Software - Desktop
Software - Desktop
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Adobe - Optical Character Recognition & Exporting to Excel
When you create an Acrobat Document (PDF) from Word, the actual text of what was written is stored in that document. This allows the user to select text so it can copied and pasted into another document. It also allows newer versions of Microsoft Word to open that file so you can edit it. (Side note: While this works, Word doesn’t do a great job of preserving the formatting). However, when paper documents are scanned into a computer, the PDF file is created using an image, without the actual text.
Without the embedded text, the you can’t copy and paste, you can’t open the file in Word for editing and, perhaps most importantly, the document can’t be searched. Fortunately, Acrobat can analyze the picture, recognize the text and add it to the document.
Here’s how…..
We’ll use a sample document that was printed out and scanned in. The PDF document has been embedded so you can try it yourself.
Open the file and you’ll see the chart of numbers below. If you try to select the text you’ll find that you can’t…..
Scan Text with OCR (Optimal Character Recognition)
Click Tools and then Scan & OCR
Now click Recognize Text and then In this File:
Then click the Recognize Text Button
Acrobat will then recognize the text. Try highlighting, copying and pasting the text. You’ll see that now, you can!
Since this is a chart of numbers you might want to paste it into Excel.
Go ahead….Try it. You’ll get something that looks like the picture below, which isn’t all that useful.
Export Data into Excel
Fortunately, Acrobat has a better way to get your document into excel.
In Acrobat, if you choose File > Export To > Spreadsheet > Microsoft Excel Workbook, you’ll be able to save the contents as a spreadsheet and open it in Excel.
As you can see, the result is much more useful:
One caveat that you should be aware of is that this process isn’t perfect. Acrobat is “reading” the text by looking at the lines in the document. If the scan isn’t clear, has smudges, watermarks or is distorted in any way, the software can read the document incorrectly. When working with text, this typically isn’t a big problem because spell check will catch most of the errors. However, when working with numbers, it’s important to verify that everything worked properly.
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Consulting & Advising Services
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How do I re-activate Office for an off-campus machine?
Microsoft Office 2016 must be activated using a license key obtained from https://software.rutgers.edu
Connect to Rutgers VPN:
VPN Installation and Configuration Instructions
Order License Key
- Log on to: https://software.rutgers.edu
- Under "License Types" to the left, click on "Microsoft EES Software"
- Select the appropriate version of Microsoft Office
- Click the "Items" tab at the bottom
- Click Add to Cart
- For "Delivery Method" select "Download"
- Click Checkout
- Verify your email and click Next
- Click Submit Order
- Select My Software from the main menu at the top
- Select Microsoft Office 2016
- Click License
- Find the 25-character key from the "License Info" field
Activate Office
- Open any Microsoft Office application (e.g. Excel, PowerPoint, or Word)
- Click "File"
- Click "Account"
- Click "Change Product Key"
- Enter the 25-character key from the "License Info" field found under "My Software" on software.rutgers.edu (see above)
- After entering the key, click "Install"
- Click Activate
- Click "Yes" to allow "Windows Activation" to make changes to your device.
If you are still receiving messages that Office is no longer activated, please SUBMIT REQUEST.
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How do I re-activate Windows for an off-campus machine?
Microsoft Windows 10 must be activated using a license key obtained from https://software.rutgers.edu
Microsoft Office 2016 activation steps are here.
Connect to Rutgers VPN:
VPN Installation and Configuration Instructions
Order License Key
- Log on to: https://software.rutgers.edu
- Under "Operating System," click on Windows
- Click the link for "Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise Upgrade 32/64bitProduct Activation Required EES Agreement Rutgers-Owned Equipment Only"
- Click the "Items" tab at the bottom
- Click Add to Cart
- For "Delivery Method" select "Download"
- Click Checkout
- Verify your email and click Next
- Click Submit Order
- Select My Software from the main menu at the top
- Under "Microsoft Windows 10," click License
- Find the 25-character key from the "License Info" field
Activate Windows
- Go to System control panel (Windows Key + Pause/Break)
- Under "Windows activation," click Change product key
- Click Yes to allow "Windows Activation" to make changes to your device.
- Enter the 25-character key from the "License Info" field found under "My Software" on software.rutgers.edu (see above)
- After entering the key, click Next
- Click Activate
If you are still receiving messages that Windows is no longer activated, please SUBMIT REQUEST.
