n today’s digital world, manual data entry is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Thanks to automation and AI-driven tools, businesses can streamline operations, reduce errors, and free up employees to focus on more valuable tasks.
One of the most effective technologies enabling this shift is Intelligent Data Capture (IDC).
You may have heard IDC referred to by other names—OCR (Optical Character Recognition) being one of the most common. But IDC goes beyond basic OCR. It doesn’t just “read” text; it learns, adapts, and automates document processing across your business systems.
At its core, IDC uses algorithms and machine learning to automatically extract information from documents—whether they’re invoices, purchase orders, or sales orders. Instead of requiring employees to manually key in information, IDC “reads” documents, identifies key fields, and imports the data into your system.
For example, within Epicor’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system, IDC is commonly used to automate Accounts Payable (AP) and Sales Order (SO) entry. This means:
No more manually typing invoice numbers, totals, or customer details.
Faster processing times.
Improved accuracy with reduced human error.
Here’s a simple breakdown of how Intelligent Data Capture functions:
IDC “learns” the layout of your suppliers’ invoices or customers’ purchase orders. These patterns are stored in a SQL database for future recognition.
When new documents arrive, IDC automatically captures the key information without human intervention.
Along with pulling data fields, IDC attaches metadata to documents for better storage and retrieval in your ECM system.
Once processed, IDC exports:
Like any powerful tool, IDC can be processing intensive. However, with Epicor’s SaaS licensing model, businesses can run IDC in the cloud, removing the need for on-premises servers and ensuring continuous updates.
One note: IDC still requires a lightweight client to be installed on-premises. This client monitors designated folders (network or email) and automatically processes incoming documents.
Automation is no longer a “future” concept—it’s happening today. Hundreds of companies worldwide already use Intelligent Data Capture with Epicor ECM to streamline operations.
By cutting down on manual tasks, IDC empowers teams to focus on strategic, revenue-generating work rather than repetitive data entry.
Epicor ERP is powerful, but businesses reap the greatest benefits when they implement best practices.
If your business relies on processing large volumes of invoices, purchase orders, or sales orders, Intelligent Data Capture could be a game-changer.
With the ability to learn, automate, and integrate seamlessly into Epicor ECM, IDC is proving to be one of the most valuable AI-driven tools in modern enterprise.
Ready to take the next step toward automation? Start exploring how Intelligent Data Capture can transform your accounting, operations, and customer service processes with Teccweb.
