Getting Started with. Ascent Capture Internet Server Revision A

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Ascent Capture

Internet Server

™

5 Getting Started with

Ascent Capture Internet Server 5

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Copyright

Copyright © 2001 Kofax Image Products. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA. The information contained in this document is the property of Kofax Image Products. Neither receipt nor possession hereof confers or transfers any right to reproduce or disclose any part of the contents hereof, without the prior written consent of Kofax Image Products. No patent liability is assumed, however, with respect to the use of the information contained herein.

Trademarks

Ascent Capture Internet Server is a trademark, and Kofax, Ascent Capture, and Adrenaline are registered trademarks of Kofax Image Products.

All other product names and logos are trade and service marks of their respective companies.

Disclaimer

The instructions and descriptions contained in this document were accurate at the time of printing. However, succeeding products and documents are subject to change without notice. Therefore, Kofax Image Products assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly from errors, omissions, or discrepancies between the product and this document.

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How to Use This Guide

Introduction

This Getting Started guide provides information about installing and using the Ascent Capture Internet Server module (ACI Server). It is intended to be used by system administrators who are installing ACI Server to add remote scanning capabilities to their Ascent Capture installation.

This guide assumes that you have a working knowledge of the Internet and Web servers, Microsoft Internet Information Server and its components, your network configuration, and Ascent Capture.

How This Guide is Organized

This guide consists of the following chapters and appendices:

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the ACI Server module.

Chapter 2 explains how to install the ACI Server module. It provides instructions

for installing and configuring a Web server at your central site, as well as installing the software on your remote stations. It also lists the minimum and recommended operating requirements for the product.

Chapter 3 describes the ACI Server user interface. It also explains how to

configure settings to manage Ascent Capture batch processing activity between your central site and remote stations.

Chapter 4 explains how to download batch classes and settings from your central

site, process and upload batches and data from your remote site, and monitor batch processing activity.

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Appendix C lists the IIS settings that are automatically configured by the ACIS

Configuration Wizard during installation. Also included is information about additional settings beyond those set by the wizard that your configuration may require.

Appendix D provides information on the technical support options available for

Kofax products.

Chapter 1

Overview

Introduction

The Ascent Capture Internet Server (ACI Server) module adds Internet/Intranet processing capabilities to Ascent Capture. With this module, Ascent Capture stations can be connected to a central site via the Internet (or Intranet) to assist in the

production document and data capture process. Batches can be scanned and processed at the remote site, and then uploaded to the central site for further processing and release.

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Components

ACI Server components are installed at your central site and one or more remote stations as follows:

• The ACI Server software is installed on an IIS Web server at your central site. It acts as a broker between your central Ascent Capture database and your remote stations.

• The Remote Synchronization Agent is installed on stations at your remote

sites to manage batch classes downloaded from the central site and upload

completed batches to the central site.

Batches created at a remote station are processed through all the modules set to run at the remote site. When the remote processing is complete, the batches can be uploaded to the central site. Once uploaded, the batches are integrated into the central site’s Ascent Capture system for further processing and release.

Admin Station Scan Station Recognition Station QC Station Validation Station LAN Client LAN Client LAN Client LAN Client LAN

Remote Site Central Site

Ascent Capture Server

Ascent Capture Database

OCR Station LAN Client Firewall Internet

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Features

ACI Server eliminates the common and costly practice of shipping documents from remote offices to a central site for processing. It supports remote scanning and processing of documents via the Internet or Intranet, and allows IT and IS managers to develop and implement enterprise-wide capture solutions. With ACI Server, documents can be scanned inexpensively at remote stations and then automatically uploaded to the central site, securely and reliably.

In addition, ACI Server provides the following:

• Centralized administration: The Ascent Capture system administrator can

centrally manage configuration information, schedules for uploading batches, and batch class definitions for all remote stations.

• Quick and easy deployment: The central site’s Web server can be configured

quickly and easily using Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). Remote stations can be configured quickly and easily using Microsoft Internet Explorer.

• Data security: Authentication and encryption settings can be configured

using IIS as desired by the Web administrator. For example, an authentication scheme (such as Anonymous, Basic authentication, or NT challenge/

response) can be configured to control access to content on the central site’s Web server. If desired, the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol can be enabled for encrypted transfer of data between the central and remote sites. Refer to your Microsoft documentation for details on administering security for your central site’s Web server.

• Offline capability: With ACI Server, remote stations do not have to be

connected to the central Ascent Capture server while processing batches. You can set your remote stations to synchronize with your central site at

predetermined intervals or on demand.

• Internet/Intranet support: ACI Server is suitable for Internet and/or Intranet

configurations.

• Scalable: Multiple Web servers can be deployed across one central site. One

or more remote stations can be set up to use a Web server.

• Customizable Web pages: The interface for the software that runs from

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Installing ACI Server

Introduction

The ACI Server module is installed in a distributed way, meaning the software is installed in more than one place. Most of it is installed on a Microsoft Information Internet Server (IIS) Web server at your central site. Software must also be installed on your remote stations to allow the stations to periodically connect to the server to download batch classes and upload completed batches. The components that must be installed are listed below.

At the Central Site

• Ascent Capture must be installed at your central site. It can be installed in a client/server configuration or as a standalone installation.

• ACI Server software must be installed on an IIS Web server at your central site. The IIS Web server must have access to the Ascent Capture database. • Ascent Capture hardware keys must be attached to your Ascent Capture

stations, and an ACI Server hardware key must be attached to your IIS Web server.

At the Remote Sites

• Ascent Capture must be installed as a standalone installation on each remote station.

• The ACI Server Remote Synchronization Agent must be installed on all remote standalone stations.

