Automating shipping invoice processing with UiPath RPA

Client background

The client is a national engineering services firm delivering infrastructure solutions to customers who own, develop and maintain the built environment. With over 2,000 employees and over 80 offices throughout the United States, they provide a variety of planning, geospatial, construction management, environmental consulting, land procurement and other technical services to customers operating in a diverse set of regulated end markets.

The business challenge

The client faced a significant challenge in handling consolidated shipping invoices. These extensive master invoices, sometimes spanning more than 100 pages, required meticulous parsing and differentiation between direct and indirect costs. Their manual process of entering these details into Vision was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. Recognizing the need for a more efficient solution, the client turned to Baker Tilly and UiPath RPA.

The complexity arose from the need to differentiate between direct and indirect costs within these invoices. This differentiation was crucial for accurate financial reporting and analytics. The sheer volume and intricacy of these invoices made manual processing a significant bottleneck in the client's operations.

Strategy and solution

Leveraging the capabilities of UiPath RPA, we proposed a solution tailored to the client's unique challenges. The strategy involved creating an automation flow that could interact seamlessly between emails received in Outlook and desktop applications like Excel. This ensured that data from the consolidated shipping invoices was accurately parsed, differentiated and inputted into Vision, all while attaching the relevant transaction details.

The implementation of the robotic process automation (RPA) solution brought about transformative changes for the client. The previously time-consuming task of handling shipping invoices became streamlined and efficient. Not only did this lead to significant time savings, but it also reduced the potential for errors in the invoice processing workflow.

As a testament to the success of this initiative, the client expressed enthusiasm for expanding the use of RPA in other areas of their operations, highlighting the value and efficiency brought about by the solution.

The collaboration between Baker Tilly, the client and UiPath showcases the transformative potential of RPA in addressing specific operational challenges. By automating the intricate process of parsing and posting shipping invoices, the client has set a new standard in operational efficiency and accuracy.