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How to Scan Documents for Best Results

Improve extraction quality and confidence scores with proper scanning techniques.

The quality of your scans directly affects CargoLint’s extraction accuracy and confidence scores. Following these scanning best practices ensures you get the most reliable results from the platform.

Before you start

  • You have physical documents or high-quality digital files to scan
  • You have access to a scanner or smartphone camera
  • You understand how to save files in supported formats (PDF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF)

Steps

1. Scan at 300 DPI or higher

DPI (dots per inch) measures scan resolution. Scan documents at 300 DPI minimum; 600 DPI is ideal for documents with small text. Higher DPI captures more detail, allowing CargoLint’s AI to read fine print and handwritten entries more accurately.

2. Ensure good contrast and lighting

  • Lighting: Scan under bright, even lighting. Avoid shadows or glare that create dark or washed-out areas.
  • Contrast: Ensure text is dark against a light background. If using a smartphone camera, avoid backlighting that makes text fade into the background.
  • Reflections: Remove any reflective coating or plastic covers from documents before scanning.

3. Maintain proper orientation

Scan documents so text reads left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Sideways or upside-down documents confuse the extraction system. If you scan multiple pages, ensure all pages have consistent orientation.

4. Avoid handwritten annotations

Minimize handwritten notes, corrections, or margin comments on the documents you scan. Handwriting reduces extraction confidence because the AI is trained on printed text. If your document has handwritten sections, focus on ensuring the printed data is crystal clear.

5. Use single-page PDFs for individual documents

For each document (invoice, packing list, bill of lading), create a single PDF file rather than combining multiple documents into one file. This helps CargoLint process documents independently and reduces extraction errors.

6. Combine multi-page documents into one PDF

If a single invoice or packing list spans multiple pages, combine all pages into one PDF file before uploading. CargoLint extracts from the first page by default, so ensure key information appears on page one.

7. Use clear file naming conventions

Name your files descriptively (for example, “Invoice-ABC-Company-2026-03-14.pdf” rather than “Scan001.pdf”). Clear names make searching easier and help you identify documents in the dashboard.

8. Keep files under 5MB

CargoLint’s maximum file size is 5MB. High-DPI scans can exceed this. If your file is too large, lower the DPI slightly (to 400 instead of 600) or compress the PDF using online compression tools.

9. Test scan quality before batch uploading

Before uploading 20 invoices, test with one. Review its extraction results and confidence scores. If confidence is below 70% for most fields, adjust your scanning settings and try again.

10. Store originals safely

After scanning, store your original documents securely. CargoLint’s extracted data is valuable, but physical originals remain important for customs audits and disputes.

Tip: If you’re using a smartphone camera instead of a scanner, use a document scanning app (like Adobe Scan or Microsoft Lens) to automatically enhance contrast and correct perspective.

Tip: Batch-scan documents in similar lighting and from the same angle to maintain consistency. This improves extraction reliability across your entire upload.

Tip: If you notice consistently low confidence on a document type, compare successful and unsuccessful scans to identify the difference. Often it’s lighting or contrast that makes the difference.

What’s next

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