Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) — Everything You Need to Know
Published: 2024-07-10 09:10:03

## What is Intelligent Document Processing (IDP)?
Intelligent Document Processing is a technology that amalgamates [Artificial Intelligence (AI)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence), [Machine Learning (ML)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning), and [Optical Character Recognition (OCR) ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_character_recognition)to automate the extraction of valuable information from diverse document formats. Unlike traditional data capture methods, which require extensive manual intervention, IDP leverages AI to swiftly process a vast array of documents ranging from invoices and receipts to legal contracts and more.

The primary objective is to automatically extract key information, classify documents, and route them to appropriate workflows or systems, significantly enhancing data processing efficiency and accuracy. There are also some IDP solutions given at the end of this post like [ComIDP intelligent document processing solution](https://www.compdf.com/solutions/intelligent-document-processing).

## The Intelligent Document Processing Market

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/amb65t34cpyxg1n9i39w.png)

The rapid growth of the Intelligent Document Processing market can be attributed to its wide range of applications and significant efficiency improvements. IDP technology can automate the processing of various types of documents, including but not limited to:
Types of Documents that Can Be Automated:

- Invoices: IDP can automatically extract supplier information, invoice numbers, listed products and services, and total amounts from invoices, accelerating accounting and payment processes.
- Purchase Orders: IDP can automatically identify and extract key information from purchase orders such as order numbers, supplier details, quantities, and prices, facilitating inventory management and supply chain optimization.
- Receipts: With IDP, receipts can be automatically scanned and information such as date, time, amount spent, and merchant details can be extracted, simplifying expense reimbursement and financial record management.
- Legal Documents: IDP can be used to automate the processing and analysis of contracts, agreements, and other legal documents, extracting key information like contract terms and durations, ensuring compliance, and reducing the need for manual review.
- Medical Records: IDP can automatically extract patient information, medical histories, prescriptions, and treatment records from electronic medical records, helping healthcare organizations enhance efficiency and reduce manual errors.
- Financial Statements: IDP can process financial statements, extracting key data such as income, expenses, and net profit, assisting businesses in financial analysis and decision-making.
- Emails: IDP can automatically classify and organize emails, extracting important information such as sender, subject, and time, and can even automate responses or archiving based on content.
- Handwritten Documents: IDP can convert handwritten text into editable digital text, improving record-keeping efficiency and minimizing manual input errors.
- Images and Scanned Files: IDP can extract text and data from images and scanned files, converting them into searchable and editable text, enhancing data entry speed and accuracy.
- Bank Statements: IDP can automatically recognize account information, transaction records, and balances from bank statements, simplifying reconciliation processes and financial management.
- Customer Communications: With IDP, customer communication documents can be automatically classified, archived, and key information extracted for quick responses and maintaining customer relationships.
- KYC (Know Your Customer) Documents: IDP can automatically process KYC documents, extracting customer identity information, address proof, and other necessary verification information, speeding up the customer onboarding and compliance processes.
Due to the high efficiency and versatility of IDP, its applications are expanding across various industries, from banking and finance to healthcare and legal sectors, revolutionizing traditional document processing methods.

## How Does Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) Work?
Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) simplifies the data extraction and processing workflow by leveraging advanced artificial intelligence technologies including machine learning (ML), OCR, and NLP. The system is capable of understanding various text formats and can manage multiple data types, such as barcodes, images, and even handwritten notes. By scanning and converting physical documents into machine-readable formats (like PDFs or Microsoft Word files), IDP enables instant access to information. Enhanced with searchable text functions, this transformation ensures that valuable data is easy to locate and retrieve, thus significantly improving operational efficiency and accuracy.
The typical workflow of IDP includes the following steps:

- Document Collection: Gathering physical or electronic documents and uploading them to the IDP system.
- Document Classification: Using ML technologies to identify and classify different types of documents.
- Data Extraction: Extracting textual data from scanned documents using OCR technology and understanding and processing natural language content with NLP technology.
- Data Verification: Validating the accuracy of extracted data through predefined rules and algorithms.
- Data Output: Converting and storing processed data into easily manageable and retrievable formats, such as database entries, spreadsheets, or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
Through full automation, IDP not only reduces human errors but also speeds up document processing, freeing human resources to focus on higher-value tasks. Additionally, IDP is highly scalable and flexible, able to adapt to ever-changing business needs.

