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Extracting Data from Invoices Using AI Builder

Manually entering invoice data is outdated, cumbersome and prone to inaccuracies. Fortunately, you can combine AI Builder (a readily available add-on) with Power Automate to extract information automatically, seamlessly and accurately.

Here’s how.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, every second counts—and nowhere is that more true than in accounts payable. Manually entering invoices not only drains time, it opens the door to duplicates, errors, and strained vendor relationships. But with Microsoft’s AI Builder integrated into Power Automate, you can transform your invoice processing into a lean, accurate, and almost effortless system. Let’s explore how—and quantify the ROI you'll start to see!

Measurable ROI: Time Saved, Duplicate Prevention, Error Avoidance

Numbers speak. So here’s a quick look, based on industry benchmarks:

• Time savings: Organizations applying RPA to accounts payable report 65%–75% reduction in time spent on manual invoice processing.

• Cost savings: The U.S. Treasury estimates that shifting to e-invoicing across federal systems could drive 50% cost reduction, saving around $450 million annually. Similar time savings apply to other industries.

• Duplicate prevention: While explicit invoice-specific duplicate rates are rare, a general benchmark reports duplicate payments affecting 0.1%–0.5% of transactions. These types of errors strain vendor relationships.

By deploying AI Builder’s intelligent invoice processing, extracting key fields like vendor, amount, and dates, then automatically flagging duplicates, you can realize these kinds of savings in weeks.

Imagine such savings over the course of a year in your business!

Here’s a little more about how it works.

Proactive Anomaly Detection

Beyond basic automation, AI Builder empowers organizations to detect anomalies as invoices stream in. Whether it's a sudden jump in amounts, suspicious vendors, or mismatched dates, AI can flag inconsistencies before they become problems. Not only does this enhance compliance and control, it helps prevent the kind of costly missteps that slip through manual reviews.

Your personnel focus on resolving issues proactively, instead of fixing costly errors retroactively.

Seamless Integration into Existing Approval Workflows

AI Builder doesn’t replace your current workflows—it enhances them. It can sit directly in your Power Automate flows, pulling invoice data and feeding it into:

• Your existing approval chains

• Document repositories like SharePoint or OneDrive

• ERP systems and email notifications

The result? A modern, frictionless workflow that fits your current systems—and modernizes them at the same time.

Stronger Vendor Relationships

A faster, more accurate payment process does more than tidy up your books—it strengthens your vendor partnerships. Vendors appreciate timely, error-free payments, and your responsiveness reflects professionalism and reliability. 

AI-enabled invoice extraction shortens approval cycles and reduces friction, allowing your AP team to focus on building trust, not chasing paperwork.

What’s more, it’s easy to integrate across formats and platforms between your workflows and your supplier’s software. Formats like PDFs, invoicing through various software platforms, and even emailed invoices can all be “read” and processed seamlessly with automation tools.

Meet your vendors where they are at with technology, without compromising your own administrative speed.

Less Hassle for Employees

Let’s talk about morale. Scanning, rekeying, and chasing down missing invoice details are low-value, high-frustration tasks. AI Builder removes the pain by:

• Extracting invoice data with high confidence

• Auto-populating fields and forwarding invoices for approval

• Reducing rework from misreads and typos

That means happy employees, fewer mistakes, and improved productivity—saving hours every week for more strategic tasks.

Enable the humans to do real human work, instead of mundane and bureaucratic tasks.

Future-Proofed for the AI Revolution

Adopting AI Builder today does more than fix today's pain points—it prepares you for tomorrow. 

Organizations embedding AI across core processes see compounding benefits--and risk falling behind if they delay. According to a recent article discussing AI ROI, traditional automation (like invoice processing) delivers easy baseline returns, but deeper AI investment is required for long-term market advantage.

Get started now to succeed later.

By building AI into your invoice workflows now, you're not just streamlining payables—you’re building an AI-ready foundation. Your organization becomes more agile, scalable, and resilient as AI capabilities expand.

We’ll Get You Ready for the Future

Ready to eliminate invoice headaches, scale your operations, and get AI-ready? Schedule a free assessment with the OptimAIz team today. We’ll help you adopt AI Builder and Power Automate so your business isn’t just running smoothly, it’s ready for the next wave of AI-driven efficiency.

Let AI do the heavy lifting and set your existing team up for greater efficiency and long-term success.