Automating Invoice Processing for a Pharmaceutical Company

Industry

Pharmaceutical

Challenge

Manual invoice generation and distribution, inefficiencies in extracting invoice details from PDF documents, and the need for secure customer access.

Solution

AI-driven document processing, SharePoint-based secure distribution, and automated approval workflows.

The Challenge

A leading pharmaceutical company was struggling with manual invoice processing. Each month, they generated hundreds of invoices for customers across multiple regions. The process involved:
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Manually parsing PDF invoices to extract item details, quantities, and costs.
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Manually parsing PDF invoices to extract item details, quantities, and costs.
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Manually parsing PDF invoices to extract item details, quantities, and costs.
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Manually parsing PDF invoices to extract item details, quantities, and costs.
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Manually parsing PDF invoices to extract item details, quantities, and costs.
With high volumes of invoices, data inconsistencies, and prone-to-error manual processing, the company needed automation to scale operations and improve accuracy.

The Solution: AI-Powered Invoice Automation & Secure Distribution

1.

Delayed project timelines.

We deployed a document parsing AI model to scan PDF invoices, extract key data, and auto-fill invoice templates. The model was trained on:
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Different invoice formats (regional and product variations).
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Data fields: Item name, quantity, unit price, total price, customer name, invoice date, and payment terms.
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Natural Language Processing (NLP) to detect key invoice details in varying layouts.

2.

Invoice Template Generation & Customer Mapping

Once the data extraction was complete, the system:
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Cross-referenced extracted details with customer master tables in the ERP system.
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Auto-generated invoices in a predefined template (PDF or Excel).
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Mapped invoices to the respective customer IDs, ensuring proper allocation.

3.

Secure Distribution via SharePoint

To securely distribute invoices, we integrated Microsoft SharePoint, where:
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Each customer had a dedicated, secure folder (accessible only to their unique Customer ID).
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Invoices were auto-uploaded after processing.
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A unique encrypted link was generated for each invoice.

4.

Automated Approval Workflow

Before invoices were distributed, they underwent a multi-tier approval process:
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Step 1: Auto-send invoices for initial review by Accounts Receivable Team.

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Step 2: If flagged, send to Finance Manager for review and correction.

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Step 3: Once approved, invoice is automatically distributed to customers.

Each approval step had a predefined SLA (Service Level Agreement), ensuring timely invoice validation.

5.

Automated Email Distribution & Notifications

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After approval, invoices were automatically emailed to customers.
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Emails contained a customized message, an invoice attachment, and a secure SharePoint link.
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Customers could log in to SharePoint to retrieve historical invoices.
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Follow-up reminders were sent for unpaid invoices.

Results & Impact

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Processing time reduced by 85% (from days to minutes).

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Error reduction by 90%, eliminating manual invoice discrepancies.

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100% secure document access, ensuring compliance with HIPAA and GDPR regulations.

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This automation enabled the pharmaceutical company to scale its invoicing process seamlessly, ensuring timely payments and enhanced customer experience.