We primarily use UiPath Document Understanding for finance processes, covering both transactional procedures and reviews. One recent example involved streamlining the onboarding process, including pre-boarding, onboarding itself, and post-onboarding follow-up. The company typically requests various documents from applicants, which are then processed manually. However, due to variations in country-specific standards and requirements, HR personnel often spend significant time handling these documents.
Our solution involves creating a seamless online portal where applicants can upload their documents. These documents are automatically screened by the system and directly uploaded into the company's EFP system. This significantly reduces manual work for HR and finance teams. Similar automation applies to processing invoices from various suppliers in different formats. We leverage machine learning tools to train the system to read documents with varying complexity levels.
Essentially, the system mimics how an HR professional would process documents, capturing their knowledge and integrating it into the automated workflow. This reduces processing time and workload for both the company and its clients. Our focus lies on automating tasks within well-defined contexts, making us less involved in product development activities at this stage.
Initially, our clients were primarily interested in UiPath Document Understanding out of curiosity about its potential. Their main focus was on automation, but we also engaged in discussions about the broader benefits, such as time savings. We highlighted that a 30 percent time reduction allows them to focus on tasks with higher value. However, what I found even more crucial was the impact on lead times. Manual processes often lead to work stoppages, delays, and roadblocks. Automation, even partial, can significantly reduce lead times. For example, a task that previously took five weeks can now be completed in just a few days. While security concerns may necessitate some manual intervention, such as allowing the head of HR to retain some oversight, the overall process becomes more streamlined over time.
Most document processing is automated, improving efficiency and ease, especially in back-office transactions. However, areas like marketing, where business plans require creativity and flexibility, remain manual for now. Where documents are stored, and manipulated, and data needs to be extracted and distributed across various systems, the process is often cumbersome. Traditionally, someone would manually open each system, which is time-consuming, especially considering most companies have hundreds of them. This is where tools and systems come in, able to connect across platforms, read data from various sources, and make interpretations. The level of automation depends on the company's maturity. Sometimes we leverage their existing data, while other times we implement techniques to extract more insights. Ideally, we'd be able to predict and anticipate future needs, but for now, with clients, we're primarily focused on analyzing data and helping them automate their processes. This is the first step.
The volume and types of documents we process with UiPath Document Understanding vary depending on the client. For smaller companies with a few hundred employees, the needs are different than for large international corporations with thousands. These international clients often have diverse locations with varying processes and systems, making automation more challenging. In HR departments, for example, the sheer number of applicants and their associated documents can be immense. Ensuring accuracy is crucial, as mistakes can have significant consequences. Finance departments also present unique challenges, as data might be hidden or incomplete. This requires them to be at a certain level of maturity to benefit from automation effectively. The complexity of documents is another key factor. While machine learning can handle many documents, it has limitations. Some documents might be too time-consuming to train on, making the investment in automation impractical. This can leave a portion of documents requiring manual processing. Overall, UiPath Document Understanding automates the processing of the majority of documents we handle, around 80 percent. However, for the remaining 20 percent, manual intervention is still necessary due to document complexity, data limitations, or training time constraints.
UiPath Document Understanding helps us extract data from various document formats, including tables, handwritten content, checkboxes, and barcodes. However, poorly legible documents present a challenge. Automating 100 percent of documents is currently impossible due to diverse languages and handwritten sections. Our current approach categorizes documents into easy, medium, and complex based on difficulty. We prioritize easy documents as complex ones require significant time investment with uncertain results. Unfortunately, machine learning for document processing can be time-consuming. We prioritize documents based on return on investment. For example, if we have 10,000 documents, we might skip two unique ones, even if theoretically similar to others. If only two or three data points are needed, but the structure drastically varies, processing might not be worthwhile. Imagine a 10-page phone bill invoice with a minimal value of €10. Investing time in such documents offers a minimal return. Therefore, we focus on documents offering greater value.
Around 70 percent of the documents are processed automatically using UiPath Document Understanding.
UiPath excels at connecting with various systems compared to some competitors. This is crucial when promoting it to clients, as in our case with our UiPath partnership. All our developers have UiPath training, and we strongly believe in its capabilities. However, internal legacy systems within companies can pose challenges. For example, a client with an EFP system they plan to replace might hesitate to automate now. Integrating UiPath with basic IT infrastructure is essential, and frequent system changes demand flexible solutions. While UiPath is adaptable, we need to demonstrate its compatibility with various systems to gain client buy-in. This will make them more open to automation. It's important to remember that company maturity levels influence their automation openness. While UiPath has no control over that, adapting to ever-changing environments requires flexible systems. By showcasing UiPath's ability to work with different systems, we can overcome client hesitation and secure their trust in our proposed automation solutions.
It typically takes clients about a month to see the benefits of UiPath Document Understanding. We start by showing a demo. We often use the UiPath website itself for inspiration, and we also consult with UiPath staff to see if they have any pre-built demos for specific areas, such as onboarding. We create short, simple videos tailored to their needs and showcase them to both HR and IT personnel, giving them a glimpse of the solution before implementation. While deployment ultimately requires its timeline, we can typically craft a process description within a couple of weeks, allowing for a swift rollout. The tools themselves are relatively quick to use. In my experience, the main bottleneck usually lies within the client organization itself. Functional teams are often busy, have competing priorities, and sometimes change their decisions. Navigating these internal dynamics can be time-consuming. The actual development time for tasks like process mapping, decision-making, and technical implementation is relatively short, typically measured between 10 to 20 days. However, building consensus, convincing stakeholders, and developing a compelling business case can take considerably longer. Internally, clients often encounter both promoters and detractors – individuals who welcome or resist change. These internal dynamics are often the biggest hurdle. However, once the decision is made, we can quickly create a targeted demo showcasing the added value UiPath Document Understanding can bring.
On average, human validation takes just a few minutes. Additionally, the number of full-time equivalents was reduced by 30 percent - that's a significant achievement. Lead time has also decreased dramatically, much more than the FTE reduction. A small department of three people can now do the same work with two, freeing up one person for other tasks. It's important to note that lead time reduction depends on the specific case. Theoretically, in a perfect scenario with seamless workflow, automation tools operating 24/7, and no disruptions, a five-fold decrease in lead time is possible. However, real-world scenarios often involve unforeseen issues requiring manual intervention, limiting the maximum achievable reduction. Still, significant lead time reductions are attainable through consistent improvement efforts.
When it is done well we can reduce and improve the accuracy through automation helping to reduce human error.