How to digitise a paper sheet music library with OPS
A paper sheet music library can be digitised in a single import session. Scan your parts as JPEG or PNG images, export them as individual PDFs, or capture all parts in one combined PDF — OPS handles all three formats. The import panel reads each file, suggests instrument names from the first page, and proposes where to split a combined PDF into individual voices. After a quick review you confirm, and each voice is stamped with the organisation name, the archive number and a QR code. The piece appears in the library and is immediately available to assigned musicians in OPS Scores.
Before you start
- Admin role in the OPS organisation
- Standard plan or higher for more than 20 pieces in the library
- Scanned images (JPEG or PNG) or PDFs of each part, or one combined PDF with all parts
Steps
Sign in and open the Scores page
Sign in as an admin on a Standard plan or higher and open the Scores page from the sidebar. You need admin rights to add pieces to the organisation library; musicians without admin rights can only add personal pieces. On the Standard plan the library can hold unlimited pieces; the Free plan is limited to 20 pieces per organisation.
Click "Import scores" to open the upload panel
Click "Import scores" in the top-right corner of the Scores page. An upload panel opens with a drag-and-drop zone and a button to browse your device. You can also reach this panel from within a setlist when adding a new piece — the import flow is identical either way.
Drop your files onto the upload area
Drop your files onto the area or click to browse. You can upload JPEG or PNG images from a flatbed scanner, one PDF per part, a single PDF containing all parts, or a ZIP file with one sub-folder per piece. The total per upload is up to 500 MB.
Wait for the automatic file analysis
The system reads each file and groups its pages into voices. Scanned images are processed by OCR to detect instrument headings and separate the pages. If you uploaded one PDF containing all parts, a split proposal appears showing a suggested page range for each identified instrument. This step runs in the background; a progress indicator appears while it works.
Review the voice name suggestions
Each detected voice shows a suggested instrument name. Where the suggestion came from AI analysis, an "AI suggestion" badge appears alongside a confidence indicator. Click any name to edit it — the field autocompletes against the instrument catalogue. Remove any voice that does not belong to this piece before you move on.
Adjust the split proposal if needed
If a split proposal is shown for a combined PDF, check the page boundaries for each voice. Adjust the "From" and "To" page fields if the automatic split is off, use the plus button to add a missing voice, or click "Keep as one voice" to import the whole PDF as a single undivided part.
Set the final voice order
Drag voices to set the order in which they appear in the piece. The platform places instruments in standard orchestra order by default — conductor score first, then woodwind, brass, percussion and other parts. Reorder them by dragging if your programme or house style follows a different convention.
Build the PDFs and confirm the import
Click "Build PDFs" to generate the individual part files. Each PDF is stamped with the organisation name, the import date and a QR code that links back to the voice. Then click "Confirm & import" to save. The piece appears in the library immediately and can be added to a setlist straight away.
Tips
- Name each PDF file after the instrument before importing — for example "Clarinet 1.pdf". The system reads the filename as a first hint and may skip the AI analysis step entirely.
- For scanned images, 300 dpi greyscale produces the best OCR results. Avoid colour scans of faded photocopies.
- Use a ZIP file with one sub-folder per piece to import a full programme in a single upload.
- Once the piece is in the library, drag it into a setlist to make it immediately available to assigned musicians in OPS Scores.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a treated and an untreated import?
A treated file is an already-prepared PDF where each voice is its own file, or all voices are in one PDF with clear page breaks. An untreated file is a raw scan that the OCR engine processes to detect staves and group pages into voices. The platform chooses the correct path automatically based on the file type you upload.
Can I fix a voice's page range after importing?
Yes. Open the piece, select the voice and click Replace PDF to upload a corrected version. The old PDF becomes a revision and remains downloadable, but there is no automatic revert button — you would need to manually re-upload the previous file if you want to go back.
Why are some PDFs not stamped with a QR code?
PDFs from music publishers are sometimes encrypted by the publisher to prevent editing. OPS Scores can display them normally, but the platform cannot add a QR stamp to an encrypted file. Those PDFs are stored and distributed exactly as uploaded.
Is the import available on the Free plan?
The import workflow is available on all plans, but the Free plan is limited to 20 pieces per organisation and 15 for a personal account. The Standard plan and above allow unlimited pieces in the organisation library.
What happens if I import the same piece twice by mistake?
The system detects a potential duplicate by title and prompts you to merge the new voices into the existing piece or to replace it entirely. You choose which action to take before anything is saved.