PURPOSE: To provide a character input device which uses an image scanner for character input, and reads a fixed-form sheet, etc., where, for example, prepared service contents are entered in lettering characters, etc., by the image scanner and recognizes the read characters in the form of image data as they are.

CONSTITUTION: A CPU 2 stores character data, inputted by reading the fixed- form sheet shown in the figure 2 by the image scanner 10 through character image data input processing, in a character image storage table in the RAM 4 as character image data by department file kinds entered into the fixed-form sheet by utilizing an image data input buffer 7, reads the character image data stored in the character image storage table, and prints the read character image data on a paper for receipt by a line thermal printer 8 through print processing together with sales data, etc., while transferring the image data to an image data input buffer 7.