Paperwork
Paperwork is a personal document manager for scanning or importing documents and finding them later with keyword search.
What Paperwork is
Paperwork is a personal document manager for scanning or importing documents and finding them later with keyword search. It can search inside PDF files, detect page orientation automatically, and provides quick page-editing tools. Users can add colorful labels; Paperwork can learn where labels belong and apply them to new documents. It uses PyOCR for text recognition and Libinsane to access scanners. Documents are stored in one directory using JPEG, hOCR, and PDF formats, and that directory can be synchronized across computers with tools such as Nextcloud, Syncthing, and SparkleShare.
Paperwork is Free Software for Linux and Windows, available at no cost. Linux installation options include distribution packages, Flatpak, AppImage, and source code. The Flatpak versions do not currently work with network scanners, and local scanner use may require adjustments. Its maker, Jérôme Flesch, welcomes contributions.
Good
- Searches across PDF files.
- Learns label placement and applies labels automatically.
- Offers automatic page orientation detection.
- Stores files in one synchronizable directory.
- Free Software for Linux and Windows.
Watch out
- Flatpak versions cannot currently use network scanners.
- Local scanner use may require tweaking.
Who it suits
Paperwork suits people who want to organize personal documents and search their scanned or imported files, including PDFs. It may suit users who want to synchronize a document directory across computers.
Verdict
Paperwork combines document search, OCR, labels, and page tools in a free personal document manager. Check the Linux scanner limitations if scanner access is important to your setup.
Plans and prices
From Paperwork's own pricing page, checked 5 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Paperwork | Free | Free Software; GNU/Linux distribution packages, Flatpak, AppImage, or source installation |
The facts
Each one read from Paperwork's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Labels
- Users can add colorful labels, and Paperwork can learn where labels belong and apply them automatically to new documents.checked 5 Oct 2026
- OCR and scanners
- Paperwork uses PyOCR to run OCR and Libinsane to access scanners.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Paperwork is distributed as Free Software, and the site welcomes contributions.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Page tools
- The site lists automatic page orientation detection and quick page editing among Paperwork’s features.checked 5 Oct 2026
- PDF search
- Paperwork can search across PDF files.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The maker’s about page says no tracking is done on the website, with or without cookies.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Paperwork is a personal document manager for scanning or importing personal documents and finding them again with keyword search.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Storage and formats
- Paperwork stores documents under a single directory and uses JPEG, hOCR, and PDF formats.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Sync options
- The document directory can be synchronized across computers with tools such as Nextcloud, Syncthing, and SparkleShare.checked 5 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Linux installation
- GNU/Linux installation options include distribution packages, OpenPaper or Flathub Flatpak repositories, AppImage, and source code.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Linux limitation
- The Flatpak versions cannot currently be used with network scanners, and local scanner use may require tweaking.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Windows usage
- The official site’s usage statistics list Paperwork instances running on Windows.checked 5 Oct 2026
The company
- Maker
- The about page names Jérôme Flesch as the author of OpenPaper.work.checked 5 Oct 2026
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