Our client, operating in the niche of custom coffee cup production, faced considerable challenges in their invoicing system. They received numerous PDF invoices from various clients, many of which did not align with the format required by their ERP system. This discrepancy necessitated manual processing by their employees — a tedious task that led to dissatisfaction among workers. More concerning was the error rate; over 30% of these manually-processed invoices had discrepancies.
Our Solution
At WrightAutomation, we recognized the need for automation in this process, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and worker satisfaction.
PDF Configuration Webapp
We developed a dedicated web application, built using Python, which allowed the client to easily configure and template the structure of a PDF. This templating meant that once a particular invoice structure from a client was set up, every subsequent invoice from that client could be processed automatically.
OCR Integration for Data Extraction
Our solution employed Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to meticulously read and extract data from the invoices, including detailed items in data tables spread across multiple pages. This ensured that all relevant information was captured without human intervention, thereby significantly reducing the chances of errors.
Automated Email Trigger and ERP Integration
We introduced an added layer of automation by triggering the Python script upon the receipt of incoming emails with PDF invoices. Once the OCR tool parsed the PDFs and extracted the necessary information, our system automatically communicated with the client’s ERP system, forwarding the parsed data as a JSON payload.
Conclusion
Our innovative automation solution transformed a time-consuming, error-prone manual process into a streamlined, efficient operation. With the integration of the webapp, OCR, and the automated email-based triggering system, the client not only realized a significant reduction in errors but also witnessed considerable cost savings. WrightAutomation is proud to empower businesses with solutions that drive productivity and foster employee satisfaction.