Articles on: Technical

How to Scan a Paper Business Card with the "Exchange" Feature (OCR)

The "Exchange" feature on VKARD allows you to easily collect contact details from prospects during your interactions. To take things even further, we've added an option to scan paper business cards using OCR (Optical Character Recognition).



🧩 What Is the Paper Business Card Scan For?


When you meet a prospect, they can share their contact information in two ways:


  • By manually filling out the form
  • Or by scanning their paper business card, which will be automatically read and interpreted


This system uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to extract information such as first name, last name, email, phone number, company, etc., directly from a photo of the card.



🚀 Steps to Use the OCR Scan from a VKARD Profile


1. Go to the Person’s VKARD Profile


Visit the VKARD profile of the team member you're meeting. You will see two buttons:


  • Contact card
  • Exchange (this is the one you’ll need)


Click the "Exchange" button.




2. Open the Exchange Form


Clicking "Exchange" opens a form where you will find:


  • Standard fields (name, email, company, etc.)
  • A section dedicated to scanning a paper business card


You’ll see a prompt inviting you to take a photo of your business card so VKARD can automatically extract the information.



3. Scan the Business Card


Click the đź“· "Take a Photo" button:


  • Your phone (or device) camera will open.
  • Take a well-lit, properly framed photo of your business card.


🔍 VKARD will then analyze the image using OCR to extract the key information and auto-fill the form with your contact details.




4. Review the Detected Information


Once the card is scanned:


  • A preview of your card will appear.
  • The form will be automatically completed with the extracted data (name, company, phone number, etc.)


You can manually edit or adjust any field before clicking "Send".




🗂️ What Happens After Submission?


As soon as the prospect clicks "Send":


  • The profile owner receives an email notification that a new prospect has made contact
  • The prospect is automatically saved in the "Prospects" tab of the VKARD dashboard
  • All information extracted from the card is stored and accessible


đź’ˇ Best Practices for Optimal Scanning


To ensure accurate OCR detection, follow these tips:


  • Take the photo in a well-lit environment
  • Use a business card with clear, legible fonts
  • Properly frame the card within the image
  • Avoid glare, shadows, or blurry areas



Updated on: 04/08/2025