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Operating Requirements

Your IIS Web server and remote stations must meet the following minimum operating requirements:

Central Site Ascent Capture Requirements

• Ascent Capture 5 installed in a client/server configuration or as a standalone installation.

• Ascent Capture hardware key attached to each station as appropriate for the station.

IIS Web Server System Requirements • One of the following:

! Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 1 (or higher) ! Windows NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 6a (or higher) • One of the following, as appropriate:

! Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0 for Windows 2000 Server ! Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 for Windows NT Server • TCP/IP protocol

• LAN access to the Ascent Capture database at your central site • ACI Server hardware key attached to the IIS Web server IIS Web Server Hardware Requirements

Minimum

• Pentium II 300 MHz processor • 128 Mbytes of memory

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Recommended

• Pentium III 1 GHz processor (or higher) • 256 Mbytes of memory (or higher)

• 500 Mbytes of disk space (or higher) for installation and working space during processing

• 1024 x 768 SVGA display with 65K colors • Parallel port for hardware key

Remote Station Ascent Capture Requirements

• Ascent Capture 5 installed as a standalone installation • Ascent Capture Scan hardware key

Remote Station System Requirements • One of the following operating systems:

! Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 1 (or higher)

! Windows NT 4.0 Server or Workstation with Service Pack 6a (or higher) ! Windows 98 with Service Pack 1 (or higher)

! Windows 98 Second Edition ! Windows Me

• TCP/IP protocol

• Internet Explorer 5.0 (or higher)

• Internet or Intranet access to your IIS Web server Remote Station Hardware Requirements

• Refer to your Getting Started with Ascent Capture 5 guide and your Ascent Capture 5 Installation Road Map for details.

In addition, you should have a working knowledge of the Internet and Web servers; Microsoft Internet Information Server and its components; your network

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Installing ACI Server

The following sections describe how to install and configure the ACI Server software at your central site and your remote stations. Please read through the important installation notes below before you install the software. If you are upgrading from a previous release of ACI Server, read the important installation notes below, and then refer to the section Upgrading ACI Server on page 23 for more details.

Important Installation Notes

Read the following before you install/upgrade ACI Server at your central site and remote stations.

Closing Other Applications

Before installing ACI Server, you must close all other applications (including the Control Panel, virus detection software, and all toolbars) on your system. Information You Need During the Installation

For remote sites, you will need to know the location or Web address of your central site ACI Server.

Example: http://path to your server/ACIS

Windows 2000/Windows NT Installations

To install ACI Server on a Windows 2000 or Windows NT operating system, the logged-in user must have Administrator privileges.

UNC Support

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Read-Only Files

In some cases, you may be prompted to overwrite read-only files during installation. This might happen, for example, if another application has files in memory when you install ACI Server. If this occurs, you must choose to overwrite the files in order for ACI Server to install correctly. If desired, you can make a note about the files being overwritten for future reference.

ACIS Configuration Wizard for IIS Settings

The ACIS Configuration Wizard sets basic IIS settings for an IIS Web server based on the assumption that you have FAT partitions. If your configuration is different, you will need to set additional settings after the installation, as documented in the ACI Server installation procedure starting on page 13. Regardless of your configuration, you should verify that all of your settings are correct before attempting to use ACI Server. For more information about configuration settings, refer to Appendix C, IIS Settings.

Proxy Server Support

ACI Server can run in a proxy server environment. To use a proxy server, you must enable and configure the browser proxy server address and port number for every PC that uses a proxy server. To configure your proxy server settings in Microsoft Internet Explorer, open Internet Explorer and select Tools | Internet Options | Connections | LAN settings.

Custom Module Support

ACI Server supports Ascent Capture custom modules. If you plan on using a custom module at your remote stations, you must register the custom module at your central site and at each remote station after you install ACI Server. For more information about custom modules, refer to the section Using Custom Modules in Chapter 3.

Note Installing ACI Server on a remote station disables the Ascent Capture

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Server Certificates

When using an SSL secured IIS Web server (in either IIS 4 or 5) with certificates that you create for the server, you will not be able to install the Remote Synchronization Agent if problems occur with your certificates. This is true even though you may be able to view the Installation page through Internet Explorer by ignoring any

warnings about invalid certificates.

In addition, the Remote Synchronization Agent cannot automatically synchronize with your central site if problems occur with your certificates. The problematic certificates generate warnings and display one or more prompts that require user response, which interferes with the automated nature of the Remote Synchronization Agent. This is true even though you may be able to view and use the Manual

Synchronization page through Internet Explorer by ignoring any warnings about invalid certificates.

Typical problems with certificates are:

• The certificate authority is invalid (or not trusted) • The certificate date is invalid

• The certificate name does not match the host name

Note To avoid problems, make certain that the certificates you create are valid

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Setting Up Your Central Site

Setting up your central site involves the following basic steps, which should be done in the order listed. You must set up the central site before you can install the remote stations.

Step 1 Install Windows 2000 Server or Windows NT Server and applicable

Service Pack on the station to be set up as your IIS Web server. This can be on the same or a different station as your Ascent Capture server station or Ascent Capture standalone station. (If you use different stations for your IIS Web server and Ascent Capture station, you must have LAN access between the stations.)

Step 2 Make sure Ascent Capture is installed at your central site. It can be

installed in a client/server configuration or as a standalone station.

Step 3 Install the ACI Server software on your IIS Web server.

Step 4 If your IIS Web server and your Ascent Capture server (or standalone

installation) are installed on different stations, make certain that the date/time settings on both stations are synchronized.

Note You may already have some of the above items in place. For example, you may

have an IIS Web server installed and configured. Even so, please read through all the procedures on the following pages to make sure your installation matches the requirements for ACI Server.

Step 1 – Install Windows 2000 Server or Windows NT Server Install the applicable operating system at your central site. ! To install Windows 2000 Server

1 Install Windows 2000 Server on the station to be used as your IIS Web server. 2 Add the Internet Information Services (IIS) Windows component to your

server.

