Finance and operations teams spend hours copying data from PDFs and emails into their ERP: supplier invoices, purchase orders, delivery notes, bank documents. Document AI can do most of that work, with people reviewing the exceptions.
How it works
- Documents arrive by email, upload or scanner.
- OCR and AI models read the layout and extract fields such as supplier, dates, totals, tax and line items.
- The data is matched against your ERP: vendor, purchase order, products.
- A draft bill or order is created, flagged for review if anything does not match.
Where it shines and where it needs care
| Works well | Needs human review |
|---|---|
| Typed invoices from regular suppliers | Handwritten or poor-quality scans |
| Standard purchase orders | Unusual layouts or multi-page tables |
| Header fields: totals, dates, tax | Line items that do not match catalogue codes |
Roll-out tips
- Start with your top suppliers by volume
- Use three-way matching (PO, receipt, invoice) to catch errors
- Set approval thresholds by amount
- Keep the original document attached to every record for audit
The goal is not zero humans. It is humans reviewing exceptions instead of typing everything.