Revolutionizing Document Management in SAP with Generative AI

Introduction

Extracting information from digitized documents, such as photos or scans, can be a challenging task, particularly when there is no standard format for the positioning of information within the document. This lack of standardization can lead to difficulties in accurately identifying and extracting relevant data, which can, in turn, impact the efficiency and accuracy of business processes.

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In SAP systems, document management often involves manual integration of data from various sources, such as scanned invoices or purchase orders. Traditional OCR systems can help automate data extraction, but they have several pain points. For instance, they require specific configurations to identify fields within documents accurately, and they may struggle with variations in formatting due to the absence of a standard template. Moreover, OCR systems can be prone to errors, especially when dealing with low-quality scans or images.

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GenAI Happened!

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However, with the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), there is now an opportunity to address these challenges and enhance the capabilities of document management in SAP systems. Since SAP can be integrated with external systems through custom code, businesses can leverage the benefits of AI and GenAI to improve the accuracy and efficiency of data extraction from digitized documents. By utilizing advanced AI techniques, companies can overcome the limitations of traditional OCR systems and streamline their document management processes in SAP.

Solution

The AI + GenAI solution offers a range of advantages over traditional OCR systems, including:?

1. The ability to read a PDF/image of an invoice through a simple file upload, without having to configure the OCR to expect specific fields in specific positions within the document (#traditionalAI)

2. The reconstruction and cleaning of text where OCR can be affected from errors (for instance, reconstruct any missing letters or words) (#generativeAI)

3. The use of Generative AI to generate the mapping of extracted fields onto the "required" fields, thereby solving the problem of needing uniformly formatted documents and decoupling text extraction from the mapping between extracted and required fields (#generativeAI)

4. The automatic triggering of document registration on SAP, based on the identified metadata.

The workflow is reported in next picture:

?The process described involves the integration between SAP and a Generative AI layer (for instance, #IBM #watsonx.ai, #Amazon #Bedrock, #Azure #OpenAI) for document management and data processing through the use of OCR services, and generative AI for data cleansing and content mapping. The workflow can be described in the following steps:

High level workflow

·????? Document Management Configuration in SAP (prerequisite): This step involves the initial setup in SAP system for document management to prepare the environment for creation, management, and storage of documents.

·????? File upload: users upload documents into the SAP system. This step enables the entry of documents into the workflow for processing.

·????? API Services Call: Once the document has been uploaded in SAP, the system makes a call to external APIs, sending the documents in binary format. This is the point where the process extends beyond SAP to include cloud-based AI processing services.

·????? Return to SAP for Document Registration: With the data now returned and ready for use, the SAP system proceeds with the document registration, storing the processed information in the document management system. This ensures that all documents and related data are accurately cataloged and accessible for future searches and analysis without any additional human effort.

Conclusion

Generative artificial intelligence has revolutionized the management of paper documents, offering a more efficient and accurate solution for identifying and classifying documents such as invoices, tax documents, and purchase orders. With the use of GenAI, businesses can improve their productivity, reduce errors, and optimize internal processes, all without worrying about variations in the graphic format of invoices provided by their suppliers. Ultimately, GenAI represents a significant breakthrough in how companies manage documents, leading to greater efficiency and accuracy in a critical area of business.

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#SAP #GenAI #DocumentManagement #AI #DigitalTransformation #IBM #watsonx