Note Internet Information Services (IIS) is installed on a Windows 2000

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! To install Windows NT Server 4.0

1 Install Windows NT Server 4.0 on the station to be used as your IIS Web

server.

2 Install the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack. (If necessary, you can download it

from the Microsoft Web site.) Choose the “Custom” installation option and select:

• Internet Information Server (IIS) • Microsoft Data Access Components • Microsoft Management Console • Microsoft Transaction Server

• Other components as required. (The installation program will

automatically select additional components to be installed as required by the preceding items. Do not unselect these additional components.) Accept the directory defaults provided during installation.

3 Install Service Pack 6a (or higher).

Important If you installed the Service Pack prior to installing the Windows

NT 4.0 Option Pack, you must reinstall the Service Pack before continuing with the installation.

Step 2 – Install Ascent Capture

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Step 3 – Install the ACI Server Software on the IIS Web Server

At the end of the ACI Server installation, an ACIS Configuration Wizard will run to help set up basic IIS settings for ACI Server. It will set typical configuration settings for an IIS Web server using FAT partitions. Follow the installation procedure carefully as it contains important notes about settings you must change if your computer varies from the expected typical configuration.

! To install ACI Server

1 Insert the ACI Server CD into the CD-ROM drive on your IIS Web server.

The CD supports AutoPlay, so the installation will automatically begin. (If it doesn’t, run Setup.exe from the root directory on the CD.)

2 Select Central Site | Install ACI Server.

3 Follow the instructions on your screen to install the software. Note:

• The default destination for the software is C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\ACIS. It is recommended that you install to that folder.

• The installation will install Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.5.

• For Windows NT Server installations only, the installation will install Microsoft Posting Acceptor 2.0.

4 If this is a new installation, the ACIS Configuration Wizard will appear. The

wizard will assist you in setting up the following: • The ACI Server Web site (ACIS)

• The Ascent virtual directory to point to your Ascent Capture root installation directory

• The Upload virtual directory to temporarily store batches being uploaded from your remote sites

• The anonymous user account (typically IUSR_computername, where computername is the name of your computer). This will be used as the logon account for remote users. The ACIS Configuration Wizard enables anonymous access for each of the ACI Server directories. Anonymous access is required to allow remote stations to automatically poll the central site. When selecting the anonymous user account, be sure to take

the following into consideration:

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! If IIS is installed on a member server (rather than a domain controller), ensure the anonymous user account is a domain-wide account that has permissions on the IIS Web server and the Ascent Capture server. ! If IIS is not installed within a domain, ensure the anonymous user account exists on both the IIS Web server and the Ascent Capture server and has the same password.

The IIS Web server virtual directories can be displayed using Internet Services Manager. For a quick overview of the IIS Web server properties set by the ACIS Configuration Wizard, see Table 2-1 on page 15. For details, see Appendix C.

5 When prompted to do so, reboot your IIS Web server.

6 Verify the user name specified for the anonymous user account has “Log on

locally” permission for the IIS Web server or is a member of a group that has this permission. This is a Microsoft security requirement for anonymous or basic authentication. To identify if your anonymous user account has “Log on locally” permission, see the procedure To display users with Log on locally rights in Appendix C.

7 If Ascent Capture is installed on the same machine as the IIS Web server and

your anonymous user account is a domain account, you need to clear the “Allow IIS to control password” setting set by the ACIS Configuration wizard for the anonymous user account. Note that with Windows NT, this property is called “Enable Automatic Password Synchronization.” For details, see the section Allow IIS to Control Password Settings in Appendix C.

8 If you installed ACI Server and/or Ascent Capture on NTFS partitions, you

must set the required NTFS security settings documented in Table 2-2 on page 15. For more information on these settings, see the section NTFS Security Settings in Appendix C.

Important A reboot is required for NTFS security setting changes to take

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Table 2-1. Virtual Directory Required Settings Virtual

Directory Access Rights Network Directory Application Name Execute Permissions (Windows 2000) Permissions (Windows NT)

ACIS read N/A Ascent scripts and

executables

execute (including script) Ascent read User must have full

control permission,

if Ascent Capture and IIS are on different computers

N/A None None

Upload write N/A N/A None None

Table 2-2. NTFS Required Security Settings Folder

(on an NTFS

partition) Default Location

Anonymous User Permissions Windows 2000 Component Services User Permissions 1 Windows NT Transacation Server User Permissions 2

Ascent C:\Program Files\Ascent

where Ascent Capture is installed full control N/A N/A

Images C:\Program Files\Ascent\Images

where Ascent Capture is installed

write N/A N/A Scripts C:\Inetpub\Scripts

if ACI Server is installed on Windows NT read and execute N/A N/A ACIS C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\ACIS

where ACI Server is installed full control read and execute read and execute Upload C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\ACIS\Upload

where ACI Server is installed full control N/A N/A

Common Files

C:\Program Files\Common Files

where ACI Server is installed full control full control full control

Temp C:\Temp

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Step 4 - Synchronize Date/Time Settings

If your IIS Web server and your Ascent Capture server (or standalone installation) are installed on different stations, make certain that you synchronize the date/time settings on both stations.

Note The date/time on your IIS Web server must be the same or ahead of the

date/time on your Ascent Capture station. If this is not the case, your remote stations will not be able to download batch classes. If they attempt to do so, the message “The Central Site changed the published batch classes while they were being retrieved. Please try again later.” will display.

! To synchronize date/time settings 1 On your Ascent Capture station:

a Display the date/time setting utility as appropriate for your operating

system. For example, on Windows 2000 Server, select Start | Settings | Control Panel | Date/Time. For details, refer to the Microsoft

documentation for your operating system.

b Set the appropriate Date/Time, Time Zone, and Daylight Savings Time

settings.

