Back to Projects
How We Automated Document Processing with AI
A case study in intelligent document extraction and workflow automation
Document Automation
Project Overview
LegalConsult GmbH, a mid-sized professional services firm with 75+ employees, was struggling with manual document processing for invoices, contracts, and legal documents. Their team was spending 18+ hours weekly on tedious data entry and document routing.
18hrs
Weekly Time Saved
99%
Processing Accuracy
85%
Cost Reduction
The Challenge
LegalConsult faced several critical challenges with their document processing:
- 1Manual Data EntryStaff spent 18+ hours weekly manually extracting data from invoices, contracts, and legal documents, leading to delays and backlogs.
- 2Error-Prone ProcessingManual data entry resulted in a 7% error rate, causing billing issues, contract discrepancies, and compliance risks.
- 3Inefficient Approval WorkflowsDocuments were manually routed for approvals via email, resulting in bottlenecks and lack of visibility into process status.
- 4Limited SearchabilityFinding specific information in historical documents was time-consuming, with staff spending 5+ hours weekly searching for document details.
Before AI Integration
- ✕18+ hours weekly on manual processing
- ✕7% error rate in data extraction
- ✕3-5 day average processing time
- ✕No visibility into approval status
- ✕Limited document searchability
- ✕€85,000 annual processing costs
Our AI-Powered Solution
We developed a comprehensive AI document processing system that automates data extraction, routing, and approval workflows while making all documents instantly searchable.
Intelligent Document Extraction
AI-powered OCR and NLP that automatically extracts key information from invoices, contracts, and legal documents with 99% accuracy.
Automated Approval Workflows
Intelligent routing system that automatically sends documents to the right approvers based on content, amount, and business rules.
Semantic Document Search
AI-powered search that understands natural language queries and finds relevant documents based on content, not just keywords.
Exception Handling & Validation
Intelligent system that flags potential issues for human review and learns from corrections to continuously improve accuracy.
Technical Implementation
- ✓Custom OCR with document layout analysis
- ✓NLP for entity extraction and classification
- ✓Integration with accounting and CRM systems
- ✓Secure document storage with version control
- ✓Mobile approval app for on-the-go processing
- ✓Real-time dashboard with process analytics
Results & ROI
Within 3 months of implementing our AI document processing system, LegalConsult achieved:
18hrs
Weekly Time Saved
936 hours annually
99%
Processing Accuracy
Up from 93%
85%
Cost Reduction
€72,250 annual savings
4hrs
Processing Time
Down from 3-5 days
The system paid for itself within the first 4 months and continues to improve as the AI models learn from new documents.
"The AI document processing system has transformed our operations. What used to take days now happens in hours, with better accuracy. Our team can focus on high-value work instead of manual data entry, and the cost savings have been substantial."
Thomas Müller
Operations Director, LegalConsult GmbH
Project Timeline
1
Weeks 1-2: Discovery & Planning
Analyzed existing document workflows, collected sample documents, and conducted interviews with key stakeholders to understand pain points and requirements.
2
Weeks 3-4: OCR & Extraction Model Development
Developed and trained custom OCR and NLP models for invoice, contract, and legal document extraction using 5,000+ historical documents.
3
Weeks 5-6: Workflow & Integration Development
Built approval workflows, notification system, and integrations with accounting and CRM systems to enable end-to-end automation.
4
Weeks 7-8: Search & Dashboard Development
Implemented semantic search functionality and built real-time dashboards for process monitoring and analytics.
5
Weeks 9-10: Testing & Refinement
Conducted extensive testing with real documents, refined models based on feedback, and optimized system performance.
6
Weeks 11-12: Deployment & Training
Deployed the system to production, conducted comprehensive training for all users, and established monitoring protocols.