Do you know what Is AWS Textract or what ML OCR is? If you don’t, then read this AWS Textract tutorial to learn about this latest technology offered by Amazon Web Services.
The invention of the internet advanced the modern world in a blip. The world has shifted from traditional ways of conducting businesses and is moving towards modern operational models and techniques.
So bringing them up to date with the modern standards, pioneers of cloud computing, Amazon Web Services, introduced services like AWS Textract, which were the most refined (machine learning) ML OCR world needed.
Explaining AWS Textract & How is it an ML OCR?
AWS Textract is one of the services offered by cloud computing giants Amazon Web Services. This specific service is a machine learning optical character recognition (ML OCR) service.
In laymen’s terms, this service can identify, extract and convert any text-related data from scanned documents. Before the internet, all data was recorded manually; this service can help you digitize it.
What is an ML OCR?
Textract by Amazon Web Services is not the only machine learning optical character recognition service; many others perform similar tasks. Still, they are one of the leading services in their category.
These services are created to help humanity digitize manual data of the years gone by and extract fresh data from resources of today like PDFs, pictures, etc.
They are useful in helping you find and retrieve data required without having to manually rewrite them, which we used to do before this service was invented.
Primary Job of an AWS Textract
AWS Textract is a machine learning (ML) service that retrieves text, writing, and data from datasets automatically. Textract reads and processes any form of a document using machine learning.
It can reliably retrieve content, notes, spreadsheets, and other material without human labor. Whether you’re automating loan procedures or obtaining data from sales invoices, you can swiftly automate material scanning.
The best feature AWS Textract offers is that you can rely on the data gathered by them, as they have a remarkable accuracy rate.
Their speed is also a big selling point as Textract can extract data in minutes rather than hours or days other services take to process. These benefits have made them the preferred choice of the public.
Functions AWS Textract Perform?
The following are the four functions AWS Textract can perform that have earned them the reputation they enjoy.
| Extraction of Key-Value | AWS Textract can cleanly extract data and present you in the similar way it was in its processing document |
| Stores Data in Bounded Boxes | This service stores your data in bounded boxes, so it is protected at all costs when extracted, and you do not lose your data at any mishap |
| Ability to Extract Tables | Not many machines learning optical character recognition services can extract tables and present them in their accurate form, but AWS Textract can. This is one of their standout functions, which sets them apart from their competitors. |
| Score of Confidence | AWS Textract even goes above and beyond by providing you with a score of confidence for the data you have extracted from scanned documents. They do this so you can know how accurate the scanned information is. |
Use Cases of AWS Textract
AWS Textract is a revolutionary ML OCR (machine learning optical character recognition) service that can be used in many cases. However, the following are their most prevalent uses:
1. Expert Handling of Financial Scenarios
Financial matters are one of the most sensitive matters you will ever come across in your life. Even a single mistake could have devastating consequences, as you can lose it all if you are not careful with it.
Hence, this is a matter that only experts should handle, and AWS Textract allows you to handle delicate financial documents with complete clarity.
They do more than just convert your scanned document. They even tell you if the information on it is accurate or not. If the score they provide is too low, then you should consult a lawyer and not sign it.
2. Leaders in Helping You Provide Accurate Health Care Services
Health care documents can be complicated to handle, as the wrong name or age could strip you from the benefits you deserve. In a worst-case scenario, you can get the incorrect procedure.
You can be prescribed the wrong medications, and the last thing you require is the domino effect of a mix-up in health care services. Therefore, you should use AWS Textract to provide the correct information.
3. Official Governing Matters
The government has been around for hundreds of years, and in this time, they have filed, acted, and redacted various laws in and out of effect.
Their governing procedures are sensitive matters which shouldn’t mix up.
Thus, we believe AWS Textract is perfect to be used here as it can accurately inform you if the scanned information is still relevant or not; in case you need an updated version, it can guide you where to find it.
4. Personal Business Applications
Banks change their rules and regulation quite often. So if you are applying for a business loan, you could be filling out an online form that is no longer in circulation.
In a situation like this, AWS Textract is invaluable as it saves you precious time and effort to inform you which form to fill and how to fill it so you can save time and work efficiently.
5. Tax Season Assistance
Tax evasion is a felony; however, a huge percentage of the population partakes in partial evasion because they don’t know any better. Understanding how to file taxes is a complicated matter.
Unfortunately, neither school nor college covers it properly; hence AWS Textract can be used here to help you fill out the correct form to protect yourself from a crime and be a responsible citizen.
