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The Purchase Orders File Reader uses OCR technology specifically trained on purchase order documents to extract structured data from PO forms. This specialized reader understands common purchase order layouts and field types, providing superior accuracy for processing procurement documents in automation workflows.

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Key Features

Specialized OCR

OCR trained specifically on purchase order layouts and field patterns

Pre-Configured Fields

Common PO fields ready for extraction with smart field detection

High Accuracy

Superior accuracy for purchase order processing compared to generic OCR

Procurement Ready

Designed for procurement workflows and vendor management systems

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Purchase Order Fields

The Purchase Orders File Reader can extract standard PO fields automatically:

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Primary Purchase Order Fields

✅ Tax Payer ID - Vendor tax identification number ✅ Vendor Name - Company or individual vendor name ✅ Vendor Address - Complete vendor address ✅ Vendor Phone - Contact phone number ✅ Vendor URL - Website or online portal
✅ PO Number - Purchase order number ✅ Order Date - Date the order was placed ✅ Payment Terms - Payment conditions and terms ✅ Total - Total order amount ✅ Discount - Applied discount amount
✅ Receiver Name - Delivery recipient name ✅ Receiver Address - Delivery address ✅ Address - General address field

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Additional Available Fields

  • Invoice Receipt Date - When invoice was received
  • Invoice Receipt ID - Internal invoice tracking number
  • Customer Number - Customer identification
  • Account Number - Account reference number
  • Due Date - Payment due date
  • Delivery Date - Expected delivery date
  • Amount Due - Outstanding amount
  • Amount Paid - Paid amount
  • Subtotal - Pre-tax amount
  • Tax - Tax amount
  • Service Charge - Additional service fees
  • Gratuity - Tip or gratuity amount
  • Prior Balance - Previous account balance
  • Shipping Handling Charge - Shipping costs
  • Vendor ABN Number - Australian Business Number
  • Vendor GST Number - Goods and Services Tax number
  • Vendor PAN Number - Permanent Account Number
  • Vendor VAT Number - Value Added Tax number
  • Receiver ABN Number - Receiver’s ABN
  • Receiver GST Number - Receiver’s GST number
  • Receiver PAN Number - Receiver’s PAN
  • Receiver VAT Number - Receiver’s VAT number
  • Receiver Phone - Receiver contact information

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Creating a Purchase Orders File Reader

1

Navigate to File Readers

In your application, go to File Readers section
2

Create New Reader

Click + File Reader and select Purchase Orders from the document type options
3

Configure Basic Settings

Name: Enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Vendor PO Processing”)Description: Optional description for your team
4

Select Required Fields

Choose the fields you need from the available Purchase Order fields:Core Fields: PO Number, Vendor Name, Total, Order Date Optional Fields: Select additional fields based on your workflow needs
5

Test with Sample PO

Upload a sample purchase order to validate field extraction accuracy

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Field Configuration

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Essential PO Fields

Configure these core fields for most purchase order processing workflows:
  • Basic Configuration
  • Complete Configuration
  • Financial Focus
Required Fields:
  • PO Number (Text) - Unique purchase order identifier
  • Vendor Name (Text) - Supplier company name
  • Total (Decimal) - Total order amount
  • Order Date (Date) - When the order was placed
Best for: Simple PO processing, basic vendor management

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Using in Automations

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Integration with Procurement Workflows

The Purchase Orders File Reader integrates with automation workflows for complete procurement processing: 
Email Received → Purchase Orders Reader → Vendor Validation → Create PO Record → Start Approval Process

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Common Automation Patterns

Trigger: Email Received (with PO attachment) File Reader: Extract PO fields Actions:
  • Search Records to find vendor
  • Create Record for purchase order
  • Start Approval Process based on amount
  • Send Email Notification to procurement team
Trigger: Attachment Added (invoice PDF) File Reader: Extract invoice details Actions:
  • Search Records to match with existing PO
  • Run Calculation to verify amounts
  • Update Record Fields with invoice data
  • Post Comment with matching results
Trigger: Record Updated (receipt confirmation) File Reader: Process delivery receipt Actions:
  • Search Records for PO and invoice
  • Run Calculation to compare quantities
  • AI Classification to determine discrepancies
  • Send Message to Teams for resolution

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Approval Workflow Integration

Combine PO processing with approval workflows: 
PO Extracted → IF Total > $5000 → Start Approval Process (Manager) → ELSE → Auto-Approve → Update Status
Configuration:
  1. File Reader: Extract PO fields including Total
  2. IF Condition: Check if Total exceeds approval threshold
  3. Conditional Actions: Route to appropriate approval level
  4. Status Updates: Update PO status based on approval outcome

