How OMR Works

OMR and Folding Inserter Machines

Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) is a technology used by automated mailing and folding inserter machines to accurately process multi-page documents. Small printed marks in the page margin are read by optical sensors, telling the machine when to continue collecting pages, when a document is complete, and when to add additional inserts. This ensures every envelope contains the correct documents for the intended recipient, making OMR an essential tool for high-volume transactional and direct mail campaigns.

OMR technology forms part of our comprehensive mailing solutions, helping organisations automate the production of secure transactional communications while maintaining document integrity and compliance throughout the mailing process.

OMR Uses

OMR is widely used for invoices, statements, utility bills, financial correspondence and other transactional mailing applications where document integrity and accuracy are essential. By automating the collation and insertion of variable-page documents, OMR helps organisations process high-volume mailings quickly, securely and with exceptional accuracy, reducing manual handling and the risk of errors.

Why OMR is reliable?

  • Processes thousands of document packs per hour with exceptional accuracy.
  • Eliminates the need for manual collation and reduces the risk of human error.
  • Ensures variable-page documents are grouped correctly for each recipient.
  • Supports automated insertion of additional items such as brochures or return envelopes.
  • Improves efficiency, security and compliance for large mailing projects.
GDPR Compliant Mailing Services

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a data protection law that governs how organisations collect, use, store and protect personal data.

For a mailing services context, GDPR means that any organisation handling personal information such as names, addresses, account numbers or other identifiable data, must process it lawfully, securely and transparently.

Secure OMR Mailing Services

At My Group Solutions, security is embedded throughout our mailing process. We understand that organisations handling personal data must meet strict compliance requirements, which is why our OMR mailing services combine advanced automation with robust data protection procedures.

Our secure mailing processes include:

  • Automated document matching and integrity checks
  • Reduced risk of documents being inserted into the wrong envelope
  • Secure production environments with controlled access
  • Segregated client jobs to prevent cross-contamination
  • Confidential handling by trained personnel under strict confidentiality agreements
  • Secure destruction of spoilage and waste materials

This combination of technology and quality control provides complete confidence that every mailing is processed accurately and securely.

Improve Your In-House Mailing Accuracy with OMR Mailing Equipment

Beyond simply controlling page collation, advanced OMR systems can provide additional verification and automation features to help improve the integrity of your mailing process.

OMR marks can be used to perform sequence checking, helping to identify missing or out-of-order pages before documents are enclosed, while parity and safety checks provide further validation that the code has been read correctly.

For organisations sending mail to their customers, OMR can also be used to control selective feeding, automatically adding inserts such as marketing leaflets, reply envelopes or information sheets only when required. This enables highly targeted mailings without the need for manual intervention.

OMR marks can be added easily to your documents, with no restrictions on the CRM or ERP system used to generate them. These documents can also continue to be printed using your existing office printers.

This ability to add your own OMR marks is made possible using affordable mailing software, which automatically applies the marks to your print-ready files. These files can then be printed and processed through a folder inserter. Whether you are processing a few hundred or many thousands of documents each month, OMR technology helps create a more efficient, auditable and secure mailing operation.

For a demonstration of the complete solution, including software to generate OMR marks and how it integrates with OMR-enabled folder inserters, please contact us.

OMR vs. OCR

OMR

  • Reads predefined printed marks in the page margin.
  • Controls automated document collation and envelope inserting.
  • Used for invoices, statements, letters and transactional mailings.
  • Fast and highly reliable for document automation.

OCR

  • Can read printed or handwritten text.
  • Converts text into editable digital data.
  • Used for document scanning and data extraction.
  • More complex and dependent on text quality.

What Do the OMR Marks Mean?

Each OMR mark printed in the margin of a document provides a specific instruction to the folding inserter machine. By reading the pattern of these marks, the machine can accurately collate documents and ensure the correct contents are enclosed in every envelope.

  • Page Continuation – Indicates that another page belongs to the same document, prompting the machine to continue collecting sheets.
  • End of Document – Signals that the current document set is complete and ready to be inserted into an envelope before processing the next recipient.
  • Parity or Check Mark – Acts as a validation mark, helping the inserter confirm that the OMR code has been read correctly and reducing the risk of processing errors.
  • Selective Feeding – Instructs the inserter to add optional inserts, such as brochures, return envelopes or marketing leaflets, when required.
  • Sequence Control – Ensures pages are processed in the correct order, helping to identify missing or duplicated sheets before insertion.

Together, these simple printed marks enable automated inserting systems to process thousands of variable-page document packs quickly and accurately, reducing mailing errors while improving efficiency and security.

Single Page Document Example 

  • The OMR marks show a full set of 4 lines
  • This tells the machine: 

“This document is complete” 

At this point, the machine will: 

  • Fold the document 
  • Insert it into the envelope 
  • Seal the envelope 
Folding inserter machines OMR 1

Multi-Page Document Example (continued)

This is the reverse of page 1 and therefore does not include any OMR marks 

Folding inserter machines OMR 2

Multi-Page Document Example (continued) 

This is page 3 of the 4 page document example. 

The OMR marks now show a full set of 4 lines 

  • This tells the machine:

“This document is complete” 

 At this point, the machine will: 

  • Fold the document
  • Insert it into the envelope
  • Seal the envelope
Folding inserter machines OMR 3

Duplex Printing & Blank Pages 

This page has been intentionally included because documents are printed duplex: 

  • If a document has an odd number of pages (e.g. 5 pages)
  • A blank page is automatically added

This ensures: 

  • The next document never starts on the reverse of another customer’s document
  • OMR sequencing remains accurate  
  • Data integrity is fully maintained
Folding inserter machines OMR 4

Our team can help you implement OMR within your mailing process, whether you are looking for software to generate OMR marks in-house or a fully managed solution where we print, process and dispatch your mail for you.

To find out more about OMR mailing and OMR software, call us on 01322 643825 or complete the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.