How Scanning Works: Choosing the Right Method
PaperScorer offers three ways to get completed answer sheets into the system: bulk file upload, the mobile app, and email scanning. This article explains how each works and helps you decide which fits your situation.
The Three Scanning Methods at a Glance
| Method | Best for | Speed per sheet | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk file upload | Large batches (full class or more) scanned on a document scanner | Fastest | None |
| Mobile app | Quick grading of 1–20 sheets with your phone camera, or on the go | Slower per sheet but no scanner needed | Install app on phone |
| Email scanning | Scanners that email PDFs directly, or forwarding scans from your inbox | Depends on email delivery | None |
Method 1: Bulk File Upload
The bulk upload is the fastest and most reliable option when you have access to a document scanner.
- Scan all completed answer sheets into a single multi-page PDF (or one JPG per sheet).
- Go to Upload & Score in PaperScorer.
- Drag and drop the file into the upload area, or click to browse.
- PaperScorer splits the PDF into individual pages and processes each one.
- Results appear in your upload history as each page finishes.
File requirements:
- Supported formats: PDF or JPG
- Maximum file size: 250 MB per file
- Recommended: 300 DPI in grayscale
For scanner setup details, see Ideal Scanner Settings & Tips for Bulk Uploads and Tips & Tricks for Bulk Uploads.
Method 2: Mobile App
The mobile app turns your phone’s camera into a sheet scanner. It’s the right choice for quick grading when you don’t have a document scanner nearby.
- Install the app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). Search for PaperScorer — the publisher is Classify Learning.
- Sign in with your PaperScorer account.
- Aim your phone at a completed answer sheet — the app auto-detects the edges and captures.
- Each scan uploads to your account.
- Results appear in the web app shortly after.
NOTE: the mobile app is a scanning tool only. Results, reports, and grading features live in the PaperScorer web app — the mobile app doesn’t display scores.
See Getting Started with the PaperScorer Mobile App for install steps and Scanning Guidelines for capture technique.
Method 3: Email Scanning
Email scanning is ideal for office multifunction printers that can email scans directly, or when you receive PDFs from a colleague and want to forward them straight to PaperScorer.
- Attach your scanned PDF(s) to an email.
- Send to
scan@paperscorer.com. - Critical: the email must be sent from the email address on your PaperScorer account. PaperScorer matches the sender address to your account to know whose results to update.
- You’ll receive a confirmation email when scanning starts and a results email when it finishes.
TIP: most modern office copiers can scan-to-email. Add scan@paperscorer.com to the copier’s address book, and make sure the copier’s “From” address is your individual email (not a shared office address) so PaperScorer routes results to your account.
See Scanning via Email: Setup and Usage for the full setup walkthrough.
Which Method Should You Use?
- You have a document scanner and 20+ sheets → Bulk file upload.
- You’re grading a handful of sheets from your desk → Mobile app.
- Your school’s copier can email scans → Email scanning.
- You’re on the go and only have your phone → Mobile app.
- You received sheets as PDF attachments from a colleague → Bulk upload or email scanning.
You can also mix methods on the same assessment — mobile-app scans, bulk PDF uploads, and email scans all land in the same place once processed.
What Happens After Upload?
Regardless of method, every uploaded sheet runs through the same scanning engine:
- Detection — the engine finds the sheet’s QR code and corner alignment markers.
- Identification — it matches the sheet to the correct assessment and student.
- Scoring — answers are extracted and scored against your answer key.
- Storage — results are saved to the assessment and visible in the web app.
If a sheet can’t be processed, it’s marked as failed and you’ll see the reason in your upload history. See Understanding Scan Failures & How to Fix Them.