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Best Practices

Field Selection

Choose only the fields you need to optimize processing speed and accuracy

Document Quality

Use clear, high-resolution PO documents for best extraction results

Validation Rules

Implement validation checks for critical fields like PO numbers and amounts

Error Handling

Plan for missing or incorrect field extraction in your automations

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PO Document Preparation

For Optimal Results:
  • Use standard PO templates when possible
  • Ensure clear printing or high-quality scans
  • Avoid handwritten additions or corrections
  • Keep consistent formatting across documents
  • Use standard fonts and layouts
Common Format Support:
  • PDF purchase orders
  • Scanned PO documents
  • Faxed purchase orders
  • Email-embedded PO images

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Advanced Features

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Multi-Vendor Processing

Handle purchase orders from different vendors with varying formats:
1

Vendor-Specific Configuration

Create separate PO readers for different vendor formats
2

Dynamic Field Mapping

Use AI Classification to determine vendor type and apply appropriate reader
3

Fallback Processing

Configure Text File Reader as fallback for unusual formats

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Data Validation and Enrichment

Enhance extracted PO data with additional processing: 
PO Extracted → Transform Data (standardize formats) → Search Records (vendor validation) → AI Classification (risk assessment)
Validation Examples:
  • Verify vendor exists in approved vendor list
  • Check PO number format and uniqueness
  • Validate tax calculations
  • Confirm delivery addresses

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Integration with ERP Systems

Connect PO processing with enterprise systems:
Send API Request: Post PO data to ERP system Field Mapping: Match PO fields to ERP data structure Status Updates: Sync approval status back to Elementum Error Handling: Manage API failures and data conflicts
Search Records: Validate vendor in master data Create Record: Add new vendors automatically Update Record: Maintain vendor information AI Classification: Assess vendor risk levels

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Error Handling and Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

Symptoms: Expected fields return empty valuesCauses:
  • Non-standard PO format
  • Poor document quality
  • Unusual field placement
Solutions:
  • Test with different PO formats
  • Improve document quality
  • Configure additional fields
  • Consider Elementum Intelligence File Reader for complex formats
Symptoms: Financial amounts are wrong or missingCauses:
  • Multiple currency symbols
  • Unusual number formatting
  • Tax calculations in different locations
Solutions:
  • Standardize PO templates
  • Use Transform Data to clean amounts
  • Implement validation calculations
  • Add manual review steps for large amounts
Symptoms: Vendor details extracted incorrectlyCauses:
  • Multiple addresses on document
  • Vendor name variations
  • Address formatting differences
Solutions:
  • Configure multiple address fields
  • Use Search Records for vendor matching
  • Implement fuzzy matching logic
  • Maintain vendor master data

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Validation Strategies

Implement validation checks in your automation workflows to ensure data accuracy before processing POs.
Validation Checklist:
  • PO number format and uniqueness
  • Vendor exists in approved vendor list
  • Amount fields are numeric and reasonable
  • Dates are valid and logical
  • Required fields are populated

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Performance Optimization

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Processing Speed

Optimization Techniques:
  • Select only required fields
  • Use appropriate field types
  • Implement caching for vendor lookups
  • Process during off-peak hours for large volumes

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Accuracy Improvements

Enhancement Methods:
  • Use high-quality source documents
  • Implement data validation rules
  • Configure fallback processing
  • Regular testing with new PO formats

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Integration Examples

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Accounts Payable Workflow

PO Received → Extract Fields → Validate Vendor → Create AP Record → Route for Approval → Update ERP
Configuration:
  1. Email Received: Trigger on PO email
  2. Purchase Orders Reader: Extract PO fields
  3. Search Records: Validate vendor
  4. Create Record: Generate AP record
  5. Start Approval Process: Route based on amount
  6. Send API Request: Update ERP system

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Procurement Analytics

PO Processed → Extract Data → Update Records → Generate Report → Send to Procurement Team
Configuration:
  1. Attachment Added: Process uploaded PO
  2. Purchase Orders Reader: Extract all relevant fields
  3. Update Record: Store in procurement database
  4. Generate Report: Create procurement analytics
  5. Send Email: Distribute to procurement team

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Comparison with Other File Readers

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When to Use Purchase Orders Reader

Choose Purchase Orders Reader when:
  • Processing standard purchase order documents
  • Need high accuracy for PO-specific fields
  • Working with procurement workflows
  • Handling vendor management processes
Consider alternatives when:

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Accuracy Comparison

Document TypePurchase Orders ReaderText File ReaderElementum Intelligence
Standard POs⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Custom POs⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Multi-Format⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Next Steps

Automation System

Learn how to integrate Purchase Orders Readers with procurement workflows

Approval Processes

Set up approval workflows for purchase order processing

Table File Reader

Process vendor catalogs and pricing spreadsheets

Elementum Intelligence Reader

Handle complex or non-standard purchase order formats
The Purchase Orders File Reader provides specialized OCR capabilities for procurement document processing. Use it for accurate, efficient purchase order handling in your automation workflows.
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