Abstract: Systems and methods for generating optical character recognition (OCR) models configured to identify characters from a variety of different documents. The OCR models are based on a base model. One or more outside models can be tested to determine their effectiveness in supplementing the base model. When an outside model is effective it is incorporated into the base model. Generations of base models can be created that provide for additional functionality that is not present in the preceding model. A family of the generations of base models is maintained.