Data capture and reconciliation at first touch point is one of the most effective ways to improve business operations and processes. It is a way to eliminate or minimize paper handling, initiate or trigger workflows for action sooner, efficiently use auto-classification tools, automatically start information governance controls, and immediately match information to ensure that only accurate data enters the corporate systems.

But, despite businesses understand this question, there’s still a lot to be done. In a recent study by AIIM and Papersoft , when asked about their progress in moving capture and reconciliation to first touch point, only thirty-one percent of respondents report they have actively been able to move their functions.

Given that capture and reconciliation have been around for several decades, it is disappointing that we have not been able to achieve higher levels with only six percent reporting they have reached a saturation level, but the fact businesses are still moving capture to the front of the processes is encouraging.

The fact is that automated Data Capture and Reconciliation brings vital business information into the information ecosystem quickly, making it secure, accessible, and available to transact business immediately.

How is all of this in your organization? If you have the following pains, it’s time to invest in Data Capture and Reconciliation to eliminate them.

Here are the 14 signs that you need help with Data Capture and Reconciliation:

• You have different layouts matched to different document types in any step of the workflow
• Technology isn’t capable or flexible enough to ensure that only accurate and valid data is integrated into core systems
• Things are somewhat ad-hoc and you struggle to match up paper and electronic
• Electronic inbound tends to be printed and then filed/processed alongside paper
• You need to improve process productivity by removing manual steps, bottlenecks, and overloads
• Business insights are difficult to gather and you can’t see the whole processing scenario from report to the end of the cycle
• Your business processes are inflexible with the new regulatory requirements
• Enterprise search takes too much time and delays order to cash service
• Adding value to legacy content is not as simple as it should be
• You can’t detect in real-time business alerts such as fraud, crime, policy infringement, unacceptable use, etc.
• Improving the benefits/compliance of our ECM/RM – staff are poor at classification
• Workers need to check multiple not synchronized systems for business decisions
• You have to deal with frequent customer complaints
• Inability to create new online products

So, how can a Data Capture and Reconciliation solution help you address these challenges? With these two simple actions:

• The full automation of the reconciliation processes, both from paper or digital origin. Capture in papers, email, fax, files, apps, and others; Reconciliation of names, addresses, claims, contracts, invoices, and others.The correct data immediately delivered in existing systems
• Critical processes management right at the entry point – increasing the productivity of operational teams, reducing cost, and ensuring information quality.

So what does a Data Capture and Reconciliation solution look like?

A database matching and validation platform enables you to automatically perform the following tasks:

Quality Control & adaptive classification technology: system self-learns updating the project and fixing the issue; Automate governance tasks that will lead to future retention schedules

Metadata Extraction & Business Rules (OCR/ICR/IDR): Fields are captured using an extraction module; Using business rules, information consistency is matched with other documents from the process or system feeds, automating the human validation control checks

External Knowledge Validations: Database reconciliation comparing information such as names, address, bank details, customer number and order number with the master data (txt/csv/customer databases); It’s also possible to match information through customer webservices from ERP, CRM, AML/KYC or legacy systems.

BPM Client Exception Handling (Web Browser): Business conclusions are flagged and all mismatched items are grouped by case for client validation; The exceptions can be categorized by type on a dashboard:

Rejection process – A template email can be created with all mismatch reasons and shared with a contact.

Acceptance process – The user is able to edit information for a specific item and update the input before submission to the customer system.

Not only this service ensures the accuracy and validity of information of any type (not only financial), it also grants that unauthorized or illegal changes have not occurred to transactions during processing.

If uncertain of where to begin or how to begin, seek professional assistance and/or training to help determine the right path. It is better to take a step forward and learn than to take no step and fall behind.

We have the experience, tools, infrastructure and knowledge to help you on data capture and reconciliation. Let’s talk? We will be glad to help you succeed.

To Dos:
– Position automated reconciliation services at the entry point, not only to ensure that incoming data is complete and accurate but also to reduce fraud risk and bad audit.
– Discover our offer in this area and contact us for any question, demonstration or proposal.
– Subscribe to our blog to receive valuable insights about paper-free processes.
– Download the AIIM Report underwritten in partnership with Papersoft “ Industry Watch: Improving Business Operations – Capturing vital content ” with easy wins, lessons learned and critical recommendations to leverage your data for decision-making.