The product is very, very nice. The tool relieves the data entry team from manipulating data. It shortens the time of extracting data by 70 to 80%.
UiPath should localize the built-in features for supporting Arabic scripts so we do not rely on third-party tools. It will take some investment. Sometimes, when we use third-party tools, we need to collect multiple samples of the same document in Arabic. It creates some errors in understanding.
Sometimes, we need to do multiple formats for the same document. It happens due to the nature of the Arabic language. For the same document in English, we only supply one template. The output of handwritten documents in Arabic is very poor, regardless of the solution. For computer-printed documents, we need to tune the system.
I am using the solution currently.
We were using our own intelligent business processing solution. It is more convenient to use because it's our own product, and we rely on Amazon Web Services. It provides big advantages for Arabic scripts. It is more understandable.
The product is easy to implement to an extent. If we are familiar with the input, processing, output, and how to declare variables, it's easy. If we are new to UiPath, it would be somewhat difficult to understand. UiPath Academy and certifications are very important.
The difficulties in implementation depend on the environments, document sources, document types, and customer understanding. Sometimes, customers think the product can pass anything without configuration, which is not true in some cases. We have to be very clear with the customer about the type of documents and layout they can expect. Two working days are sufficient for configuring, extracting, and linking the process. One person is enough to deploy the solution.
The pricing depends on the context of the project. UiPath is a pricey tool for small customers. If the customer agrees on the cloud product, we discuss the cost accordingly. In some cases, even though the customer sees value in the product, return on investment, productivity, and enhancements of their processes, they decide not to choose UiPath due to budget constraints. They choose a different vendor.
Sometimes, the customer is small, but we could see the potential for using the tool because they might have multiple processes. The price we offer is based on the context and the size of the opportunity we get for references. Document Understanding has helped us automate processes like contract management, reconciliation of invoices against purchase orders, claims management, and HR processes.
We process 100,000 to 500,000 documents in a year. We also had a project for Dubai Customs to reconcile the customs clearance, which involved 500,000 to 1,000,000 documents. These documents contain tables, bar codes, dates, and checkboxes. Tables might span over multiple pages, and we must capture it completely. It becomes challenging sometimes. If there is an invoice of three pages, everything must be captured, but sometimes the values are inaccurate.
Around 70% of our organization’s documents are completely processed automatically. We haven't used the product for signatures. Customers often see from a productivity point of view. If their employees process ten documents an hour, and the tool processes 50 documents an hour, using the tool is an advantage for them.
The tool does not work for integrations. It extracts data. When we extract data successfully, we rely on other business tools for integration. Document Understanding serves as a first milestone in the process. The tool at the second milestone would pick up the extracted data and post it according to the processes or applications used.
We need human validation of Document Understanding outputs three out of ten times. It does not take more than 20 to 30 seconds per document. An employee would take ten documents per minute. RPA could handle 30 to 40 documents per minute. Document Understanding has helped us reduce human errors by 70% to 80%.
Document Understanding has helped free up staff’s time for other projects. From a development point of view, it has freed up 70% of staff's time. From an employee's point of view, it has freed up 80 to 90% of their time. We saw the value of the product after a couple of projects, especially when we implemented it and saw the value for ourselves. As a customer, vendor, or implementer, when we see the execution, we see the value.
If someone wants to take advantage of this technology, they must think multiple times about different scenarios. They must centralize the capture or the source of data. They can use any product that is easy to use and configure and link it to the processes. They must sync the templates and the configuration multiple times and link it to the automation strategy.
Overall, I rate the solution a five out of ten.