2 On your IIS Web server, set the date/time settings to match the settings on

your Ascent Capture station.

If possible, set the times on both stations to match to the second. If this is not possible, set the time on the IIS Web server to be ahead of the time on the Ascent Capture station.

Note Computer clocks often drift and may not stay synchronized over a

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Setting Up a Remote Station

Installing and configuring the Remote Synchronization Agent on a remote station involves the following basic steps, which should be performed in the order listed:

Step 1 Make sure Ascent Capture is installed on the remote station as a

standalone installation.

Step 2 Configure the necessary Internet Explorer Security settings.

Step 3 Install the Remote Synchronization Agent on your remote station. The

installation process will disable the Administration module at the remote station.

Step 4 Configure polling times and download batch classes.

Step 1 – Install Ascent Capture

To install the ACI Server Remote Synchronization Agent, Ascent Capture must already be installed on the remote workstation. Install Ascent Capture using the ACI Server CD. It must be installed as a standalone station. In addition, make sure you attach an Ascent Capture Scan hardware key to your remote workstation.

Important If you intend to use a Kofax hardware accelerator (for example, an

Adrenaline 1700) on your scan stations with Ascent Capture, do not install the

drivers that are shipped with the accelerator. The drivers that you need are included

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Step 2 – Configure the Appropriate Internet Explorer Security Settings

You can set Internet Explorer security settings from your Windows Control Panel or from your browser. The instructions below explain how to set them from your browser. Refer to your Windows documentation for information on setting Internet settings from the Control Panel.

! To configure Internet Explorer security settings 1 Run Internet Explorer on the remote station.

2 From the menu bar, select Tools | Internet Options | Security tab. The

Internet Options dialog box will be displayed.

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3 Select the desired zone. (For example, “Internet zone” or “Intranet zone.”)

Then, select “Custom Level.” The Security Settings dialog box will be displayed.

Figure 2-2. Security Settings Dialog Box

4 Enable all of the “ActiveX controls and plug-ins,” “Downloads,” and

“Scripting” options.

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Step 3 – Install the ACI Server Remote Synchronization Agent

You may install the Remote Synchronization Agent via the Web or from the ACI Server CD.

Warning Do not attempt to install the Remote Synchronization Agent on your IIS

Web server and/or the Ascent Capture server at your central site. The Ascent Capture Administration module is automatically disabled from any station on which the Remote Synchronization Agent installation program is run. If you attempt to

install the Remote Synchronization Agent on your IIS Web server or the Ascent Capture server at your central site, your central Ascent Capture installation will become unusable.

In addition, if you want to keep any batch classes already defined at your remote station, export them into .cab files before you install the Remote Synchronization Agent. Then, you can send the .cab files to your central site. Your central site administrator can import them into the central site’s system, republish them, and make them available to download to your remote station. If you do not export your

batch classes before installing the Remote Synchronization Agent, you will not be able to recover them. For more information on exporting and importing batch

classes, see your Ascent Capture documentation.

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! To install from the Web

1 Run Internet Explorer. In the Address box, enter the location or Web address

of your central site ACI Server. A page similar to Figure 2-3 will be displayed.

Note If you are prompted to install the InstallFromTheWeb software, choose

to install it.

Figure 2-3. ACI Server Installation Page

2 Click the “installfromtheweb” button. The Remote Synchronization Agent

will be installed on your remote station.

3 Follow the instructions on your screen to install the software. 4 If prompted to do so, reboot your remote station.

Note The first time you open an ACI Server Web page, you will get a

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! To install from the Ascent Capture Internet Server CD

1 Insert the ACI Server CD into the CD-ROM drive on your remote station.

The CD supports AutoPlay, so the installation will automatically begin. (If it doesn’t, run Setup.exe from the root directory of the CD.)

2 Select Remote Site | Install Remote Synchronization Agent. 3 Follow the instructions on your screen to install the software. 4 If prompted to do so, reboot your remote station.

Note The first time you open an ACI Server Web page, you will get a

message indicating that all existing batch classes will be deleted. This is because, with ACI Server, all batch classes must be administered by the central site. To use ACI Server, click Yes.

Step 4 – Download Batch Classes and Configure Polling Times

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Upgrading ACI Server

The following sections describe how to upgrade and configure the ACI Server module at your central site and remote stations.

Converting Batches From Previous Releases

After the central site has been upgraded, remote sites can continue to create and process version 3.x or 4.x batches to send to the central site. When the batches are uploaded to the central site, the batches are converted to 5.x batches.

Note Until a remote site is upgraded, it will not be able to download 5.x batch

classes for processing.

Upgrading Your Central Site

Upgrading your central site involves the following basic steps, which must be done in the order listed.

Step 1 Stop the Default Web Site on your IIS Web server. It must remain

stopped during the entire central site upgrade process. Failure to do so

may cause loss of batch classes and functionality at your remote sites. Step 2 Upgrade the Ascent Capture software at your central site and republish

your batch classes. For client/server configurations, you must upgrade the Ascent Capture server software and at least one client station.

Step 3 Upgrade the ACI Server software on your IIS Web server. Step 4 Restart the Default Web Site on your IIS Web server.

Note You must upgrade Ascent Capture and ACI Server at your central site before

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Step 1 – Stop the Default Web Site on Your IIS Web Server

You must stop the Default Web Site before you upgrade Ascent Capture at your central site. In addition, you must not start it again until after you upgrade ACI Server at your central site. Doing so will prohibit remote sites from synchronizing during the central site upgrade process.

