. Yet, at this price point, most individuals who place a value of their time of greater than $20/hour (very low bar for white collar workers) and who want to digitize more than 225 business cards throughout the life of the product will receive a positive return on their investment.

Calculation
3 minutes saved per card for 225 cards = 11.25 hours
11.25 hours @ $20/hour = $225 > $200 purchase price

Pros
Relatively fast scanning
Easy Setup
Software productivity aids for manual verification

Cons
No automated sheet feeder
Does not learn from previous verifications or intelligently extract data from the different parts of the card to improve OCR (i.e. company name matched to URL/email domain)

The product worked for three days and then stopped working. CardScan is one of these companies that asked not to return the product to the store but to contact their customer service if the product has a problem. I was on hold with customer service for 35 minutes before giving up. I wrote their tech support an email regarding the issue. Two days later I received a response asking me what scanner I had purchased and what color the light was showing (even though all this information was provided in the initial email). After sending this information again they determined that the unit I had purchased was defective and they would send me a new unit. The unit they sent me turned out to be refurbished. I was incredibly disappointed that it took so long for their tech support to respond and that they did not keep to their commitment an exchange the defective unit for a new unit. Considering I had spent close to $300 on a NEW unit and not refurbished one and the unit I purchased only worked for three days this was the least they should have done. This company does not stand by their product.

I have held off getting a card scanner for a long time because I knew that it would be a challenge to find one that could pick up all of the characters and put them in the correct place in Outlook. This one has come a long way. You still need to check each card carefully. Because each company can have such unique titles or logos often only part of the company name is picked up, or a number 1 is seen as a number 7. I do find, that though I type very quickly, this scan process is effective. A bit pricy though for not being able to be "perfect." They do have a 30 day trial which for some people might be the ideal answer.

I just installed the Card Scan Executive for my division and am finding discrepencies between the card and the scan image about 30% of the time. As a result, it is necessary to check each scan for errors, which was an unpleasant surprise. Although it is still faster than typing all of the information in yourself, the system is certainly not flawless.

Product worked ok for a while with Outlook at Windows XP. However, after upgrading to Windows 7 I was shocked to learn that I had to pay $119 to upgrade the Cardscan software. Product also lacks the ability to sync with online contact databases such as Google Apps (gmail). I can not recommend products from companies who double-dip their customers by charging outrageous fees to keeping the product functioning and relevant.

I have a lot of reservation about how it can decipher the information and put it in the right fields. I have a lot of business cards from overseas, and they are of all fonts, and styles. But I was pleasantly surprised by CARDSCAN abilility to process the information and put it in the right fields. We may have to tweak here and there, but it is much better than typing in everything yourself. I highly recommend it.

A wonderful device if you still use XP or Win 7 x32.

Unfortunately it won't work with Win 7 x64. The scanner doesn't have a driver for x64 and the software becomes inoperative in a Win 7 x64 environment.

Too bad because it was a 5 star device in a 32 bit environment.

Apparently it doesn't generate enough profit for Dymo for them to keep it current.

This is my 2nd one. the first one was returned, as it didnt work. (cardscan customer support was horrible. Called 3x to see if i did something wrong. they told me that sometimes the scanner does fail and to return to the seller).A Very easy install process...once it did work, it is easy to use. Takes about 30 sec/card to scan and correct any of the mis-filed fields and incorrect spellings.

The exchange software with V8 to a CMS system can be a little difficult to use, as the directions are somewhat vague, but it is easy to figure out.

Also gets all the business cards and various business card folders off your desk.

This is the worst electronic product I've ever bought in my life.

After buying the product, I scanned all my 200 business cards and throw them away. It went on to lost all my contacts within a week.

I have not been using for about 3 months (since it is not usable) and my cards begin to pile up again. I thought I should reinstall the software and give it another chance. I tried to download the driver from their website, I was taken through the registration process, promising at the end I will get the driver. Instead, I was shown a broken page after I went through the registration and provided all my information.

It is an incredible horrible company in terms of products and services. All it has given me is grief.