There is no gainsaying that technology has really changed our way of life. It has in many ways improved functional systems and made life easier. But technology isn’t static, it is dynamic- forever changing, forever improving. An example of one such improvement in technology is Intelligent Document Processing. What is Intelligent Document Processing?
Intelligent Document Processing
Any reference to Intelligent Document Processing is an attempt to conceptualize a group of enterprise solutions that utilize complex learning tools to automate document processing. In this era of digital transformation, with the advent of Robotic Process Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and other such tools, Intelligent Document Processing collects unstructured data from documents and turns them into structured data. Examples of what is meant by “unstructured data” include data such as Portable Document Format (PDF), email text, and scanned documents.
And Intelligent Document Processing is no ordinary image to text software like Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) which only extracts data from documents, it is so much more. This marvel of digital transformation automatically processes data found in documents by comprehending the details in the documents, extract the said details and then, transmitting it to the right location. As if the merits of Intelligent Document Processing were not enough, it is also easy to integrate it into existing platforms.
What areas can benefit from the utilization of Intelligent Document Processing?
Intelligent Document Processing can be used to carry out the following activities:
- Archiving Digital Document
- Processing Invoices
- Processing Insurance Claims
- Detecting Fraud
- Reviewing Cases
- Administering Contracts
- Processing applications for mortgage loans
- Onboarding customers
Stages and Components of Intelligent Document Processing
There are at least 5 stages and components of Intelligent Document Processing, namely:
- Pre-processing
- Image processing
- Classification and data extraction
- Data validation
- Integration
We shall now consider these subheads presently.
1. Pre-processing:
This has to do with the application of certain techniques to ensure the quality of the document. These techniques include binarization, reduction of noise, and de-skewing. The reason for the varied techniques is the fact that the documents to be subjected to processing arrive in different conditions.
2. Image Processing:
This is the crux of the operation of older tools like the Intelligent Character Recognition and Optical Character Recognition and evidence of the digital transformation that is the Intelligent Document Processing. The Intelligent Document Processing in this stage simply utilizes computer vision to comprehend the structure of the document and identity characteristics such as pictures, graphs, and text.
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Classification and data extraction:
This stage of Intelligent Document Processing utilizes Natural Language Processing tools that aid the machine in comprehending, putting into context, and analyzing human language. Or put in another way, after the text is extracted from the document, Natural Language Processing (NLP) helps the machine understand it. It is the product of Artificial Intelligence.
1. Data Validation:
Intelligent Document Processing guarantees the accuracy of collated data. One of the means by which it validates its data is by utilizing external sources of data and pre-determined libraries to authenticate the data gathered from the documents. This method not only guarantees the accuracy of collected data but helps to organize the said data in such a way that they are ready for immediate use.
Additionally, Intelligent Document Processing is usually configured in a manner that routes questionable data to humans who review, validate and should the need arise, correct the data. This process besides ensuring accuracy enables the machine to learn and improve.
2. Integration:
This is the final stage of Intelligent Document Processing. At this stage, the validated data is incorporated into large business systems and workflows.
Benefits of Intelligent Document Processing
1. Increase in efficiency
Intelligent Document Processing saves enterprises from the drudgery of pricey, snail-paced, and mistake-laden process that is manual document processing. It is reported that on average, standard invoices have an error rate of at least 10 percent while the average cost of manually processing documents is in the range of $40 to $50. These facts reveal a worrying truth: less than 30 percent of enterprises would survive more than 3 weeks if for some unfortunate reason they lost their manual records. Summarily, it is evident that embracing the utilization of Intelligent Document Processing will not only ensure efficiency and speed, but it is also safer as it:
- Reduces human error by as much as 52 percent
- Reduces the cost of processing documents manually
- Reduces the amount of time spent on documents
2. Improvement in Security and Compliance:
Given how accurate Intelligent Document Processing is, it is suitable for taking care of matters related to compliance. It also ensures the safety or security of sensitive information as humans are not involved in the collation processes.
3. Enhancement of the quality of data
The fact remains that the majority of the data of an organization is contained in unstructured things such as tests, emails, PDFs, and scanned documents. However, with the use of Intelligent Document Processing, such data digitally transformed into structured data of exceptional quality.
4. Promotion of Scale Automation
Intelligent Document Processing helps to promote scale automation. The ease at which Intelligent Document Processing can be linked or fused to various platforms helps to promote automated systems in general as the way forward. Besides, linking various systems is the path to hyper-automation as through such links Artificial intelligence and Robotic Process automation learn.
Conclusion
In this era of digital transformation, Intelligent Document Processing is a tool that has come to stay. It has improved the efficiency of data collection, comprehension, contextualization, and allocation. Intelligent Document Processing also saves cost, is safer, and is the new way of doing things. Besides, given the continued progress being made in the digital field, it will only get better and better. Now is the time to come aboard this ship of digital transformation!
