Automatic document reading (OCR)
The document OCR module speeds up visitor registration in ACCELERO. Instead of manually typing the document data, the operator points a camera at the person's document: the system reads the image, automatically extracts the name and the document number, and pre-fills the visitor's registration.
It is aimed at gatehouses and receptions with a high volume of visitors, where reducing service time and typing errors makes a direct difference in the entry queue.
This feature is provided as a plugin and must be installed and enabled by the IONGRADE technical team. Contact support to check compatibility with your version of ACCELERO.
Current plugin version: 0.0.4 — compatible with ACCELERO 2.16.9 or higher.
What the feature does
With the module active, the quick visitor registration screen gains a button to capture the document through the camera.
| Feature | What happens in ACCELERO |
|---|---|
| Capture by camera | The operator chooses a camera, positions the document, and captures the image directly from the registration screen |
| Data extraction | The module reads the image and automatically returns the person's name and document number |
| Pre-filling | The extracted document number is entered into the document search field of the visitor's registration |
| Registration creation | If a person with that document does not yet exist, ACCELERO creates the record automatically with name and document |
| Monthly usage limit | A configurable limit of queries per month controls the module's usage |
Eliminates manual typing of the document at the reception, reducing service time and registration errors.
Prerequisites for the button to appear
The Capture Document (OCR) button only appears on the quick visitor registration screen when all the conditions below are met:
- The operator has the OCR usage permission (see Permission).
- The monthly request limit has not been reached.
- A document has already been provided in the registration, but the person does not yet exist in the system (new registration).
The feature serves to speed up the first registration of a visitor. If the person is already registered, the document cannot be captured again — the system displays a warning and blocks the capture.
How to use it at the reception
Navigation path: quick visitor registration screen (in Events).
- Start the visitor registration and provide the person's document.
- With the document filled in and the person not yet registered, click Capture Document (OCR).
- In the capture window, select the desired camera.
- Click Start Camera.
- Position the document within the marked area on the screen, with good lighting.
- Click Capture. The image is processed and, on success, the document number is filled in automatically in the registration.
Quick visitor registration screen with the Capture Document (OCR) button visible after providing the document.
OCR Document Capture window (modal), showing the instructions card, the camera selector, the video area with the document positioning frame, and the Start Camera and Capture buttons.
Supported cameras
The capture accepts the same camera sources used in the rest of ACCELERO:
| Source | Description |
|---|---|
| Webcam | Local device camera (laptop, USB) — prioritizes the rear camera at high resolution when available |
| IP camera | Stream from a network camera |
| Video gateway | Stream delivered via ACCELERO's video gateway |
The chosen camera is remembered in the browser and is pre-selected in the next capture, speeding up subsequent service.
Configuration
Navigation path: Settings > Plugins - OCR
The configuration screen has a single tab (General) with the connection and usage parameters of the module.
OCR module configuration screen, showing the API endpoint, Authentication token, and Monthly Request Limit fields.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| API endpoint | Address of the OCR service — provided by IONGRADE during deployment |
| Authentication token | Authentication key for the OCR service — provided by IONGRADE |
| Monthly Request Limit | Maximum number of captures allowed per month. Use 0 for unlimited |
The API endpoint and the Authentication token are sensitive data provided by IONGRADE upon module activation. Do not share these credentials.
Monthly request limit
The limit controls how many captures can be processed in a month:
- With a limit of 0, usage is unlimited.
- With a limit greater than zero, each successful capture increments the counter for the current month.
- When the limit is reached, the capture button stops appearing until the month turns over.
- The counter is reset automatically on the first day of the following month.
When the monthly limit is reached, new captures become unavailable and the reception returns to manual document registration until the next month. Size the limit according to the reception's expected volume.
Permission
Installing the module creates a specific OCR usage permission, which must be assigned to the operator profiles that will be able to use the camera capture.
Operators without this permission do not see the capture button — for them, the visitor registration follows the normal manual flow.
How the capture works
- The operator captures the document image through the camera.
- The image is sent to the OCR service, which returns the name and the document number that were read.
- If there is not yet a person registered with that document, ACCELERO creates the registration automatically with name and document.
- The document number is filled in the visitor's registration, and the operator completes the remaining information normally.
If the image cannot be processed (poorly positioned document, bad lighting, communication failure with the service), the system displays an error message and keeps the window open for another attempt. In these cases, reposition the document and capture again.
Use cases
Enable OCR for a reception
- Request the installation of the OCR module from IONGRADE.
- Receive the API endpoint and the Authentication token.
- In
Settings > Plugins - OCR, fill in the endpoint, token, and the Monthly Request Limit. - Assign the OCR usage permission to the profiles of the reception operators.
- Validate the capture with a test document in the quick visitor registration.
Register a visitor by OCR
- Start the visitor registration and provide the document.
- Click Capture Document (OCR).
- Select the camera, start, position the document, and click Capture.
- Check the pre-filled data and complete the registration.
Best practices
- Lighting and framing: instruct operators to position the document within the marked area, with good light and no reflections, to increase the reading accuracy rate.
- Restricted permission: assign the OCR usage permission only to operators who actually register visitors.
- Size the monthly limit: adjust the Monthly Request Limit to the reception's actual volume, avoiding unavailability in the middle of the month.
- Check the read data: OCR speeds up the registration, but the operator should always check the name and document before completing.
Troubleshooting
The capture button does not appear
Possible causes:
- The operator does not have the OCR usage permission.
- The Monthly Request Limit has already been reached.
- The document has not yet been provided in the registration, or the person already exists.
Solution:
- Confirm whether the operator's profile has the OCR usage permission.
- Check whether the monthly limit has been reached in
Settings > Plugins - OCR. - Provide the document and confirm that it is a new registration (person not yet existing).
The capture returns an error when processing the image
Possible causes:
- Poorly positioned document or low-quality image.
- Incorrect API endpoint or Authentication token.
- Communication failure with the OCR service.
Solution:
- Reposition the document in the marked area, with good lighting, and capture again.
- Check the API endpoint and the Authentication token on the configuration screen.
- If the error persists, contact IONGRADE support.
Captures stopped working in the middle of the month
Possible cause:
- The Monthly Request Limit was reached.
Solution:
- Check the configured limit in
Settings > Plugins - OCR. - Adjust the limit (or use 0 for unlimited) according to the reception's needs. The counter is reset on the first day of the following month.
Integration with other modules
Events (Visitors)
OCR acts directly on the quick visitor registration of the Events module, filling in the document and, when necessary, creating the person's registration.
People
When the read document does not yet exist, the module creates a record in People with the name and document extracted from the captured document.