More resources through automated invoice processing

Translation makes documents machine-readable

Every supplier has its own ERP system. And every ERP system delivers documents in different formats via different channels. This means that your own software can only read these documents if they have the same format. Only then can the system recognize that it is, for example, an order confirmation that relates to a specific order. And only then can it check whether the AB data matches that of the order.

This is exactly what the DIG Portal does with mapping: fields from different databases are linked together and the meaning of the foreign field is assigned, i.e. the document is translated. The portal performs this translation into the recipient's target format for all incoming and outgoing documents. This enables the target system to process the incoming data automatically.

The documents are transferred via one of the three channels that DIG is one of the few providers on the market to offer: i.e. via a direct EDI route or as an e-mail with PDF documents or XML files. This enables efficient collaboration with partners of any size!

Clearing: checking incoming documents

Once a document has been translated, the DIG Portal initiates the comparison, i.e. the content check. This check is carried out using defined parameters: In the case of an invoice, for example, the criteria according to § 11 UStG or § 14 according to the German VAT Act (details in the Purchase-to-Pay menu item) can be checked. These parameters can be defined as required depending on the vendor, document type, etc. However, a comparison with existing data can also be made.

For example, details in an order can be compared with the contents of the order confirmation or invoice data with delivery note data. In the event of deviations (e.g. beyond defined tolerance limits), an electronically managed, documented escalation process can now be triggered. In practice, this means that in the case of order confirmations, for example, where on average 10% are incorrect, the purchasing department only has to check these problematic ones instead of checking them all!

• Automatically. Check against replicated offline data ( e.g. Excel lists) or online via web service call to external systems such as SAP
• Tolerance thresholds can be configured individually (e.g. depending on supplier)
• Manual intervention in the clearing process possible (e.g. assign invoices to a specialist department for checking - incl. comments on the document or in the associated log)
• Rejection of an incorrect invoice in the portal is possible
• Once a document has been released, it is transferred to the recipient's leading system
• Approval can be documented by electronic signature, logging of all document steps by the system

Preparing: Adding incoming data for posting

Incoming documents often lack the data records required for posting. It is not uncommon for the supplier not to be able to supply these at all! For example, because the delivery bill contains the supplier's article number and not that of the customer. This is why the "Preparing" module prepares incoming data with relevant master data or order data. In the example of article numbers, the vendor article numbers are supplemented with the customer article numbers by means of mapping (linking fields from different databases in the sense of a meaning assignment). This mapping can be adapted again and again during ongoing operation of the portal depending on requirements.

Another example of preparing is telephone invoices: Here, the reference of the individual telephone number to a specific cost center is important. However, the telephone provider cannot provide this information and is therefore supplemented in the DIG portal using a master data table to enable an assignment in the ERP.

Document flow control: the workflow for all documents

In the DIG workflow, all steps in which incoming documents are processed are controlled automatically. Checked and approved documents are transferred directly to the target system, while documents for which clearing has revealed discrepancies are forwarded to the escalation process and only transferred to the target system after successful completion.

The workflow also controls the addition of data in Preparing and therefore forms the heart of the portal. The control of the document flow can be freely configured depending on the individual organization in the company: documents without an order reference can be assigned to a specific person for processing, an urgent process can be installed if order confirmations are missing, and so on.

The document flow with the DIG Workflow can therefore be adapted exactly to your specific requirements!