Document Capture & Analytics for Developers

The benefits of intelligent document capture are well documented, and its impact on efficiency can be a quick win for any business processing a significant volume of documents. Next-generation capture adds a new dimension of automation, and provides capture functionality to any application or system. So now, the ERP, Copier, iPad, CRM or Document Management System can be capture-enabled through its own interface, without the need to switch windows, open a new application or “send files” to a processing location. This “invisible” automation layer requires no end-user expertise, and as far as they know, they are doing business as usual.

Below are some core benefits to leveraging Capture as a Service (CaaS):

Minimal Impact to Operations

Current process: the end-user uploads a received file through the CRM interface, and then enters some notes and metadata about the file: customer name, date of contract, salesperson, and region. Capture as a Service enabled process: the end-user uses the same upload process, but in the background, the invisible capture automation layer classifies the document, extracts all the data and enters it into the CRM automatically. This is the power of document capture web services. With no impact to current process or operations, you gain efficiency and reduce errors, driving speed of transactions, reduced response times and the costly fixing of erroneous data.

Low to No Training

Because end users are using the applications they use every day, there is almost zero training required. That’s the beauty of the invisible capture layer. If deployed correctly, users just perform their process the same way, and manual data entry and steps are totally eliminated. The lack of a training requirement minimizes any lost work days spent on costly training, and provides value immediately, starting day one.

Workflow Enhancement

With capture web services, you can add intelligence to any existing workflow product. Just about every workflow engine in the market provides simple, no code hooks into any RESTful web service. With Ephesoft’s web services, you have both macro and micro functions ready. Need to read a barcode? Use a micro service. Need to classify, extract and OCR? Use a macro processor. Capture becomes an efficiency booster to any document-centric process.

Solve the Plague of Windows

More and more, IT and Business staff alike are looking to streamline and consolidate, and reduce the number of applications required to do business. Creating that single interactive interface is the end goal. And a web services automation layer can provide functionality that would normally require the addition of an interactive app.

Maximum Efficiency

It is said that 50% of document-intensive process labor is spent on 5% of your documents. Why? The cost of problems and fixing errors. Automating any data extraction and document classification process, coupled with data validation techniques, and reduce errors to almost 0, and drive the maximum efficiency possible in your organization.

Just a brief note on some thoughts and trends I am seeing in the marketplace. Thoughts?

If you want to see Ephesoft Transact Web Services in action, take a peek at Ephesoft Transact Web Services API.