OCR API that understands your documents

An OCR API (Optical Character Recognition) is a programmable service that automatically converts images, PDFs, and scanned documents into structured, machine-readable text data. Modern AI-powered OCR solutions go far beyond simple character recognition: they understand document structure, extract specific fields, identify tables, and validate data, all powered by deep learning models trained on millions of documents.

AI OCR operates in several stages: image preprocessing (orientation correction, resolution enhancement), text zone detection, character recognition via neural networks, structured data extraction, and post-processing with validation. Unlike rule-based traditional OCR, AI OCR relies on Transformer models and large language models (LLMs) to interpret document context, handle complex layouts, and continuously improve accuracy.

Traditional OCR simply recognizes characters in an image without understanding their meaning or context. It struggles with handwritten documents, complex layouts, or degraded files, with error rates that can exceed 15%. AI OCR, by contrast, understands the semantic structure of a document, extracts precise information (amounts, dates, names, reference numbers), handles multiple languages simultaneously, and achieves accuracy above 99% on standard documents. It can also detect inconsistencies and flag suspicious documents.

With Koncile, accuracy rates on high-quality standard documents (invoices, purchase orders, payslips, statements) are consistently very high, thanks to an approach that combines OCR, intelligent data structuring, and configurable consistency checks.

Accuracy depends on several factors: source document quality and resolution, layout complexity, supplier format variability, and the presence of handwritten text.

Unlike traditional OCR tools limited to character recognition, Koncile applies field and table-oriented extraction logic with confidence scores and inconsistency alerts delivering a significantly higher reliability level in demanding operational environments.

Koncile can process documents containing handwritten text, but as with any AI-based OCR technology, accuracy is generally lower than on structured printed text.

Performance depends heavily on handwriting legibility, scan quality, and form standardization.

Koncile's approach is context- and field-oriented: when handwriting appears in a structured document (form fields, short annotations), results can be operationally viable, with associated confidence scores.

For critical use cases requiring maximum reliability, it is recommended to combine extraction with validation rules or human review on sensitive fields.

An AI OCR API can handle a very wide range of documents: supplier and customer invoices, payslips, bank statements, contracts and commercial agreements, ID cards and passports, tax assessments, administrative certificates, medical prescriptions, delivery notes, purchase orders, expense reports, and various forms.

The most advanced solutions handle scanned documents, native PDFs, and smartphone-captured photos alike.

OCR APIs are used across many sectors: finance and banking (statement processing, KYC verification, accounts payable automation), human resources (payslip processing, onboarding document checks), legal (contract analysis, document archiving), healthcare (patient records, prescriptions), logistics (delivery notes, labels), insurance (claims management), and public administration (form and correspondence processing).

Wherever documents feed into a business process, AI OCR can automate their handling.

Integrating an OCR API into your information system typically relies on REST HTTP calls: you send the document (PDF or image) to a secure endpoint, and the API returns a structured JSON containing the extracted data.

With Koncile, you can either make synchronous calls to retrieve results immediately, or configure webhooks to receive data automatically once processing is complete.

Beyond standard OCR, you define the fields to extract via configurable templates, and the API returns structured data, confidence scores, and consistency alerts.
Ready to be injected into your ERP or business tools. For technical details, see our API documentation.

Processing speed depends on the architecture and the level of analysis applied to the document.

With Koncile, a single page is typically processed within a few seconds including not only field extraction but also table structuring, confidence score calculation, and configured consistency checks.

For high volumes, the API is designed for batch processing with automatic scaling. For workflows requiring seamless integration, Koncile offers both synchronous calls and an asynchronous mode with webhooks, enabling automatic downstream actions as soon as processing is complete, whether for online validation, an ERP workflow, or a document pipeline.

With Koncile, data is hosted on a secure infrastructure with encryption in transit and at rest, and a clear contractual framework through a Data Processing Agreement.

Processed documents are not used to train generic models, and retention policies can be adapted to client requirements.

For sensitive environments, Koncile follows a compliance approach aligned with recognized market standards, including security and audit requirements suited to regulated organizations.

It is essential to review the DPA and the safeguards in place to ensure that extracted personal data fully benefits from the protections required by the GDPR.

Pricing models vary across providers: per-page billing, monthly subscription with an included page quota, or per-API-call pricing.

Some platforms offer free access with volume limits ideal for testing.

For high volumes, negotiated enterprise pricing typically offers the most competitive unit costs. It's also worth comparing total cost of ownership: a cheaper but less accurate solution may end up costing more in manual corrections.