## Advantages
Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) offers several notable advantages across various industries:
Increased Efficiency: By automating the extraction and classification of documents, IDP significantly reduces manual processing time, increasing processing speed multiple folds.
Cost Reduction: By minimizing the use of paper documents and reducing manual input errors, IDP helps organizations significantly lower operational costs.
Enhanced Accuracy: Advanced machine learning and NLP algorithms ensure high accuracy in document data extraction, minimizing human errors.
Improved Compliance and Security: IDP systems typically come with high levels of compliance and data security measures, ensuring the safety and compliance of sensitive document data.
Enhanced Customer Experience: Fast and accurate document processing allows customers to receive needed services more quickly, thereby improving overall customer satisfaction.
## Recommended IDP Solutions

### ComIDP

In today’s fast-paced environment, businesses are constantly seeking innovative solutions to streamline operations and automate manual tasks. ComIDP, [a cutting-edge Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) solution](https://www.compdf.com/solutions/intelligent-document-processing) provided by [ComPDFKit](https://www.compdf.com/), stands out as a powerful tool designed to transform the way organizations manage documents.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/f7imh6u34a822j83034j.png)

- Advanced-Data Extraction: ComIDP employs state-of-the-art OCR combined with ML algorithms to extract pertinent information from scanned documents, PDFs, and images with remarkable accuracy. The system can identify and capture data even from unstructured documents, which are typically more challenging to process.
- Customizable Workflows: One of the standout features of ComIDP is its flexibility. Businesses can customize workflows to suit their specific needs, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems and processes. This adaptability is crucial for organizations aiming to enhance productivity without overhauling their established workflows.
- Automated Classification and Routing: ComIDP not only extracts data but also classifies documents based on their content. It then routes them to the appropriate departments or systems, thereby reducing the need for manual sorting and minimizing errors.
- Enhanced Data Security: Understanding the sensitivity of the data being processed, ComIDP incorporates robust security measures to protect information. Encryption and access control protocols ensure that data remains secure throughout the processing lifecycle.
- Scalability and Performance: Designed to handle a high volume of documents, ComIDP scales effortlessly alongside a growing business. Its cloud-based architecture ensures consistent performance, allowing companies to process large quantities of documents without compromising speed or accuracy.

Applications of ComIDP:
- ComIDP finds applications across various industries:
- Finance: Automating the processing of invoices, expense reports, and financial statements.
- Healthcare: Streamlining patient records management and insurance claims processing.
- Legal: Efficient processing and management of contracts, case files, and legal documents.
- Retail: Simplifying the handling of receipts, purchase orders, and supplier agreements.

### UiPath Document Understanding
Overview: UiPath is a renowned robotic process automation (RPA) platform, and its Document Understanding solution focuses on automating the processing of various document data types.

Features:
- Combines RPA and AI to provide end-to-end document processing solutions
- Supports multiple document types, both structured and unstructured
- Built-in data validation and verification workflows
- Seamlessly integrates with other enterprise systems

Applications: Banking, insurance, manufacturing, public sector, etc.

### ABBYY FlexiCapture
Overview: ABBYY FlexiCapture is a powerful IDP solution that uses advanced OCR and machine learning technologies to help organizations capture and process data from different sources.

Features:
- High-precision OCR
- Automated document classification and data extraction
- Flexible template matching and data verification capabilities
- Supports multiple languages and character sets

Applications: Finance and accounting, insurance, legal, public sector, etc.

### Kofax TotalAgility
Overview: Kofax TotalAgility is an integrated solution that combines document processing, workflow automation, and customer communication management, helping organizations enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.

Features:
- Efficient document classification and data capture
- Comprehensive workflow automation features
- Real-time data analytics and monitoring
- Easy integration with other enterprise systems

Applications: Financial institutions, insurance, manufacturing, healthcare, etc.

### IBM Datacap
Overview: IBM Datacap uses advanced imaging and character recognition technologies to extract data from paper and digital documents, helping organizations achieve efficient document processing and data management.

Features:
- High-efficiency data capture and document processing
- Supports a wide range of document formats and scanning inputs
- Equipped with machine learning and semantic analysis capabilities to improve data extraction accuracy
- Strong integration capabilities, supporting integration with other IBM products and third-party applications

Applications: Public sector, banking, insurance, healthcare, etc.
Each of these well-known IDP solutions has its own distinct features. Based on specific needs and application scenarios, organizations can choose the solution that best fits their requirements.