In today’s fast-paced business world, digitising documents and processes is essential to keep up with the competition and streamline operations. One area where digitisation can have a significant impact is with supplier invoices. Not only does it eliminate the manual and time-consuming process of dealing with physical invoices, but it also enhances accuracy, reduces the risk of errors, and makes the entire process much more efficient. In this blog, we will explore the steps you can take to digitise your supplier invoices, from choosing the right software to implementing the process within your organisation.
This blog shares the steps and questions to consider when you want to digitise documents such as your supplier’s paper invoices, removing the need to receive them in paper.
1. What documents do you want to digitise? Also, what sort of volumes are there? Documents like supplier invoices are ideally suited to the digitisation process.
The documents that are ideal for digitisation are supplier invoices and any other documents that are processed in large volumes. Digitising documents like these can streamline operations, enhance accuracy, reduce the risk of errors, and make the entire process more efficient.
2. How do you currently receive and manage hard copy documents within your business? Is it easy or complicated to adapt the processes to digitise the documents?
The current process for receiving and managing hard copy documents within a business can be analysed to determine the ease of adaptation to digitisation.
3. Do you already receive some of the documents you wish to digitise via email?
If some of the documents that are to be digitised are already received via email, then it can be an advantage in the digitisation process as it eliminates the need to scan or manually input information from physical documents. Consequently, this can speed up the transition to a digital format and provide a more seamless experience for those involved in the process.
4. Which records on the document does your system require to be able to process the file electronically? Usually not all data is required, and some qualifier information may also need to be inserted.
When digitising documents, it is important to determine which records within the document are necessary for the system to process the file electronically. Not all data may be required. Some additional information may need to be inserted in order to properly qualify the document. This step is crucial to ensure that the digitisation process is effective and efficient. It also ensures that the system is able to process the files as intended.
5. Do you need to apply validation rules based on your system’s requirements or based on business processes?
Validation rules may need to be applied during the digitisation process. These should be based on the requirements of the system or on the business processes in place. This step therefore ensures the accuracy and completeness of the data within the digitised documents and helps to prevent errors. The type of validation rules that need to be applied will depend on the specific needs of the system and the business. It is important these are determined during the planning stages of the digitisation process.
6. What system do you use? Can you get data into the system now? If you’re already receiving some of the documents you wish to digitise, then this is an easier step.
The type of system used for digitising documents is a crucial factor in the success of the process. If the system is already in place, it is important to determine if data can be entered into the system. Provided that some of the documents to be digitised are already received in a digital format, then this step may be easier. If the system is not currently set up to receive and process digital documents, then additional steps may be required to properly integrate it into the digitisation process.
7. What formats does your system support?
The format support of the system used for digitising documents is an important consideration. That is to say, it is crucial to ensure that the system is capable of processing the required document formats. This is to ensure a seamless and efficient digitisation process. If the system does not support the necessary formats, additional steps may be required. That is, the documents converted into a format that can be processed by the system.
You can download these questions for free to share with your business here or contact us to discuss how you can implement an accounts payable solution.
About B2BE
B2BE delivers electronic supply chain solutions globally, helping organisations to better manage their supply chain processes, providing greater levels of visibility, auditability and control. We’re driven by a passion for what we do, inspired by innovation, and underpinned by a wealth of knowledge. With over 20+ years of experience, the B2BE teams operate worldwide.
For more information, visit www.b2be.com.