Description of functionality
Blue10 uses various methods for improving document recognition. Depending on the following factors, the document recognition learns and gets better and better:
- How clear are the details on the document?
- Recognition is best on original PDFs;
- When scanning, keep in mind that the resolution should be at least 300 dpi;
- Black-on-white recognition is best. Coloured letters or coloured areas behind the text reduce contrast, making the text less readable for the software;
- When text is larger (font size) on the document, it is easier to read for us as humans. However, this is not directly the case for the system. The document recognition checks what is written line by line. Sometimes the invoice number or the word ‘credit’ is so large on the document that it covers several lines for the system. As a result, the word is no longer recognisable. For example as shown below in the image, the document recognition sees the red-bordered part. Here, the software will not recognise the word;
- If data on the document is illegible (handwritten, with a line through it, or also difficult for people to read), Blue10 is unlikely to recognise the data better next time.
- Is master data getting in the way of good document recognition?
- If master data (such as IBAN and VAT number) appear on a different supplier than the correct one, the supplier that matches in terms of master data will initially be suggested as the correct supplier. This is because the first supplier meets the unique characteristics. It is very inconvenient, but if Blue10 needs to suggest a different supplier based on past changes. If there is no supplier that matches the supplier in terms of IBAN and VAT number, Blue10 can more easily suggest another one;
- How often does the document come through? If the document comes in monthly, it takes longer for it to be properly recognised than if it comes in weekly.
- Is it a new document that has come in?
- When a new supplier is created and 10 documents of this supplier immediately arrive in Blue10, it is a new document. In the first of the 10 documents, the supplier has been created. The next 9 documents are also not properly recognised because these document have already gone through document recognition before the supplier was created. Document recognition takes place before validation. Blue10 performs this recognition once, thus not after a change in the master data;
- After creating a new company/administration, make sure to synchronise the master data from the accounting system to Blue10. Then add the documents to ensure that the suppliers can be recognised based on the IBAN number and VAT number on the supplier card.
How does the functionality work?
The following describes how document recognition works for the most important fields and how it can be optimised:
- Administration: Administration is initially determined by the e-mail address the document is sent to. With a generic e-mail address, Blue10 recognises the administration by the company name in the salutation of the document. It is important that the supplier uses the correct company name and is consistent in this. To optimise document recognition, we recommend creating an e-mail address for a specific document per administration. Want to know more? Read more here;
- Supplier: Based on the IBAN number and VAT number set on the supplier card in the accounting system, Blue10 recognises the supplier. To optimise document recognition, the following points are important:
- Make sure the master data in the accounting system is correctly filled in;
- Ensure that each supplier has unique data so that it is clear to Blue10 which supplier it is. This also means that the same IBAN number and/or VAT number should not be used by multiple suppliers;
- If it happens that your own IBAN number and/or VAT number are mentioned on a document, make sure these details are filled in in Blue10. This can be done via Settings > Companies > open the relevant administration > enter these details in the fields Company VAT number and Company IBAN number. This way, your own data will not be used to identify suppliers.
- Customer: Based on the company name and address details, Blue10 recognises the customer. For document recognition optimisation, it is important that this data is properly filled in on the customer card in the accounting system;
- Invoice number: By default, the invoice number is recognised by the various names in front of the invoice number such as: factuurnummer, invoice number, document number, etc. and variations thereof (no., nr.). By default, the invoice number, together with the date, is searched on the first page of the invoice by Blue10;
- Invoice date: Invoice date has an additional check that searches for the date least far in the past. This is done because the invoice date will always be in the past. If invoices are only added to Blue10 after a month, the due date may also have passed in the meantime. This leads to the due date being recognised as invoice date, as this date is then least in the past. Therefore, we recommend adding invoices to Blue10 immediately after they arrive. These do not need to be validated immediately, but this way they can go straight through text recognition;
- Total Amount: Blue10 looks for the amount of money to be paid on the last page of the document. If the last pages of the document are attachments, mark these pages as attachments while splitting. By doing this, Blue10 recognises the amount on the last page of the document and the attachment will be excluded from document recognition;
- VAT Line: Amounts take into account the VAT rate applicable for that country. By checking the amounts found with these percentages, there is a greater chance that the amounts will be recognised correctly. Therefore, we recommend filling in the country codes correctly in the accounting system and on the supplier cards.
- Purchase order number: Purchase order number are also recognised behind a number of standard names, such as inkoopordernummer, purchase order number, order, etc.
Do you have any questions?
Please contact our Customer support. We are happy to help you!