Benefits of Using AWS Textract
Now that you know the different uses of the AWS Textract, we will now discuss the benefits of using this service.
1. Provides Accurate & Swift Data Conversion
The foremost benefit AWS Textract serves you with is an accurate and swift data conversion. There are quite a few ML OCR (machine learning optical character recognition) services, but none can work as accurately and swiftly as Textract.
2. The Most Secure Optical Character Recognition Service
AWS Textract is part of Amazon Web Services, synonymous with unrivaled privacy protection. Therefore, when you use their service, you can rest peacefully, knowing your data is encrypted and protected at all costs.
3. Seamless Integration With Other AWS Services
If you wish to use your extracted data in a variety of manners with AWS Textract, you can do so as it provides seamless integration with other AWS services.
4. Industry-Leading Performance
Regardless of the nature of the job, your performance speed in modern times is something that everyone requires.
Hence, we believe a huge benefit of using AWS Textract is their industry-leading performance. No one can perform data extraction as competently and quickly as they do.
5. Offers You Up To Three Thousand Free Document Conversions
We believe one of the biggest advantages AWS Textract offers you that gives them a decisive edge over their competitors is that they allow you three thousand free document extractions for the first three months.
Drawbacks of Using AWS Textract
AWS Textract is one of the leading machine learning optical character recognition services. However, it isn’t perfect, and to keep this guide neutral, we would now like to highlight their drawbacks:
| ML OCR of AWS Textract Struggles With Custom Requests | AWS Textract can extract data from a document perfectly fine, but it tends to suffer if you require it to extract a custom request from the said document. |
| Lack of Integration With Other Services | As an AWS service, they are only compatible with them compared to working with others. |
| Confidentiality Hesitance | Textract uploads all of their data on a cloud which can cause hesitance in some users as they do not prefer their data being saved or shared anywhere else. |
| Inability To Perform Document Verification | AWS Textract provides you with a confidence score, but unlike many of its competitors, it cannot inform you if the document is a verified piece of information or fake. |
| Limited Language Support | AWS only supports major languages in the world. |
Prominent Businesses That Use AWS Textract ML OCR
The following are the businesses that utilize AWS Textract:
- BDO
- Anthem
- Filevine
What Job Does AWS Textract Perform?
The following are the jobs AWS Textract can perform for you
| Text Extraction From Scanned Documents |
| Extracted Text Accuracy Verification |
| Conversion of Extracted Text To Any Format You Want |
Advantages of Employing AWS Textract?
The following are the most basic advantages of utilizing AWS Textract:
| Provides Accurate & Swift Data Conversion |
| The Most Secure Optical Character Recognition Service |
| Seamless Integration With Other AWS Services |
| Industry-Leading Performance |
| Offers You Up To Three Thousand Free Document Conversions |
AWS Textract example
Now, that you have learned a lot about Textract, let us see how it works in real-time with an example.
Step 1. Open the console navigate to the Textract page and click on the Analyze ID in the left panel.
Step 2. Hit the “choose document” and select the license file you would like to convert to text, and we are done.
AWS textract vs tesseract
| Textract | Tesseract |
| It is an AWS-provided AI-based solution to extract text from documents or images. | Open source engine for text extraction and it can also be used in Lambda calls. |
FAQs Related To AWS Textract
The following are the FAQs of the AWS Textract:
Q: Define AWS Textract In Laymen Terms?
AWS Textract is a service that accurately extracts data from scanned documents.
Q: What Is The Average Pricing For AWS Textract?
AWS Textract offers free document extraction for up to 3,000 documents for the first three months.
After that, they have a paid tier whose detail you can find out by visiting the following link on AWS Textract pricing https://aws.amazon.com/textract/pricing/
Q: Is AWS Textract Included In AWS Free Tier?
Yes, AWS Textract is included in AWS Free Tier.
Final Thoughts
AWS Textract is a machine learning optical character recognition (ML OCR) service that can help you perform data extraction from scanned documents proficiently and quickly.
They can also be used to digitize non-digitized files as we have discussed above. What do you think about AWS Textract? Let us know in the comments.
Happy Clouding!!
I am an Amazon Web Services Professional, having more than 11 years of experience in AWS and other technologies. Extensively working in various AWS tools like S3, Lambda, API, Kinesis, Load Balancers, EKS, ECS, and many more. Working as a Solution Architect and Technology Lead for Architecting and implementing the same for different clients. He provides expert solutions around the world and especially in countries like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Check out the complete profile on About us.
