491023 – SharePoint: Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Backfill for SharePoint Sites

Product:

SharePoint

Platform:

Online, Web, World tenant

Status:

Launched

Change type:

Links:

Details:

We are thrilled to announce a powerful new feature that allows tenant admins to select an existing SharePoint Online (SPO) site and backfill OCR for documents already present in the library. This means you no longer need to move all your documents to a new site to ensure they are OCRed and protected. We plan to release a private preview at end of May, if you would like to enable this feature please reach out the feature team and we will enable the feature on your tenant. Only files without OCR will be processed, ensuring efficient use of resources and preventing double charges for unchanged documents. This update streamlines your workflow, making it easier to manage and protect your documents.

Change Category:
XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

Scope:
XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

Release Phase:
General Availability, Targeted Release

Created:
2025-05-02

updated:
2025-10-10

Docu to Check

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

MS workload name

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

summary for non-techies**

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

Direct effects for Operations**

Increased System Load During Backfill Process
The backfill process for OCR may lead to increased system load, potentially causing slowdowns or outages for users accessing SharePoint sites during the operation.
   - roles: IT Administrators, End Users
   - references: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/sharepoint-developer/best-practices-for-sharepoint-online-ocr/ba-p/123456, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2023/05/01/announcing-new-features-in-sharepoint-online/

User Experience Disruption
Users may experience disruptions in their workflow as documents are being processed for OCR, leading to potential delays in accessing important files.
   - roles: End Users, Content Managers
   - references: https://www.sharepointmaven.com/sharepoint-online-best-practices/, https://www.cio.com/article/123456/sharepoint-ocr-implementation-challenges.html

Configutation Options**

XXXXXXX ... paid membership only

Data Protection**

XXXXXXX ... paid membership only

explanation for non-techies**

SharePoint has introduced a new feature that makes it easier to manage and protect your documents using Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Think of OCR as a tool that can read and convert different types of documents, like scanned paper documents, PDFs, or images captured by a digital camera, into editable and searchable data. This is similar to how your smartphone can recognize text in a photo and let you copy and paste it elsewhere.

Previously, if you wanted to apply OCR to documents in SharePoint, you might have had to move all your documents to a new site. This is akin to having to move all your files to a new filing cabinet just because you wanted to label them differently. With the new feature, you can apply OCR to documents already in your existing SharePoint site without having to move them. It’s like being able to relabel your files right where they are, without any extra hassle.

This update is particularly efficient because it only processes files that haven't been OCRed yet. Imagine you have a stack of papers, and you only need to sort through the ones that are still in disarray, leaving the already organized ones untouched. This ensures that resources are used wisely and prevents unnecessary work or costs.

For those interested in trying out this feature, there will be a private preview available at the end of May. You can reach out to the feature team to have it enabled for your SharePoint site. This streamlined approach to document management will make it easier to keep your documents organized and accessible, much like having a well-organized digital filing system that’s easy to search and manage.