Invoice automation

Invoices are one of the most common document types across all organisations. However the inconsistency in format, layout and orientation make it difficult for forms processing systems to automatically extract the data. The data contained on all invoices is similar and must be recorded on the corporate accounts systems. Until recently the most accurate and efficient means of invoice data extraction has been to key it in by hand.

As image scanning and OCR quality have improved, the extraction of data from ‘Unstructured Documents’, such as Invoices, has become a reality. Invoice Processing searches across the whole page for key data and extracts the values irrespective of its location. Using keyword and proximity searching all fields on any invoice can be recognised. Optional user verification of values can be used, but once the accuracy is observed many clients choose to reduce the frequency of checking, trusting automatic page totalling and balancing to validate the OCR’d results.

Once scanned, and with the data extracted, the images are then available for storage in a corporate Document or Content Management system. This technology applies equally to Purchase Orders and Delivery Notes, which can be linked through your Document or Content Management system to form the perfect Purchase-to-Pay process.

The benefits of Invoice Capture and Processing include a huge reduction in data entry effort, Automatic Page totalling and balancing, a single step process for data collection, an image archive and improved Audit ability. Such systems provide a fast return on investment

Ether Solutions work with our clients to establish the Invoice Scanning and Processing system. For established Document or Content Management systems we have the correct integration modules or can help establish a new system using Oracle UCM. As part of our pre-implementation consultancy we review the expected invoice volumes and provide a cost / benefits analysis to define the expected return on investment period. This takes into account the full implementation costs, ongoing support fees and process savings.

Ether Solutions’ consultants are experienced in implementing Purchase-to-Pay systems, and can implement these systems standalone or as part of a wider Document Management or Digital Mailroom project.

Ether Solutions use Ascent Capture, VRS, Ascent Xtrata Pro and INDICIUS products to provide the ultimate package for providing Invoice Scanning and Processing functions. These functions include:

• Document Classification for automatically sorting invoice types
• Learning ability for entered document sets to better classify client invoices
• Perfect scanning results from all paper colours, weights and sizes using Kofax VRS
• Fast Accurate extracting of invoice data, with page totalling and balancing validation routines
• Off-the-shelf integration with many of the leading Financial and Document Management solutions
• Ability to extract data from all unstructured documents including Purchase Orders and Delivery Notes