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Example: RPA in Invoice Processing

Background: Large companies often receive thousands of invoices from suppliers every month. Processing these invoices manually is time-consuming and prone to errors. It involves verifying the details, checking for duplicates, matching invoices with purchase orders, seeking approvals, and then initiating payments.

 

How RPA is Applied:

  1. Data Extraction:
  • The RPA bot starts by scanning incoming invoices, whether they arrive via email or other channels.
  • It then extracts the relevant information from these invoices, such as supplier name, invoice number, date, total amount, line item details, etc.
  • Validation and Matching:
    • The bot checks the extracted data for completeness or errors.
    • It matches the invoice against corresponding purchase orders or delivery receipts in the system to ensure they align.
  • Duplicate Check:
    • The RPA bot searches the database to ensure the invoice hasn't been processed already, thereby avoiding duplicate payments.
  • Approval Workflow:
    • If everything matches, the bot can either: a. Automatically approve the invoice for payment if it's below a certain amount. b. Route it to the appropriate department or person for manual approval if it's above a threshold or if there are discrepancies.
  • Initiation of Payment:
    • Once approved, the bot can initiate the payment process by entering the necessary details into the company's payment system.
  • Notifications and Reporting:
    • The bot can send out notifications to relevant stakeholders about the status of the invoice processing.
    • It can also generate regular reports about the number of invoices processed, amounts paid, discrepancies noted, etc., and send them to the finance team.

     

    Benefits:

    1. Speed and Efficiency: What used to take hours or even days can now be accomplished in a fraction of the time.
    2. Accuracy: RPA bots drastically reduce human errors, ensuring more accurate invoice processing.
    3. Cost Savings: Automated invoice processing can lead to significant cost savings in terms of manual labor and error rectification.
    4. Scalability: As the volume of invoices increases, RPA bots can easily scale to handle the added workload without requiring a proportional increase in resources.
    5. Audit and Compliance: RPA ensures a consistent process that can be audited, and it maintains a clear record of actions, assisting with compliance requirements.
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