Invoice processing · Production

Basware SmartPDF: AI-powered PDF invoice data extraction processing over 90% of invoices without manual work

The problem

Traditional OCR tools are error-prone and costly, causing character-recognition errors and requiring significant manual corrections; supplier on-boarding for invoice receipt is also slow and expensive.

First attempt

OCR was designed to digitize paper rather than extract structured data from PDF invoices, leaving character-confusion errors and ongoing manual correction as persistent problems.

Workflow diagram · grounded in source
1
Supplier sends PDF invoice
Trigger
Suppliers send PDF invoices to a single email address with no supplier registration required.
▾ source quote
“All you have to do is ask your suppliers to send PDF invoices to one email address and SmartPDF handles the rest. No more costly, slow supplier on-boarding – and no registration from suppliers needed.”
2
Company recognition and multi-invoice routing
Ai action
SmartPDF automatically recognizes which company each invoice belongs to and processes emails containing multiple invoices.
▾ source quote
“SmartPDF will recognize what company the invoice is for. It will also effectively process emails with multiple invoices without need to separate invoices prior to sending.”
3
AI/ML full invoice data extraction
Ai action
SmartPDF leverages AI and machine learning to extract high-quality full invoice data without manual handling.
▾ source quote
“SmartPDF leverages AI and machine learning to help you get rid of any need of touching your incoming invoices”
4
Data delivered to ERP or AP tool
Integration
Extracted invoice data is pulled into the user's ERP or AP tool of choice.
▾ source quote
“you can use SmartPDF to pull all invoice data into your tool of choice”
Reported outcome

SmartPDF processes over 90% of PDF invoices without manual work from the first day of use, saving money and time while improving accuracy and reducing carbon footprint.

Reported metrics
PDF invoices processed without manual workover 90%
Cost and time savingssave money, time
Accuracy improvementgain accuracy efficiencies
Carbon footprintdecrease your carbon footprint
Reported stack
SmartPDF
◆ Does this fit your context?

Compare to your context

Tell us your scale, team, and constraints. We'll show what changes at your size, what fails at your scale, and whether this case is a fit, needs adaptation, or won't scale to you. Free demo, no signup.

Compare to your context →
~30 seconds · free
Source
https://www.basware.com/en/solutions/ap-automation/smartpdf
Read source ↗

Frequently asked questions

What did this team achieve with this AI workflow?

SmartPDF processes over 90% of PDF invoices without manual work from the first day of use, saving money and time while improving accuracy and reducing carbon footprint.

What tools did this team use?

SmartPDF.

What results were reported?

PDF invoices processed without manual work: over 90%; Cost and time savings: save money, time; Accuracy improvement: gain accuracy efficiencies; Carbon footprint: decrease your carbon footprint (source-reported, not independently verified).

What failed first in this deployment?

OCR was designed to digitize paper rather than extract structured data from PDF invoices, leaving character-confusion errors and ongoing manual correction as persistent problems.

How is this invoice processing AI workflow structured?

Supplier sends PDF invoice → Company recognition and multi-invoice routing → AI/ML full invoice data extraction → Data delivered to ERP or AP tool.

Related invoice processing cases

WHAT TO DO WITH THIS

Now compare it to your context

This case is one data point. Whether its pattern fits you depends on your volumes, your stack, and your exception load — that comparison is the step no case study can do for you.

Browse the Invoice processing cases →