BASALT · JOURNAL
Searchable PDF quality control checklist
An OCR layer makes a scan searchable, but it can contain errors that change names, numbers, dates, and legal terms. Quality control should test both what the reader sees and what search retrieves.
Test representative pages
Search headings, names, dates, numbers, and words with small or unusual fonts. Check tables, stamps, handwriting, rotated pages, and low-contrast scans. Compare search results with the visible page rather than assuming every match is accurate.
Protect against false confidence
OCR can invent characters or miss text entirely. For sensitive workflows, visually review every page for identifiers and redact image regions as well as the OCR text. A searchable layer is an aid to review, not a substitute for it.
Verify the release copy
Check page order, language, copy-and-paste behavior, and file size. Remove unneeded metadata and attachments. If the PDF has been redacted, search again after export and inspect the page images for remnants.
Frequently asked questions
Can OCR change the visible PDF?
Usually it adds an invisible or selectable text layer, but some workflows also alter the page image. Compare before and after.
What are the hardest pages for OCR?
Tables, handwriting, skewed scans, small type, stamps, and low contrast commonly produce errors.
Should OCR be trusted for numbers?
No. Verify important numbers against the visible page, especially before redaction or filing.
Doing it in Basalt
Basalt keeps OCR and PDF review local, helping you search documents while checking visible pixels and output integrity. Download Basalt.
Redaction that proves itself
Basalt destroys the content you mark, then re-opens the file it wrote and proves the content is gone before it saves anything. Your documents never leave your Mac.