This International Standard is intended to facilitate user selection of an image scanner. This International Standard specifies the minimum information that shall be included by manufacturers in their specification sheets for scanners.

This International Standard is made for the average end user. For this reason it does not describe all specifications of scanners with special features such as double sided scanning or high speed. By insuring consistency of specification of scanner product information, this International Standard enables the end user to make meaningful comparisons of machine functionality and performance characteristics. The most meaningful parameters of function and performance are specified and defined, and measures of performance are provided.

This International Standard further applies to types of scanners which are most prevalent in use, including parameters for a scanning engine (an optomechanical physical device) and basic image processing only (those processes include digital data output with encoded gray scale, or unencoded single bit plus halftone data). It does not require specification of advanced application processing such as OCR, translation, vector conversion, etc. Because scanners use both software and/or hardware to achieve some scanner functions and controls, the standard contains some entries related to software even though the standard is primarily for scanner hardware. The manufacturer, at his option, may include description of such additional functionality which may be provided. This standard also does not consider image quality, nor does it provide or use related test targets.