Bridging the Gap between Paper and Data

The cornerstone of successful automated office systems is the ability to convert printed information into electronic data. Document processing applications need to capture and index data accurately and efficiently to bridge that gap.

This capability can be enhanced with the integration of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. By this means, extracted data is used to index and save the document into the document management application.

This intelligent document recognition and classification is central to Tokairo's new contract with a major UK supplier of dairy products. The delivery and receipt procedure works like this:

? When an order is received from a customer a despatch note is issued listing product description, quantities, weight and code

? On delivery the note is signed by the customer along with the customer's Goods Received Note (GRN) which details the goods actually delivered

Problems arise if goods are damaged, lost or delivered piecemeal, as discrepancies can occur between the despatch note and the customer's GRN.

The system has been set up so that these documents can be automatically read, matching delivery line items with corresponding items from the company's despatch notes.

After every delivery, despatch notes, GRNs and any other delivery/receipt documents are scanned by the delivery driver at any one of the company's 20 depots in the UK.

Coping with different document styles and formats

The company's system is configured to recognise every GRN's header and footer, so it can read each item's line code and quantity. This process is made complicated because each customer uses a different GRN style, format and layout. Also, there can be multiple GRNs for one despatch note ? typically when a single delivery goes to several different customer sites.

However, once the OCR software has been correctly configured to read the lines in the different styles of document, accurate reading of forms is high ? ranging from 85% to 90%. A threshold can be set by users so that any document that falls below a certain level (e.g. 80%) is entered manually. So any document that can be read less than 80% accurately is flagged up for manual indexing. Anything above this value is saved automatically.

The system automatically consolidates this process by matching the different documents and line items in the original order, and stores all documents in the appropriate order folder.

Automatic invoice amendment

Any discrepancy is automatically flagged up and investigated. This generates an amendment to the sales invoice issued to the customer, which in turn reduces the company's debtor days by ensuring that the sales invoice matches the customer's GRN.

Should there be any discrepancies or delays in receiving payment, staff have online access to all delivery information stored in the order folders.

Integrating intelligent document recognition and classification technology provides significant customer benefits:

? Reduced administrative overheads
? Improved business visibility
? Reduced invoicing errors and attendant disputes and delays
? Increased cashflow by minimising debtor days
? Improved customer service
? Enhanced corporate image

Tokairo is an international solution provider of electronic document management systems and education solutions.

Visit http://www.tokairo.com for further information; REF=TO5EZ

---

Microsoft Business Solutions Partner ? How to Launch New IT Consulting Practice

In the new era of internet marketing the problem of... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains ? Licensing & Product Versions

Current Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains has more that 10... Read More

Cisco Certification: Introduction To ISDN, Part V

The major reason I recommend getting your hands on real... Read More

Know-how in Microsoft Publisher

For those who still don't know, Microsoft Publisher helps computer... Read More

Reloading Windows XP

If you have been running Windows XP for a couple... Read More

5 Mac Security Tips You Can?t Live Without

So, you've bought a new Macintosh, and now you may... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains: Getting New Users Licenses ? Annual Service Plan FAQ

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Solomon, Navision, Axapta, Microsoft CRM... Read More

Mozilla Vs. Firefox

For those who are unclear on the differences between the... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains: Dexterity vs. eConnect ? FAQ

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics/eEnterprise... Read More

Software Development in 2005 - Back to the Future

2005 ? Back to the Future.What does the future hold?... Read More

Ukraine: a Prospective Player on the World Software Outsourcing Market

The destruction of the Soviet Union about 15 years ago,... Read More

The Truth about Colossus: Are You Just A Magnetic Image?

What is Colossus?Colossus is software licensed to about twenty-five insurance... Read More

Five Reasons for Using an O/R Mapping Tool

So, why should you use any O/R mapping tool? I... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains: Service Business Customization & Integration Example

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains might be considered as ERP... Read More

Performance Tuning of a Daffodil DB / One$DB -JDBC Application

This article illustrates the best practices to improve the performance... Read More

How a Bug Challenges to a Software Professional

It is really interesting that a bug can create problem... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Installation ? Overview for IT Director/Controller

Microsoft Great Plains is main mid-market application from Microsoft Business... Read More

Ukraine IT Myths Dispersed

While Ukraine is becoming a new popular IT outsourcing destination,... Read More

Microsoft CRM Integration with IBM Lotus Notes Domino ? Machinery Dealership Example

IBM Lotus Notes with Domino email server is traditional document... Read More

Builders Beware

Which Type of Shop Can Rely On A Home Built... Read More

IT Strategy for Large Corporation: ERP/MRP/CRM, Unix/Linux/Windows, Microsoft/Java

Combining Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains ERP with non-Microsoft Business... Read More

Outlook... Not Just for Email! Using Your Outlook Calendar

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most widely used software... Read More

String in Java

Handling character strings in Java is supported through two final... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains: Data Conversion & Migration Scenarios ? Overview for Consultant

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains serves multiple industries in the... Read More

Microsoft CRM Data Conversion FAQ

Microsoft Business Solutions CRM data conversion deserves FAQ type of... Read More

Downloading Spyware Removers: Think Before, not After

Just imagine: you are walking, say, towards your car, and... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Integrations ? Retail Management Sample

Microsoft Business Solutions is emerging as very attractive vendor for... Read More

Where to Find Free Fleet Maintenance Software

Costs of fleet maintenance software can vary widely. It is... Read More

Microsoft CRM Integration With Microsoft Office Documents ? Overview For System Integrator

Microsoft CRM is CRM application, maintained and supported by Microsoft... Read More

C++ Tutorials: 3, Program Flow (If, Else, While, For)

Program Flow is what you think it is. How the... Read More

Photoshop Files and Formats

People often ask me: What image file formats will Photoshop... Read More

SQL scripts for Project Accounting: Microsoft Great Plains series ? overview for developer

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains has Project Accounting module where... Read More

Will Adobe Manage to Replace Industry Work Horse Quark Express by Giving Adobe InDesign for Free?

Heard about the Quark "killer"?Adobe InDesign CS2. Will it really... Read More