Utilizing RPA to Streamline Logistics

Template Classification

About the Client

The client is a global provider of third-party transportation information services. They offer comprehensive freight payment, auditing, accounting, and reporting services to their clients.

Problem


The company had identified an operational nuance that was creating productivity issues with each new client implemented. These issues were not only frustrating, but they had become costly. Large volumes of invoice data required efficient processing within a short window of time. In its current state, this process required a vast workforce that manually logged each data set into the appropriate field on the invoicing forms. As the company began to grow, the number of employees required to complete the assigned tasks grew as well. The organization quickly outgrew their headquarters and revenue began to suffer as overtime was required to keep up with demand.

Additionally, since the invoice process generated revenue, the audit process was essential to success and required that the keyed information be validated for 100% accuracy. It became abundantly clear that the invoice audit process would require a significant resource investment. As the resources began to expand exponentially, they knew that something had to change if they were to succeed in the future.

Solution


After a thorough vetting of qualified vendors, Vee Technologies was brought in to develop a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution that could solve the identified issues and automate other parts of the process to allow for future growth.

To facilitate the bot deployment, the automation process identified four essential stages:

  • The shipping partner of each invoice would be identified using the template matching algorithm that utilized the image processing technique. These templates were segregated under the shipping partner’s destination location

  • The values from the fields in the invoice images would be extracted using the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) engine and processed based on the string manipulation technique

  • The manipulated field values would then be populated in the client-specific applications and, thereafter, stored in the database

  • An email would be automatically triggered at the completion of the work queue in order to inform the client of the processed results

Utilizing this process, the manual steps would be completely automated, enabling the client to accurately forecast shipping prices to their partners efficiently and on time.

Result


Following a two month design phase and a two day deployment stage, the automation project was a success. The deployed bots process approximately 1,000 records per day, with the potential to scale to meet demand. Productivity rates increased 25% and the accuracy of the work grew to around 95%. Due to issues with poor handwriting or bad data, the process requires minimal supervision, although the QA process implemented quickly picks up any remaining issues and the extra resources allotted to analysis has ensured a 100% accuracy rate.

Realizing that technology had advanced and their processes were obsolete, this organization reached out to Vee Technologies to solve their growth issues and position them for future success. In the end, the implemented changes allowed for a strategic shift in the company’s operational approach, which drove revenue and facilitated growth.

Utilizing RPA to Streamline Logistics Template Classification

Utilizing RPA to Streamline Logistics Template Classification