PDF Processing Mode - ABBYY Documentation

When ABBYY Vantage processes a PDF document, it needs to decide how to extract the text. Some PDFs contain an embedded text layer, which is searchable text written directly into the file. Others are image-only files that require optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text. The PDF Processing Mode setting gives you explicit control over which method Vantage uses. This is especially useful when:

You are working in regulated industries where reproducibility and auditability of extraction results are required.
Your document set contains PDFs with low-quality or unreliable embedded text layers that would produce better results with OCR.
You are migrating from ABBYY FlexiCapture and need to replicate the processing behavior of your existing workflows.
You need consistent, predictable processing behavior across all documents regardless of their content.

PDF Processing Mode options

Mode	Description	When to use
Default (Recommended)	Uses the embedded PDF text layer when available and supplements it with OCR as needed. This is the standard Vantage processing behavior.	General use. Recommended for most document sets with a mix of text-layer and image-only PDFs.
Use OCR Only	Ignores any embedded PDF text layer and performs full OCR on every page of the document.	Use when PDF text layers are known to be unreliable or corrupt, or when you need consistent OCR-based extraction across all documents regardless of their structure.
Use Text Layer Only	Extracts text exclusively from the embedded PDF text layer. If no text layer exists, Vantage falls back to OCR automatically.	Use when you have high-quality, trusted text layers and want faster extraction without full OCR. Useful for regulated environments where the existing text layer is the authoritative source.

Example scenarios for each mode

The following examples show typical situations where each mode is the best choice.

Mixed scanned and digital PDFs

You process a high-volume mix of scanned paper documents and digitally born PDFs in the same workflow. Some files have clean text layers, and others don’t. Default (Recommended) handles both automatically without any per-document configuration.

PDFs with a low-quality text layer

Your document set consists of PDFs produced by a legacy scanning system that embeds a low-quality text layer during scanning. That embedded layer contains recognition errors that degrade field extraction. Use OCR Only bypasses it entirely and extracts clean text directly from the page image.

Digitally born PDFs with an accurate text layer

Your organization processes digitally born PDF invoices exported from a vendor’s ERP system. The embedded text layer is accurate and machine-generated. Using Use Text Layer Only delivers fast, reliable extraction without running unnecessary OCR.

Regulated environments

You work in a regulated industry (such as financial services or healthcare) where extraction results must be fully reproducible and auditable. Locking the mode to either Use Text Layer Only or Use OCR Only ensures the same processing path is always used, regardless of how documents arrive.

Where to configure PDF Processing Mode

The PDF Processing Mode setting is on the General tab, under Image Processing, in the following dialog boxes:

Location	Dialog box
OCR skill	Create OCR Skill when you create the skill, or Edit OCR Skill when you edit it
OCR activity in a Process skill	OCR Settings

For step-by-step instructions, see Configure PDF Processing Mode.

Supported Technology Core versions

PDF Processing Mode is supported for skills using Technology Core 2.4 or Technology Core 3.0. It isn’t available for Technology Core 2.0.

​PDF Processing Mode options

​Example scenarios for each mode

​Mixed scanned and digital PDFs

​PDFs with a low-quality text layer

​Digitally born PDFs with an accurate text layer

​Regulated environments

​Where to configure PDF Processing Mode

​Supported Technology Core versions

​Related topics