How to scan business cards into your contacts

Digitizing business cards: never lose a contact again

After a networking event or conference you come home with a stack of business cards. Entering all that contact information into your phone by hand is time-consuming and error-prone. Fortunately, with the right apps you can scan business cards and turn them into contacts automatically. In this article you'll discover the best methods to streamline your contact management.

Why scan business cards?

Scanning business cards offers many advantages over manual entry. It saves time: what normally takes minutes is done in seconds with a scan. The chance of typos is eliminated because the text is copied directly. In addition, you can save the scanned cards as a reference, so you can look back at the original later.

Digital contacts are also much more practical than paper cards. You can search them, categorize them and sync them to all your devices. A contact you add on your phone is immediately available on your tablet and computer. And you never run the risk of losing an important card.

Best apps for scanning business cards

Microsoft Lens (Free)

Microsoft Lens has a special mode for business cards. Select the 'Business Card' option and point your camera at the card. The app automatically recognizes the name, company, phone number, email address and other details. With one tap you add the contact to your phone or export it to Outlook.

The integration with Microsoft services is a big advantage for business users. Contacts can be saved directly in Outlook, making them available on all your devices with Microsoft 365. Recognition is accurate, even for cards with unusual layouts.

Google Lens (Free)

Google Lens is built into many Android phones and available as a separate app for iOS. The app can recognize text on business cards and offers the option to create a contact right away. Although there is no dedicated business card mode, the text recognition works very well.

A handy feature is the direct integration with Google Contacts. Scanned information can be added to your Google account with a few taps, after which the contact syncs automatically to all linked devices. The app also works offline for basic recognition.

ABBYY Business Card Reader (Free/Premium)

ABBYY is a specialized app for scanning business cards and offers excellent recognition in more than 25 languages. The app automatically recognizes the structure of the card and assigns the details to the right fields. You can organize cards in groups and export them to CRM systems.

The free version limits the number of scans, but for most users this is enough. The premium version offers unlimited scanning and advanced features such as batch processing of multiple cards at once.

CamCard (Free/Premium)

CamCard has been a popular choice for scanning business cards for years. The app offers excellent recognition and can store cards in the cloud. A handy feature is the ability to share cards with other CamCard users, ideal for networking.

The app also has a feature for scanning multiple cards at once. Lay your stack of cards side by side and scan them in one go. The premium version offers unlimited storage and integration with Salesforce and other CRM platforms.

Evernote Scannable (Free, iOS)

For Evernote users, Scannable is a logical choice. The app is specifically designed for quick document scans and recognizes business cards automatically. Scanned cards are saved in Evernote, where you can tag and organize them. LinkedIn integration helps you link contacts to their profile.

Step by step: scanning a business card

Preparation

Place the business card on a flat, contrasting surface. A white background works well for dark cards and vice versa. Make sure there is enough light without reflections: this is especially important for glossy cards. Avoid shadows by not holding your phone too close to the card.

Scanning

Open your scanning app and choose the business card mode if available. Point the camera at the card until the app detects the edges. Hold your phone steady and wait for the scan to be taken automatically, or press the shutter button manually. Turn the card over if there is information on the back and scan that side too.

Checking and correcting

After scanning, the app shows the recognized information. Check that all details have been assigned correctly. Sometimes phone numbers and fax numbers get swapped, or a job title is treated as part of the name. Correct any errors before you save the contact.

Saving and organizing

Save the contact in your address book or CRM system. Optionally add notes about where you met the person or what you talked about. This helps you remember the context later. Categorize contacts in groups such as 'Conference 2024' or 'Potential customers'.

Tips for better recognition

The quality of the recognition depends on several factors. Cards with standard layouts are recognized best. Creative designs with unusual fonts or vertical text can be problematic. Scan such cards extra carefully and check the results.

Double-sided cards require two scans. Make sure you scan both sides and combine the information into a single contact. Some apps automatically detect that there is a back side and ask you to scan it as well.

For cards in other languages, set the recognition language to the language of the card. This improves accuracy considerably, especially for non-Western languages and names.

Integration with CRM and address book

Most scanning apps can export contacts to your default address book on iPhone or Android. From there they sync via iCloud or Google to all your devices. For business users, integration with CRM systems such as Salesforce, HubSpot or Zoho is valuable.

Some apps offer direct integration with LinkedIn. This helps you enrich contact details with additional information from the LinkedIn profile. You can also send a connection request directly from the app.

Privacy and data protection

When choosing a scanning app, privacy is an important consideration. Some apps process scans in the cloud, which means your contact details are sent to external servers. Check the privacy policy and choose apps that offer local processing if you scan sensitive business contacts.

GDPR considerations are also relevant. When you digitize and store other people's contact details, you are technically dealing with personal data. Make sure you only use the data for legitimate purposes and secure your contact database properly.

Frequently asked questions

Which app is best for scanning business cards?

Microsoft Lens and CamCard are excellent free options with a dedicated business card mode. For business users who need CRM integration, ABBYY Business Card Reader is a good choice. Evernote users benefit from Scannable on iOS.

Can I scan business cards into my iPhone contacts?

Yes, all major scanning apps can export contacts to the iPhone Contacts app. Microsoft Lens, Google Lens and CamCard all offer this functionality. The contacts then sync via iCloud to all your Apple devices.

Are both sides of a business card scanned?

Most apps ask you to scan the back as well if they detect that there is one. You do have to turn the card over by hand and scan it again. The information from both sides is combined into a single contact.

Does business card scanning also work for non-Dutch cards?

Yes, most apps support dozens of languages. Set the correct language for better recognition. Apps such as ABBYY Business Card Reader support more than 25 languages, including languages with non-Western scripts.