CDIP flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Bitonal scanning

Capturing an image at one bit per pixel, producing only black and white. Best for clean high-contrast text; unsuitable for photographs or faded documents where gray tones carry information.

Deskew

Rotating a scanned image to correct page tilt introduced by the feeder. Performed before OCR because even small skew reduces character recognition accuracy and can break zone-based field extraction.

Optical character recognition

Software conversion of a scanned image of text into machine-encoded characters. Accuracy depends on resolution, contrast, skew, and font; output should be validated against a confidence threshold.

Dropout color

A form printing color that the scanner ignores, removing preprinted lines and boxes from the captured image. It must differ from the ink color used to fill in the data fields.

Double-feed detection

A scanner control using ultrasonic or page-length sensing to detect two sheets pulled together. It is the primary safeguard against silently missing pages in high-volume capture batches.

Image file size formula

Uncompressed size in bytes approximates pixel width times pixel height times bit depth, divided by eight. Use it to estimate storage needs and scanner throughput before compression.

TIFF preservation master

An uncompressed or LZW-compressed TIFF retained as the authoritative captured image. Derivatives such as JPEG or PDF are generated from it so quality is never degraded by repeated re-encoding.

Zone OCR

Running recognition only on predefined regions of a form to extract specific fields. Faster and more reliable than full-page OCR when form layout is fixed and templates are registered.

WORM storage

Write once, read many media or object-lock policies that prevent modification or deletion for a set period. Used to satisfy legal hold, audit, and regulatory immutability requirements.

Retention schedule

A rule set defining how long each record class is kept and its final disposition, either destruction or permanent preservation. It drives storage tiering and deletion automation.

Legal hold

A directive suspending normal retention deletion because records may be relevant to litigation or investigation. It must be tracked per matter and explicitly released before disposition resumes.

Backup versus archive

Backups restore operational state after failure and are short-lived; archives are the authoritative long-term record. An archive must be independently retrievable without restoring production systems.

Content hash verification

Computing a cryptographic digest such as SHA-256 over a stored file and comparing it to the recorded value. It detects silent corruption and proves integrity after migration.

Storage tiering

Placing records on online, nearline, or offline media according to access frequency and retrieval latency needs. Tier moves should be verified for retrievability before the source copy is removed.

Metadata versus full-text index

Metadata indexes support fielded searches such as date or owner; full-text indexes support searching document content. They are maintained separately and have different refresh and storage costs.

RAID 6

Disk striping with two independent parity blocks, tolerating two simultaneous drive failures. It improves availability and read performance but is not a substitute for backup.

Sequential workflow

A process where each step must complete before the next begins, with ordered mandatory routing. It suits approval chains but lengthens cycle time compared with parallel review.

Parallel workflow

A process where multiple tasks run concurrently and results are merged by a defined consensus rule. It shortens cycle time but requires explicit conflict resolution.

Work queue model

Items wait in a queue and are claimed by users or rules based on skill, priority, and workload. Claim and lock semantics prevent two workers processing the same item.

SLA escalation timer

A configurable clock attached to a workflow step that triggers notification or reassignment when the step exceeds its target duration. Timers should be per-step, not hard-coded.

Straight-through processing rate

The percentage of items completed end to end without human intervention. It is a key automation metric and identifies steps where exception handling dominates.

Cycle time versus touch time

Cycle time is total elapsed time from receipt to completion; touch time is the portion actively worked. The difference represents waiting waste in the process.

Exception path

The defined route a rejected or failed item takes, such as return to prior step, supervisor review, or termination with recorded reason. Every rejection must have one.

Workflow audit trail

A tamper-evident log recording user, timestamp, prior state, and new state for every workflow transition. It supports audit, dispute resolution, and process analysis.

PDF/A

An ISO 19005 archival PDF profile forbidding encryption, external font dependence, and features that break long-term rendering. It is the standard delivery format for preserved documents.

Redaction verification

Confirming that removed content is deleted from text and image layers, not merely covered by a black box. Extract text from the released file to prove the data is gone.

Print resolution rule

Office laser output typically uses 300 dpi; forms with small type or barcodes need 600 dpi or more. Barcodes also require adequate quiet zones to scan reliably.

Pull printing

Holding print jobs until the user authenticates at the device. It reduces confidential documents left uncollected on shared output trays.

Digital signature versus scanned signature

A digital signature cryptographically binds signer identity to content and detects later changes; a scanned wet-ink image proves neither identity nor integrity.

ISO 15489

The international standard for records management principles and concepts. It defines records characteristics including authenticity, reliability, integrity, and usability.

Chain of custody

A documented record of every transfer and storage location of an item. Gaps weaken evidentiary admissibility and make audit defensibility harder to establish.

Role-based access control

Permissions granted to roles rather than individuals, with users assigned to roles. It simplifies administration and supports least privilege and separation of duties in records systems.