You can now search inside supported attachments in the Kodo Portal, including PDFs and readable scans or images. Results show a relevant passage and a reference to the source, helping you find the document even when you cannot remember its file name.
You remember sending a product specification, but not what the supplier called the file. Was the model number in a PDF, a spreadsheet or a scanned sheet? Opening each attachment is one way to find out, but it interrupts the work you were trying to finish.
We have expanded document search in the Kodo Portal so that words inside supported files can help you find them. The update brings together file-name search, document content and text recognised from readable images.
The practical benefit is a shorter route back to your information: search for something you remember from the document, review the matching passage and open the original.
Search for what is inside the file
File names are useful, but they rarely describe everything a document contains. A supplier's specification might arrive with a generic name while the model, material or company you need appears only on an internal page.
The portal can search extracted text from supported PDFs, Word documents, Excel files, CSV files and other supported text formats. For readable scanned PDFs and JPG, PNG or WebP images, it can use optical character recognition, or OCR, to recognise printed text.
OCR turns visible lettering in an image into text that can be searched. The Tesseract documentation explains the text-recognition technology used for this part of the process.
| What you remember | How it can help you find the file |
|---|---|
| Part of the file name | Search the name without opening the attachment |
| A model number or company name in a PDF | Find a matching passage inside the processed document |
| Printed words on a readable scanned sheet | Search text recognised through OCR |
| A term recorded in an Excel file | Find the relevant extracted text with its sheet or row reference |
Content searches work on files whose relevant text has been successfully processed.
See why a document matched
The search results distinguish matching file names from matches inside documents. For a content match, the portal shows a relevant excerpt alongside the file name and a source reference, such as a PDF page or spreadsheet location.
You can judge whether the result is useful before opening the file. Preview is available for supported formats, and you can download the original when you need to inspect it more closely.
This matters when several files look similar. A passage containing the model you are looking for is more useful than a list of vaguely named attachments. The reference also helps you tell a colleague which part of the document to check.
Search can also use meaning alongside matching words to help identify relevant passages. An exact model number or distinctive phrase remains a useful starting point when you know it.
A practical example for EPR and WEEE work
Imagine that you uploaded a supplier's PDF containing specifications for several electrical products. Later, while preparing your WEEE records, you need to find the sheet for one particular model.
Instead of remembering the supplier's attachment name, try searching for the model designation printed in the document. If its text has been processed successfully, the result can show the relevant passage and page reference. You can then check the specification in the original file.
The same approach can help locate a material description in packaging records or a company name in a registration document. Search helps you retrieve the evidence; interpreting it and preparing the reporting figures remain separate steps.
More organised document browsing
In the client document archive, you can combine a search with the available document-group, year and reporting-period filters. Where your account covers several companies, you can select the relevant company.
For example, start with a distinctive word from the document and then narrow the archive to the reporting period you need. Previous versions remain available within their document group, helping you compare an earlier file with a later one.
Kodo's team also has broader portal search across clients, tasks, enquiries and files. That helps us locate the relevant case when following up on your question. Each user's results follow their access permissions.
A few things that make searching easier
- Use a distinctive term. A model designation or specific phrase is usually more useful than a broad word such as “document”.
- Allow time after uploading. New files need to be processed before their contents can appear in results.
- Keep scans readable. Sharp text and complete pages give OCR a better starting point.
- Check the original. OCR-derived results are labelled. Confirm weights, identifiers and other important details in the source file.
- Try the file name if needed. Unsupported, unreadable or some older attachments may be searchable only by name.
If search by meaning is temporarily unavailable, the portal can still search matching words and file names. The interface also indicates when processing or partial results may affect what you see.
The main conclusion
You no longer need to rely only on remembering an attachment's name. Searching its readable content, checking the excerpt and following the source reference can make returning to the right document more direct and easier to follow.
Frequently asked questions
Can the portal search a PDF that is actually a scan?
Yes, readable scanned PDF pages can be processed using OCR. The quality of the image affects the result, and text recognition may not succeed for every page.
Will a new attachment appear in content search immediately?
Not necessarily. Its contents need to be processed first. You may still be able to find it by name while that work is pending.
Does this search give me access to other clients' files?
No. Search follows your existing access permissions. It helps you find files available to your account and does not grant additional document access.
How Kodo can help
Kodo helps international companies organise the documents and communication needed for their agreed Czech services, including packaging EPR and WEEE. The portal keeps the files available alongside the work, while content search helps your team and Kodo return to relevant information. You can create a free client account to get started; access to service workspaces is arranged with Kodo.
For legal, tax, regulatory, certification and investment-incentive matters, companies should work with qualified specialists and the responsible authorities.
Related reading
- Kodo Portal: Czech EPR, Business Enquiries and an App You Can Install
- A shared Czech EPR workspace for international partners
- Business Support in the Czech Republic — A Simpler Way to Request a Proposal in the Kodo Portal
Sources
This article describes document search in the Kodo Portal. Search results and OCR help locate source material; verify important figures and regulatory information against the original documents.