Case Study: From manual data entry to AI-powered document processing

Demand

Reducing operational friction in procurement document processing

In procurement workflows, extracting structured data from supplier invoices and quotations is a critical step before information can be reviewed and imported into ERP and financial systems.

These documents typically arrive as unstructured PDF files, often containing complex tables and detailed line items. Previously, administrative teams had to manually read each document and retype all relevant data line by line.

This approach created:

• a high volume of repetitive manual work
• long processing times per document
• fatigue-related errors
• limited scalability as document volumes increased

The objective was clear:
reduce manual data entry while maintaining control, accuracy and review capabilities.

Design

Designing a pragmatic AI-driven extraction approach

we+ designed DEx (Data Extractie) as a solution focused on one key principle:
automate transcription, not judgment.

The solution was designed to convert unstructured PDFs into structured, reviewable data - without removing the necessary verification step.

DEx combines:

• OCR technology to read scanned and digital PDFs
• AI-powered analysis to interpret document structure and content
• extract document-level information (supplier, date, reference, currency)
• identify and parse complex line-item tables, even across multiple rows
• capture quantities, prices, discounts and calculate net amounts
• classify delivery terms based on document content
• process large documents in chunks to ensure consistency

The design allows the tool to:

• extract document-level information (supplier, date, reference, currency)
• identify and parse complex line-item tables, even across multiple rows
• capture quantities, prices, discounts and calculate net amounts
• classify delivery terms based on document content
• process large documents in chunks to ensure consistency

Deliver

From full manual entry to review-based processing

With DEx in place, the procurement workflow was transformed.

Instead of typing every line from scratch, administrative staff now:

• review automatically extracted data
• correct exceptions when needed
• validate results before ERP import

The solution significantly reduced repetitive typing while preserving full control over the final data quality.

This shift allowed teams to focus on verification and exception handling rather than transcription.

Drive

Efficiency gains and more reliable document processing

The impact of DEx is both operational and qualitative:

• Significant time savings per invoice and quotation
• Strong reduction in repetitive manual work
• Fewer fatigue-related errors
• Faster preparation of supplier documents for ERP and financial systems

By automating extraction while keeping human validation in place, DEx delivers a balanced approach - combining AI efficiency with operational reliability.