Survey recognition failures are usually caused by missing corner marks or incorrect settings. Here's how to diagnose and fix the most common issues.

Most common cause: Missing corner marks

PaperSurvey requires all four corner marks to be visible for accurate recognition. These marks help the system:

• Detect page orientation
• Locate question areas precisely
• Correct for scanning skew
• Identify the survey template

Check your scans

Look at your uploaded files. Can you see all four corner marks clearly?

• Top-left and top-right corners
• Bottom-left and bottom-right corners

If any corners are missing, the survey cannot be processed.

Common reasons for missing corners

Printer cutting off margins

Some printers, especially budget models, crop page edges:

• Test print a single page first
• Check all four corners printed completely
• Adjust printer margins if needed
• Try a different printer if margins can't be fixed

Scanner cropping

Document feeders sometimes crop edges:

• Place pages carefully in the feeder
• Use flatbed scanning for problem pages
• Check scanner margin settings
• Clean scanner glass and rollers

Photocopying issues

Copies often lose edge content:

• Always scan original prints
• Avoid making copies of surveys
• If copying is necessary, check all corners

Second common cause: Mismatched settings

Unique page marking mismatch

This happens when:

1. You print surveys without unique identifiers
2. Then enable unique page marking
3. System expects QR codes that aren't there

Solution:

• Go to Survey Settings
• Disable "Unique page identifiers"
• Retry processing your uploads

Troubleshooting steps

1. Examine a failed page

• Download the problematic scan
• Check all four corners are visible
• Look for QR codes if unique marking is enabled
• Verify it matches the survey design

2. Test with a single page

• Scan one page carefully
• Ensure all corners are visible
• Upload and check if it processes
• If successful, review your batch scanning process

3. Check your settings

In Survey Settings, verify:

• Unique page identifiers match your prints
• Correct paper size is selected
• Language settings are appropriate

4. Review printer settings

• Set margins to "None" or "Minimal"
• Use "Actual Size" not "Fit to Page"
• Disable any auto-cropping features
• Print in high quality mode

Prevention tips

Before printing

• Always test print one page first
• Verify all elements are visible
• Check printer compatibility
• Save your print settings

During scanning

• Align pages carefully
• Use consistent scanner settings
• Batch similar documents together
• Regular cleaning of scanner

After uploading

• Check first few processed pages
• Monitor error rates
• Address issues immediately
• Don't delete originals until verified

Still having issues?

If surveys still aren't recognized:

1. Contact support with:

   • Sample problem scan
   • Survey ID
   • Error messages
   • Steps you've tried

2. Provide details about:

   • Printer model and settings
   • Scanner model and settings
   • Any preprocessing done

3. We can help with:

   • Custom margin adjustments
   • Alternative processing options
   • Bulk reprocessing

Most recognition issues are easily fixed once identified. Following these guidelines ensures smooth processing for all your surveys.