Warning It is very important that you stop the Default Web Site for the entire central

site upgrade process. If you do not, and a remote station attempts to synchronize with your central site before both Ascent Capture and ACI Server are upgraded, the remote station will lose all published batch classes and will not be able to function. If this occurs, you must complete the upgrade at the central site. Then, you must upgrade Ascent Capture and the Remote Synchronization Agent on the remote station to restore its functionality.

! To stop the Default Web Site

1 On your IIS Web server, do one of the following:

• Windows 2000 Server: Select Start | Programs | Administrative Tools |

Internet Services Manager.

• Windows NT Server: Select Start | Programs | Windows NT 4.0 Option

Pack | Microsoft Internet Information Server | Internet Service Manager.

2 Expand the Internet Information Services tree to display the Default Web

Site.

3 Right-click the Default Web Site folder, and select Stop.

Step 2 – Upgrade Ascent Capture and Republish Batch Classes

Upgrade your Ascent Capture software at your central site. Use the version of Ascent Capture distributed on the ACI Server CD. In addition, make sure to attach the necessary hardware keys to your Ascent Capture stations.

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For all installations, republish your batch classes.

Refer to your Ascent Capture documentation for details on installing and using Ascent Capture, installing and configuring Kofax hardware accelerators, and attaching hardware keys.

Step 3 – Upgrade the ACI Server Software on the IIS Web Server

Upgrade the ACI Server software at your central site. Any previously defined ACI Server configuration settings will be saved during the upgrade process.

! To upgrade ACI Server

1 Make certain that your Default Web Site on your IIS Web server is stopped.

To do so, refer to Step 1 on page 24.

2 Insert the ACI Server CD into the CD-ROM drive on your IIS Web server.

3 Select Central Site | Install ACI Server.

4 Follow the instructions on your screen to install the software. Note You must choose to overwrite any read-only files during the

installation in order for ACI Server to install correctly.

5 When prompted to do so, reboot your IIS Web server.

6 Attach the ACI Server hardware key to the parallel port on your IIS Web

server.

Note If Ascent Capture is installed as a standalone station on the same

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Step 4 – Restart the Default Web Site on Your IIS Web Server

After you upgrade Ascent Capture and ACI Server at your central site, you can restart the Default Web Site on your IIS Web server.

1 On your IIS Web server, do one of the following:

• Windows 2000 Server: Select Start | Programs | Administrative Tools |

Internet Services Manager.

• Windows NT Server: Select Start | Programs | Windows NT 4.0 Option

Pack | Microsoft Internet Information Server | Internet Service Manager.

2 Expand the Internet Information Services tree to display the Default Web

Site.

3 Right-click the Default Web Site folder, and select Start.

Upgrading Your Remote Site

Follow these steps for each remote station:

Step 1 Process all batches on the remote station and upload them to your

central site.

Step 2 Upgrade your Ascent Capture software. It must be installed as a

standalone installation.

Step 3 Upgrade the ACI Server Remote Synchronization Agent. Step 4 Download batch classes and configure polling times. Note The central site must be upgraded before the remote stations.

Step 1 – Process Batches

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Step 2 – Upgrade Ascent Capture

Upgrade the Ascent Capture software on your remote station. To do so, use the version of Ascent Capture distributed on the ACI Server CD. In addition, make sure you attach the necessary hardware keys.

Refer to your Ascent Capture documentation for details on installing and using Ascent Capture, installing and configuring Kofax hardware accelerators, and attaching hardware keys.

Step 3 – Upgrade the Remote Synchronization Agent Software

Upgrade the Remote Synchronization Agent on the remote station. Any previously defined ACI Server configuration settings (such as polling times) will be saved during the upgrade process.

Note You may upgrade the Remote Synchronization Agent via the Web or from the

ACI Server CD.

! To upgrade from the Web

1 Close the Remote Synchronization Agent on your remote station. To do so,

right-click the Remote Synchronization Agent icon located on the Windows taskbar and click Close.

2 Run Internet Explorer. In the Address box, enter the location or Web address

of your central site ACI Server Web site. A page similar to Figure 2-4 will be displayed.

Note You may be prompted to install the InstallFromTheWeb software. If

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Figure 2-4. ACI Server Installation Page

3 Click the “installfromtheweb” button. The Remote Synchronization Agent

will be installed on your remote station.

4 Follow the instructions on your screen to install the software. 5 When prompted to do so, reboot your remote station.

! To upgrade from the Ascent Capture Internet Server CD

1 Close the Remote Synchronization Agent on your remote station. To do so,

right-click the Remote Synchronization Agent icon located on the Windows taskbar and click Close.

2 Insert the ACI Server CD into the CD-ROM drive on your remote station.

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Step 4 – Download Batch Classes and Configure Polling Times

After upgrading the Remote Synchronization Agent, you can modify the remote station configuration settings (such as polling times) and download batch classes. Refer to Chapters 3 and 4 for instructions on performing these tasks.

Note If you uninstalled and reinstalled the Remote Synchronization Agent, you

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Uninstalling ACI Server

This section explains how to uninstall ACI Server components.

! To uninstall the remote site ACI Server Remote Synchronization Agent 1 Close the ACI Server Remote Synchronization Agent. To do so, right-click

the Windows taskbar icon and select Close.

2 Open the Add/Remove Programs utility available from the Windows

Control Panel.

3 Select “ACIS Remote Synchronization Agent” and click Add/Remove. Warning Do not continue to scan batches at your remote station after you

uninstall the Remote Synchronization Agent. You will be able to process the batches through the modules set to run at the remote station, but you will not be able to upload them to your central site or release them at your remote site.

Note the following:

• You will not be able to reinstall the Remote Synchronization Agent with batches in progress in the system.

• You will not be able to recover batches by reinstalling Ascent Capture on the station. You will be able to install Ascent Capture, but the batches will be in a “Completed” state and unavailable to queues on the station. • If you want to use Ascent Capture on the station (without support for

remote processing), you must uninstall the Remote Synchronization Agent and reinstall Ascent Capture on that station.

