Let data be born digital
Reading a document to extract data is plan B. Plan A is that the data is not born on paper: that whoever originates it writes it once, in a form, a portal or an application, with validation rules set at the origin, and that it arrives already structured to the system that uses it.
A work order filled out on a screen, with mandatory fields and closed lists, does not need anyone to interpret it afterward. An order that comes in through a form is not typed twice.
When it is possible and when it is not
- It is possible when the source is yours: your staff, your technicians, your sales network, your recurring clients.
- It is not always possible when the origin is a third party that sends you whatever they want. Then the data from the document is captured, as in the previous section, and a better format is agreed upon with that third party when possible.
- Data that is born digital is data that can be connected. This is what enables the next step: opening up the software with APIs and connectors. Without organized data, connecting only moves the mess around.
What it means for you: every document that is no longer born on paper is a piece of data that is written once and used everywhere. Next step: if you want to see how we build this type of application, check custom software development.
Questions about data being born digital
Do we need to build an app for this?
Not necessarily. If the process is standard, an off-the-shelf product can cover it. We build when the process is proprietary and forcing it into a product would cost more than making it custom. The diagnostic compares building, buying, and connecting using data from your case.
What if my suppliers or customers still send paper and PDFs?
That is common. The process is designed to coexist with both: what comes in digitally is used as-is, and what comes in on paper or PDF goes through the capture process mentioned earlier. Over time, a better format can be agreed upon with each third party.
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