readur/docs/guide/overview.md

Readur User Guide Overview

Welcome to the comprehensive guide for using Readur's document management system. This guide covers everything from basic operations to advanced features.

Guide Structure

Getting Started

• Installation - Deploy Readur with Docker
• Quick Start - 5-minute setup guide
• Configuration - Customize your deployment

Core Features

• Document Management - Upload, organize, and manage documents
• OCR Processing - Extract text from scanned documents
• Search & Discovery - Find information quickly
• Labels & Organization - Categorize and structure content

Advanced Features

• Sources & Sync - Automated document import
• Advanced Search - Complex queries and filters
• User Management - Roles and permissions
• API Integration - Programmatic access

Administration

• Deployment - Production setup and scaling
• Monitoring - System health and metrics
• Backup & Recovery - Data protection
• Migration - Upgrades and data migration

Quick Navigation

By User Type

Document Users

Start here if you need to:

• Upload and organize documents
• Search for specific content
• Export and share documents

Key Guides:

1. User Guide
2. Search Features
3. Labels Guide

System Administrators

Start here if you need to:

• Deploy and configure Readur
• Manage users and permissions
• Monitor system health
• Set up integrations

Key Guides:

1. Installation
2. Configuration
3. User Management
4. Deployment

Developers

Start here if you need to:

• Integrate with the API
• Customize Readur
• Contribute to development

Key Guides:

1. API Reference
2. Development Setup
3. Architecture

By Task

Initial Setup

1. Install Readur
2. Configure OCR languages
3. Set up authentication
4. Create users

Document Processing

1. Upload documents
2. Configure OCR
3. Monitor processing
4. Troubleshoot OCR

Search & Organization

1. Basic search
2. Advanced search syntax
3. Create labels
4. Save searches

Integration & Automation

1. Set up sources
2. Configure watch folders
3. Use the API
4. Automate workflows

Feature Highlights

Document Intelligence

• OCR in 100+ Languages: Process documents in virtually any language
• Format Support: PDF, images, Office documents, and text files
• Batch Processing: Handle thousands of documents efficiently
• Quality Enhancement: Automatic rotation, deskewing, and preprocessing

Search Capabilities

• Full-Text Search: Search within document content
• Boolean Logic: Complex queries with AND, OR, NOT
• Fuzzy Matching: Handle OCR errors and typos
• Filters: By date, type, size, labels, and more

Organization Tools

• Flexible Labels: Create custom categorization systems
• Bulk Operations: Apply changes to multiple documents
• Smart Collections: Saved searches that update automatically
• Multiple Views: List and grid layouts

Integration Options

• REST API: Complete programmatic access
• Source Sync: WebDAV, S3, local folders
• SSO/OIDC: Enterprise authentication
• Webhooks: Event-driven automation

Best Practices

Document Organization

1. Consistent Naming: Use descriptive, standardized file names
2. Label Strategy: Create a hierarchical label structure
3. Regular Cleanup: Archive or remove outdated documents
4. Folder Structure: Organize source folders logically

Performance Optimization

1. OCR Settings: Balance quality vs. speed for your needs
2. Concurrent Jobs: Match to available CPU cores
3. Storage Backend: Use S3 for large collections
4. Search Indexing: Schedule reindexing during off-hours

Security

1. Change Defaults: Always change default passwords
2. Enable HTTPS: Use SSL/TLS in production
3. Regular Backups: Automate database backups
4. Access Control: Use roles and permissions appropriately

Workflow Efficiency

1. Bulk Upload: Process similar documents together
2. Automation: Set up sources for automatic import
3. Saved Searches: Create shortcuts for common queries
4. Keyboard Shortcuts: Learn shortcuts for faster navigation

Troubleshooting Resources

Common Issues

• OCR not starting
• Search not finding documents
• Slow performance
• Upload failures

Getting Help

• Documentation Search: Use the search bar above
• GitHub Issues: Report bugs
• Community Forum: Ask questions
• System Logs: Check logs for detailed error information

Version Information

This documentation covers Readur version 2.5.4 and later. Key features in recent versions:

Version 2.5.4

• S3 storage backend support
• Enhanced source synchronization
• Per-user watch directories
• Improved health monitoring

Version 2.5.0

• OIDC/SSO authentication
• Advanced search operators
• Bulk operations
• Performance improvements

Next Steps

New Users

1. Start with the Quick Start Guide
2. Read the User Guide
3. Learn about Search Features

Administrators

1. Review Configuration Options
2. Set up Monitoring
3. Plan Backup Strategy

Advanced Users

1. Explore API Integration
2. Configure Sources
3. Optimize OCR Performance