! To uninstall the central site ACI Server software

1 Open the Add/Remove Programs utility available from the Windows

Control Panel.

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Configuring ACI Server

Introduction

After completing the installation process, you can configure ACI Server settings to help manage Ascent Capture batch processing activity between your central site and the remote stations. This chapter introduces the ACI Server Web pages and explains which ones you use to configure settings.

This chapter covers the following topics: • ACI Server Web pages

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ACI Server Web Pages Overview

Once ACI Server is successfully installed at the central site, you can access an

installation page via the browser on a remote station. From the installation page, you can install the Remote Synchronization Agent on the remote station. Then, you can use the ACI Server Web pages to configure settings and perform other tasks. This section provides an overview of the ACI Server Web pages as listed below:

• Central Administration page (used by the system administrator)

• Installation page (used to install the Remote Synchronization Agent at the remote site)

• Client Configuration page • Manual Synchronization page • Change Password page

The Central Administration page is used by the system administrator. The other ACI Server Web pages are used primarily by remote users.

It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with these pages, from which you perform most ACI Server configuration and processing tasks.

Help Client Configuration Download Batch Classes Upload Change Password Help Installation Manual Synchronization Help Central Administration Help

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Central Administration Page

From the Central Administration page, ACI Server system administrators configure centrally controlled settings for remote stations. For details, see the section

Configuring Central Settings on page 44.

The name of the page is central_admin.asp. To open the Central Administration page, start your browser and enter the following in the Address bar:

http://path to your server/ACIS/central_admin.asp

Note The Central Administration page cannot be accessed via the navigation bar

from any other ACI Server Web page.

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Installation Page

The Installation page is the default page for your ACI Server Web site. You use this page to install the Remote Synchronization Agent on a remote station. You also use the Installation page links to open other ACI Server Web pages.

The name of the page is default.asp. To open the Installation page, start your browser and enter the following in the Address bar:

http://path to your server/ACIS

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Client Configuration Page

From the Client Configuration page, you can configure polling times for a remote station if centrally controlled settings are not in effect. For details, see the section Configuring Remote Station Settings on page 47.

Note If polling times are being centrally controlled, the options on this page will be

unavailable and you will not be able to change them. In this case, you can use the Client Configuration page to view the selected settings.

The name of the page is client_config.htm. To open the Client Configuration page, select it from the navigation bar on the Installation page, the Manual Synchronization page, or the Change Password page. Or, start your browser and enter the following in the Address bar:

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Manual Synchronization Page

From the Manual Synchronization page, you can download batch classes or upload completed batches in between the regularly scheduled polling times. You can also view the ACI Server status log. For details, see the sections Downloading Batch Classes from the Central Site, Uploading Batches to the Central Site, or Monitoring Batch Activity in Chapter 4.

The Manual Synchronization page also lists the number of pages remaining until the ACI Server license reaches its monthly limit for uploading pages to the central site. If the limit is reached, the central site does not accept additional batches until the beginning of the next month, when the license is reset. A warning will display in the status log when a batch is sent and the license is running low.

The name of the page is manual_synch.asp. To open the Manual Synchronization page, select it from the navigation bar on the Installation page, the Client

Configuration page, or the Change Password page. Or, start your browser and enter the following in the Address bar:

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Change Password Page

From the Change Password page, you can modify your Ascent Capture password if the User Profiles feature is enabled at the central site. The new password will become effective the next time:

• A remote station automatically polls the central site.

• A user at the remote site downloads batch classes from the Manual Synchronization page.

• A user at the remote site clicks the “Synchronize Now” button located on the Remote Synchronization Agent dialog box.

The name of the page is PwChange.asp. To open the Change Password page, select it from the navigation bar on the Installation page, Manual Synchronization page, or the Client Configuration page. Or, start your browser and enter the following in the Address bar:

http://path to your server/ACIS/PwChange.asp

Note The Change Password page cannot be accessed unless User Profiles are

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Remote Synchronization Agent Windows Taskbar Icon

Installing the Remote Synchronization Agent on a remote station adds an icon to the Windows taskbar. After installation, you must reboot your system for the icon to appear.

Close Status About

Figure 3-7. Remote Synchronization Agent Windows Taskbar Icon and Menu

Right-click on the Windows taskbar icon to display the menu, as shown in Figure 3-7. The menu gives you a shortcut method to access some of the functions that are available from the ACI Server pages.

If desired, you can use the menu for the Remote Synchronization Agent Windows taskbar icon to initiate a polling event. The menu for the Remote Synchronization Agent Windows taskbar icon offers the following options:

Close Select this option to close the Remote Synchronization Agent and clear the Windows taskbar icon. Note that automatic polling will not occur when the Remote Synchronization Agent is closed. When you reboot the remote station, the Remote Synchronization Agent will be started again and the Windows taskbar icon will be restored.

Status Select this option to access the “Synchronize Now” button that allows you to immediately synchronize with, or poll, the central site. For instructions, refer to the sections Downloading Batch Classes from the Central Site and Uploading Batches to the Central Site in Chapter 4. The Status option also displays a log that lists synchronization, or polling, activity. See the section Monitoring Batch Activity in Chapter 4. About Select this option to display an About box, which contains version

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Configuring ACI Server Settings

You can use the ACI Server Web pages to configure settings for managing batch processing activity between the central site and the remote stations. In particular, you can do the following:

• Select where you want to run each Ascent Capture module • Configure polling times

Ascent Capture Modules

The ACI Server administrator can configure settings that determine which Ascent Capture modules run at the central site and which run at remote stations. These settings are configured from the Central Administration page. The procedure is explained in detail in the section Configuring Central Settings on page 44. Any module (including custom modules) can be run at any site, with these

exceptions: the Scan module must be run at a remote station and the Release module must be run at the central site. These selections are already made on the Central Administration page, and you cannot change them.

