What is it about?

One email address to receive invoices from suppliers regardless of the technical specifications of the PDF file. This combines the two previous versions to a single email address only. One (traditional scanning) was open to all PDF types, and the other required registration via Basware Portal with an advanced PDF file. After user feedback, the new service was created with new advanced technology. SmartPDF Basware’s system will determine the best route to capture invoice details to an e-invoice data file.

Before, there were two different options:
1. Traditional scanning: Paper and/or PDF files via email with the optical and human data capture process
-> Handbook to guide software (SVG/DCG) and humans to data capture header level details from the invoice image to a structured data file

2. PDF E-Invoice: Machine-readable PDF file with registration (approved supplier)
-> Supplier's invoice layout mapped technically for automatic processing, including invoice rows

Case: One Basware customer has a traditional scanning from the beginning years ago. They started to upgrade suppliers from paper mail to email senders as a campaign. The goal was to reduce the time spent on paper mail delivery. A problem to solve was to have a longer time available to process invoices internally in the company before the invoice due date. In the next step, when PDF E-invoice was introduced, this company started to hand out registration link to those suppliers who were vital for their business (tier level). They looked at what type of PDF-file supplier had in use and asked them to use PDF E-invoice service if the tier level was right. The new goal was to cut more time on delivery of the invoice and get more accurate data from the invoice (aiming for smart coding -> line level). On SmartPDF, this company can now unify its invoicing instructions in a more simple version. Now it’s possible to hand out only one email address that works without registration and provides shorter instructions for invoicing. This leads to smoother onboarding.

Why select Smart PDF?

Around 70% of PDF files going through Basware Network are already machine-readable. Unable to inform suppliers of an ineffective way to choose the correct email address has been a challenge for Basware and the customers. SmartPDF enables to collection available PDF-files to a smoother process and leaves the rest to the traditional processing of scanning service.

How does it work with the existing setup?

Smart PDF is an upgrade to existing services related to incoming invoice sources.

It aims to make it easier for users and allocate resources better
- The buyer gives only one email address to a supplier
- Aiming to eliminate unnecessary rejections
- More unified instructions aiming at minimal rules only
- Faster invoice delivery automatically when available

SmartPDF is related to the service offerings where manual incoming invoice processes are outsourced to Basware. In CloudScan, the same process is done in-house at the company. It’s possible to purchase the data capture process from Basware in CloudScan as an extra service. In other words, the road from supplier to the buyer on outsourced services differs from in CloudScan. CloudScan has buyers' own postal and email addresses, hence SmartPDF is not possible on this first release.