Esker Introduces New Patent-Pending Technologies

July 23, 2010 - PRLog -- Madison, WI – Esker, the leader in document process automation solutions, announced today it has two patents pending in the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the development of technologies to improve the speed and efficiency of implementing inbound document automation solutions and to increase user productivity.

Simplified business rules design shortens implementation time
Accurately recognizing the content of unstructured business documents such as supplier invoices, sales orders and order confirmations is highly complex and represents a real challenge to the automation of inbound document processes. Typical automation technologies involve document layout analysis and dedicated complex business rules designed by administrators in order to properly identify variable data in each type of document.  

The first Esker technology provides organizations a quantum leap in business rules design by intelligently analyzing document structure and identifying variable data within a specific document — without relying on human intervention. This technology analyzes each inbound document, creating a map or blueprint of variable vs. invariable data. Using the example of a scanned invoice, all variable data such as due date, invoice number, vendor ID, etc. is detected automatically and made available as an electronic file for management in the accounts payable workflow, eliminating the need to manually design business rules on a case-by-case basis.

Defining new technologies demonstrates Esker’s unique ability and expertise at innovating and improving document process solutions to allow organizations to become more streamlined and efficient. More specifically, this technology eliminates hours spent on customization and can dramatically reduce project implementation time, said Jean-Michel Bérard, President of Esker.

Fast document validation through “one-screen” reconciliation
The second technology created by Esker allows business users to manipulate data involved in reconciling business documents such as matching invoices to purchase orders or bills of lading. Reconciliation of a scanned image with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) extracted data and ERP data is particularly complex to display properly on a computer screen for validation.

This new Esker technology assures faster and more accurate data validation by offering a unique method to display all key data sets directly within a single web browser. An interactive screen displays the scanned image, the OCR extracted data, and the ERP source data in separated panes accessible in real time — allowing users to validate information more accurately and thus eliminating errors.

We pride ourselves on continuing to improve usability of Esker solutions; and through the creation of this highly intuitive interface, users will be able to perform their job faster and more efficiently, “said Jean-Jacques Bérard, Vice President, Research & Development at Esker. ―In the era of business processes on demand; we believe that usability is key to the long-term success of our document automation solution suites.

About Esker

Esker is a recognized leader in helping organizations reduce the use of paper, eliminate manual processes and simplify IT landscapes. With its comprehensive platform, Esker delivers the benefits of automated document processing as on-demand services (SaaS) and on-premise solutions. Customers achieve significant operational efficiencies, cost savings and ROI in as little as three to six months while gaining visibility and control within order-to-cash and procure-to-pay business processes ranging from sales order management and accounts receivable to purchasing and accounts payable. Founded in 1985, Esker operates globally with more than 80,000 customers and millions of licensed users worldwide. Esker has global headquarters in Lyon, France and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.esker.com. Follow Esker on Twitter and join the conversation at twitter.com/eskerinc.