Also, once batches are uploaded from remote stations to your central site, ACI Server does not allow them to return to the remote stations for further processing. To illustrate, suppose that you have batch classes defined with the following processing queues: Scan Quality Control Validation Verification Release

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Using the Quality Control Module

Because you can use the Quality Control module as either a regular processing module or as an exception queue, keep the following in mind:

• Exception batches are automatically routed to the Quality Control module at the site where the exception occurs, regardless of the Quality Control site designation listed on the ACI Server Central Administration page. • Batches without exceptions are routed to the Quality Control module site

listed on the ACI Server Central Administration page, if the Quality Control module is defined as part of the batch class definition.

Tip It is recommended that you specify Quality Control as a processing module to

run at your remote station. This will force all batches through Quality Control before they are uploaded to the central site. This way, problems that occur at the remote site can be fixed there.

To illustrate, consider this scenario: During processing at your remote station, a document is rejected because its pages are too light. To fix the problem, the document must be rescanned. Since the pages to be scanned would be physically available at the remote station, you could easily rescan them and continue

processing. If the batch is sent to the central site, you would not have easy access to the pages to be rescanned.

For instructions on selecting sites for Ascent Capture batch processing, see the section Configuring Central Settings on page 44.

Using Custom Modules

If you plan on using a custom module at your remote sites, you must:

• Register the custom module at your central site and at each remote site. Refer to Appendix B for details. Note that you must make the custom module’s executable and registration files available to your remote stations.

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Polling

Polling refers to the process whereby your remote stations connect to the IIS Web

server at your central site and do the following:

• Upload completed batches from the remote station to the central site. All completed batches will be uploaded.

• Upload user tracking statistics, if enabled, from the remote station to the central site for completed batches.

• Download configuration settings from the central site to the remote station. Any new or updated configuration settings submitted from the Central Administration page will be downloaded. For details, refer to the section Central Administration Page on page 34, or contact your system administrator. • Download batch classes from the central site to the remote station. Any new

or updated batch classes published at the central site will be downloaded. • Download user profile settings, if enabled, from the central site to the remote

station.

• Download the settings for the patch code reserved for batch separator sheets, if utilized, from the central site to the remote station. For details about batch separator sheets, see the Ascent Capture online help.

Polling can occur in the following situations:

• When the polling time occurs, as defined for all remote stations from the Central Administration page, or for an individual remote station from the Client Configuration page. See the sections Configuring Central Settings on page 44 and Configuring Remote Station Settings on page 47.

• When a remote user clicks “download classes” from the navigation bar on the Manual Synchronization page.

• When a remote user clicks “upload batches” from the navigation bar on the Manual Synchronization page.

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Configuring Polling Times

There are two methods for configuring regularly scheduled polling times: • Central site control: The same polling options are defined for all remote

stations. To enable centrally controlled polling options, the administrator sets them from the Central Administration page, as explained in the section Configuring Central Settings.

• Remote station control: Polling options for each remote station are defined

independently of one another. To configure remote station settings, use the Client Configuration page, as explained in the section Configuring Remote Station Settings on page 47.

Configuring Central Settings (For Administrators Only)

You select which Ascent Capture modules are run at your remote stations from the Central Administration page, as shown in Figure 3-8.

If desired, you can also select uniform polling times for all remote stations using the Central Administration page. If you want your remote stations to configure their own polling times, do not select the “Central control of polling times” check box.

Note The Central Administration page is intended to be used by system

administrators, and should be used with caution. Each setting on this page affects every remote station.

! To configure centrally controlled settings

1 Start your browser and open the Central Administration page.

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Figure 3-8. ACI Server Central Administration Page

For more information about this page, click the Help option from the navigation bar.

2 From the Central Administration page, select which Ascent Capture modules

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3 Select the “Central control of polling times” check box to enable central

control of polling times. The polling options will be unavailable until you enable this option. Note the following:

• If you enable this option, your polling time selections will affect all the remote stations. The remote stations will be prohibited from setting their own polling times. The next time a remote station polls the central site, the settings will be downloaded to the remote station.

• If you do not select this option, the remote stations will be able to set their own polling times.

4 Specify the Local time to start polling the central site. This defines the next

time/date on which the remote stations will poll the central site.

Time

Select the time to start polling.

Date

Select the date to start polling.

5 Specify the Polling frequency. This defines how often the remote stations will

poll the central site. The remote stations will always poll for new batch classes and settings at the specified interval, starting with the time/date specified with the “Local time to start polling the central site” option in the previous step. Note that the polling intervals are not impacted by connection failures. The remote stations will continue to poll as specified, whether or not they are successful.

Never

Select this option if you do not want your remote station to automatically poll the central site at a defined interval. The remote station will poll at the time specified by the “Local time to start polling the central site” option. Note that you can manually change the “Local time to start polling the central site” option to force each instance of polling without using a regularly scheduled time.

Every

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6 Specify how often you want your remote station to retry if the connection

between the remote station and your central site fails. Your selections do not impact the selected polling intervals; they only define your remote station’s behavior in the event of a connection failure. Your remote station will always poll as specified by the “Polling frequency” selections.

Never

Select this option if you do not want the remote station to retry after a connection failure.

Up to / Every

Choose this option if you want the remote station to retry after a

connection failure. Select how often you want the remote station to retry, and for how long. You can specify the settings in minutes, hours, or days.

7 Click Submit to save your settings. Your selections will be saved to the IIS

Web server at the central site. They become effective individually at each remote station, the next time polling occurs (according to the station’s previous polling settings). See the section Polling on page 43.

