Smartscan uses templates. A template contains information based on which the system can recognise specific data on the invoice. For each field to be recognised (invoice number, invoice date, etc.), a template specifies which search term should be used, at which location the value can be found, and which pattern this value must comply with. There are two types of templates: a free form template and a supplier-specific template.
The free form templates are used for general recognition of invoices. Free form templates are language-specific and are maintained by ISPnext Support.
The supplier templates are useful for suppliers from whom invoices are regularly received. For this specific supplier, a dedicated template can be created. In this template, specific fields and values can be recorded, so that the content of the invoice is better recognised than when using the free form template.
Free form template
When no specific template has been created for the supplier, the free form template is used.
The free form template is language-specific and contains a large number of terms that are searched for in the invoice. A free form template is available for most European languages. For example, when the field "Invoice number" needs to be found, the free form template (NL) will search for terms such as "factuurnr", "factuurnummer", "factuur nummer" and "factuur". Additionally, the free form template also specifies so-called "exclusion terms", which means, for example, that if the term "factuur" (invoice) is found, it should not be used when "datum" (date) follows it.
Once a search term is found on the invoice, a value that meets the rules for that term is sought nearby. If all three criteria are met (search term, location, rules), the value is copied into the respective field.
In this example of a free form template, it is shown which values have been found and which search term was used for them. By clicking on the info icon, the possible search terms used become visible.
Supplier template
If recognition based on the free form template is insufficient, a dedicated template can be created for this specific supplier. In this template, specific fields and values for this supplier can be recorded, so that the invoice is better recognised than based on a free form template.
Creating
Open an invoice, indicate by coding which supplier it concerns, and click on the icon of the Learning module.
If the supplier is recognised correctly and no template has yet been created for this supplier, recognition based on the free form template will be shown. By entering specific search terms, recognition can now be optimised. Then click on Create template. The new supplier template will be used when processing newly scanned invoices from this supplier.
In this example invoice, the invoice number is not recognised correctly and we want to optimise this.
The invoice number is recognised based on the term "Invoice" from the free form template. This results in the found value 'Not found'; there is no data following 'Invoice'. The reason for this is that this is the first number Smartscan encounters near the search term "Invoice".
To correctly recognise the invoice number, the search term Invoice number should be used. The text 'Invoice number' can be placed directly in the search term field by clicking on the search term field and then on "Invoice number" in the PDF.
Once all search term fields are filled in as desired, click on create template. This saves the search term fields and immediately applies them in Smartscan. As shown in the example below, the search term for invoice number is now 'Invoice number' and the correct number has also been found here.
It is possible to specify that OCR should always take place for this supplier. It can also be indicated for which pages the recognition by Smartscan should be performed. The light green background immediately shows that this is a supplier template; the text free form is no longer displayed.
After closing the Learning module, the invoice reappears from where the Learning module was opened.
Note: The supplier template just created does not yet apply to the open invoice. This must be coded as usual. The new supplier template will be used for all new invoices when the respective supplier is recognised.
Modifying
By opening the Learning module from any invoice of a supplier, the supplier template is displayed. Changes can now be made. After making changes, click on 'Update template'; the newly found values become immediately visible. From now on, all new invoices from the respective supplier will be recognised using this adjusted template.
Deleting
Click on the 'bin' to delete a supplier template. After this, the supplier template will no longer be used for the respective supplier. This means that all new invoices from this supplier will again be recognised using the free form template.