After you click Submit, a message will appear to confirm that your changes have been saved. To return to the Central Administration page, click the hypertext below the confirmation message.

If you click Reset, the selections are restored to the previously saved settings.

Configuring Remote Station Settings

To configure polling options for a remote station, you use the Client Configuration page, as shown in Figure 3-9.

The selections on the Client Configuration page will affect your remote station only, and they are available only if the ACI Server administrator has cleared the “Central control of polling” options from the Central Administration page.

! To configure remote station settings

1 From a remote station, start your browser and open the Client Configuration

page.

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Figure 3-9. ACI Server Client Configuration Page

For more information about this page, click the Help option from the navigation bar.

Note If the following message is displayed when you attempt to open the

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If the options on the Client Configuration page are available, you can choose polling times and other settings for your remote station. The selections will affect your remote station only.

If the options are unavailable and you want to change them, contact your system administrator. If you are a system administrator, refer to the section Configuring Central Settings starting on page 44.

2 Specify the Local time to start polling the central site. This defines the next

time/date on which the remote stations will poll the central site.

Time

Select the time to start polling.

Date

Select the date to start polling.

3 Specify the Polling frequency. This defines how often the remote station will

poll the central site. The remote station will always poll for new batch classes and settings at the specified interval, starting with the time/date specified with the “Local time to start polling the central site” option. Note that the polling intervals are not impacted by connection failures. Your remote station will continue to poll as specified, whether or not it was successful.

Never

Select this option if you do not want your remote station to automatically poll the central site at a defined interval. The remote station will poll only at the time defined by the “Local time to start polling the central site.”

Every

Select this option if you want your remote station to automatically poll the central site at a defined interval. Then, select the desired interval in minutes, hours, or days.

4 Specify how often you want your remote station to retry if the connection

between the remote station and your central site fails. Your selections do not impact the selected polling intervals; they only define your remote station’s behavior in the event of a connection failure. Your remote station will always poll as specified by the “Polling frequency” selections.

Never

Select this option if you do not want your remote station to retry after a connection failure.

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retry, and for how long. Your settings can be specified in minutes, hours, or days.

5 Click Submit to save your settings. Your selections will be saved to the

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Using ACI Server

Introduction

After installing and configuring ACI Server, you can take advantage of your Internet/Intranet capabilities to process Ascent Capture batches.

This chapter covers the following topics:

• Downloading batch classes from the central site • Creating and processing batches at a remote station • Uploading batches to the central site

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Downloading Batch Classes from the Central Site

Once your system administrator has published batch classes from the Ascent Capture Administration module at the central site, you can download them to a remote processing station.

If you are the system administrator and need more information about creating, updating, and publishing batch classes, refer to your Ascent Capture online help or to the following chapters in your Getting Started with Ascent Capture 5 guide:

• Chapter 3, The Basics

The section Administration Module provides a detailed explanation of batch classes.

• Chapter 4, Learning Ascent Capture

This chapter is a tutorial that walks you through the steps necessary to set up and publish a batch class.

To ensure successful processing, administrators should also be aware of some other important issues that affect batch classes. These issues are outlined in the section Batch Class Considerations on page 58.

Initiating the Download Process

Batch classes can be downloaded from the central site whenever the remote station polls the central site, according to the scheduled polling times defined from the Central Administration page or the Client Configuration page. See the section Polling in Chapter 3. Batch classes can also be downloaded in two situations that differ from the regularly scheduled polling times:

• When a remote user clicks “download classes” from the navigation bar on the Manual Synchronization page.

• When a remote user clicks the “Synchronize Now” button located on the Remote Synchronization Agent dialog box.

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! To download batch classes from the Manual Synchronization page 1 Start your browser and open the Manual Synchronization page. 2 From the navigation bar, click “download classes.” All published batch

classes available from the central site will be downloaded to your remote station (which could take a few minutes if you are downloading for the first time, or if the administrator has republished batch classes at the central site). For each downloaded batch class, a message similar to “Get file pubtypes \000000004.mdb” will be displayed in the status bar of your browser. When all batch classes are downloaded, the message “Done” will be displayed.

Note If batch classes exist on the remote station, and this is the first time you

attempt to download batch classes from your central site, a message will be displayed, reminding you that existing batch classes will be deleted and new batch classes will be administered by the central site. Click Yes to continue the download or No to cancel. Contact your central site administrator for more information.

! To download batch classes from the Windows taskbar

1 From the Remote Synchronization Agent Windows taskbar icon, do one of

the following:

• Double-click the icon

• Right-click the icon and select the Status option from the menu

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2 Click Synchronize Now. The remote station will immediately upload any

completed batches, and then poll the central site to check for published batch classes. All published batch classes available from the central site will be downloaded to your remote station (which could take a few minutes if you are downloading for the first time, or if the administrator has republished batch classes at the central site). For each downloaded batch class, a message similar to “Get file pubtypes \000000004.mdb” will be displayed on the status line above the log. When the polling process is complete, the message “Done” will display briefly on the status line.

3 To close the dialog box, click Hide.

Creating and Processing Batches at the Remote Station

After downloading batch classes from the central site, you can create and process batches at the remote station. At the remote station, batches are routed through the Ascent Capture modules per their batch class definitions and per the remote site module selections made from the Central Administration page. See the section Ascent Capture Modules in Chapter 3.

For more information about Ascent Capture batch processing, refer to your Getting Started with Ascent Capture 5 guide or the Ascent Capture online help.

Uploading Batches to the Central Site

Batches can be uploaded to the central site whenever the remote station polls the central site, according to the scheduled polling times defined from the Central Administration page or the Client Configuration page. See the section Configuring Polling Times in Chapter 3.

Batches can also be uploaded in two situations that differ from the regularly scheduled polling times:

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