Automated Form Processing: A Practical Guide

Paper-based forms are slowly being replaced by their digital counterparts, but filling out forms is still a big part of doing business. It’s typically the first step in a company’s data collection and facilitates multiple business functions. The ubiquitous nature of forms in today’s business environment necessitates the implementation of automated form processing. Manually collecting, processing, and using forms from various sources is resource-intensive and prone to human errors—issues that automated form solutions can resolve easily. 

With the increasing use of automation to save time and boost efficiency, a growing number of enterprises are realizing the value of automating their form-processing tasks and how it can improve their data entry and management. 

This blog takes an in-depth look at automated form processing, explores its benefits, and discusses how Astera can be the right solution for you. 

What is Automated Form Processing and How It Works 

Automated form processing uses software to streamline how your organization handles its forms and documents. By using dedicated applications, your business can eliminate the time and manual effort spent on performing associated tasks—such as extraction, validation, and data entry. 

The automation process follows these steps: 

Document Capture and Upload

Electronic document capture ensures form information is quickly uploaded where you want it. Instead of manually entering information from filled-out forms into your system, you can use electronic document capture tools to scan hard copies or ingest electronic documents from a specified source. 

Data Extraction

Data extraction software obtains pertinent information from the form or document using techniques such as PDF document parsing, data querying, reusable pattern-based extraction templates, AI-based algorithms, natural language processing (NLP) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR). 

Data Validation

This extracted data will be validated using your specified data quality rules or other conditions. 

Data Integration and Analysis

Data extracted from your forms and documents is integrated with other datasets. You can then use this compiled information for record keeping, analysis, report generation, and obtaining insights for more informed decision-making.  

Workflow Automation

Based on your requirements, you can configure automated workflows to route the forms for further processing, review, or approval. These workflows will seamlessly move the form to the next specified step based on the outcome of the previous process. 

Benefits of Automated Form Processing 

These are some of the most substantial benefits of automated form processing: 

• Greater Efficiency: Automation results in a significant boost in your efficiency. Form processing jobs are completed without manual intervention or effort, and your personnel’s focus can be redirected to tasks that benefit from it. 
• Increased Accuracy: Automated processes minimize the possibility of human errors affecting data quality. As a result, you can have more confidence in your extracted data and its accuracy. 
• Time Savings: Quicker processing through automation decreases the time each form takes to go from data to actionable information. On its own, a form is just a compilation of text and figures. However, it becomes a valuable part of a larger picture once extracted and integrated with other data. The sooner you have the insights you need to help with your decision-making, the faster you can determine the next steps you need to take. 
• More Streamlined Workflows: Automation removes the back-and-forth and redundant steps from your organization’s form management. The result is a smoother and more streamlined workflow. 
• Cost Reduction: Automated form processing lowers the costs associated with form management by doing away with manual labor and decreasing the chances of mistakes—and the steps involved in rectifying them. 

Industries That Can Leverage Automated Form Processing 

Any industry that uses forms can benefit from automated form processing. W2 form automation is a great example applicable in every sector, big or small.  

You can easily maintain accurate records of your employees’ critical financial information by automating W2 form data extraction. As a result, it becomes more convenient to review and analyze their salaries, tips, wages, additional compensation, and the taxes withheld from their salaries. 

[Source: 2024 Form W-2 (irs.gov)]

Automated form processing also offers specific advantages in the following domains: 

Education 

Automated form processing can help the education industry in a variety of ways, some of which include: 

• A Simplified Admissions Process: Admission applications are packed with documents such as personal information, transcripts, essays, personal statements, and the like. Automated form processing can separate items like essays and personal statements for manual review and automate the extraction and compilation of other data. This can enable educational institutions to handle more applications with less effort. 
• More Accurate Records: Automated validation and data entry processes allow educational institutions to maintain accurate student records. This can reduce errors in administrative tasks and facilitate error-free record-keeping.
  
  
• Easier Compliance: Educational institutions can stay compliant with various regulatory requirements more easily with automated form processing. They can generate more up-to-date reports for audits, accreditation, and other objectives. 

[Source: transcript-sample-scaled.jpg (1978×2560) (iahe.net)]

Healthcare 

In the healthcare sector, automated form processing assists with various aspects of the patient experience such as: 

• Rapid Patient Registration: Automated form processing accelerates patient registration protocols in medical facilities. Patients can be triaged more quickly in emergencies, experience shorter wait times in regular visits, and start receiving necessary treatment sooner with less red tape in the way. 

[Source: SOS Free Medical and Dental Clinic (squarespace.com)]

• Medical Paperwork: Through automated form processing, medical facilities can maintain accurate health records and up-to-date patient histories for more effective care. They can also ensure that consent forms are readily accessible for ethical and legal compliance. On the administrative side, form-heavy processes such as billing, invoicing, and insurance claims processing can all be improved through automation. 
• Data Collection for Clinical Research: Clinical researchers can utilize automated form processing to collect research data more easily and ensure its accuracy and compliance with the applicable study protocols.  

Government 

In the government sector, automated form processing streamlines interactions between government agencies and citizens for better performance and outcomes. Here are a few examples: 

• Citizen Service Provision: Automated form processing shortens the processing time required for common services such as license renewals, benefits claims, and permit applications. 

[Source: VEHICLE REGISTRATION/TITLE APPLICATION (ny.gov)]

• Quicker Response Times: Faster form processing enables government agencies to respond more quickly to citizen complaints, applications, requests, and inquiries. Prompt service delivery can boost citizens’ satisfaction and improve how they perceive an agency’s performance.
   
• Auditable and Transparent Processes: Automation promotes transparency in government processes, and the digital trail that automated systems create during their operations makes them easier to audit. This ensures accountability and regulatory compliance and increases public confidence in a government body. 

Finance 

Automated form processing also serves several purposes in the finance sector, including: 

• Expedited Loan Processing: Business and consumer loans form a major component of a financial institution’s operations. Automated form processing accelerates loan application and approval procedures, allowing loan providers to assess and approve requests and disburse funds quickly. 

[Source: Tiers 3, 4, 5 & 6 Loan Application for Members Covered by Articles 14, 15 or 22 (RS5025-A) (ny.gov)]

• Fraud Prevention: The finance sector is vulnerable to fraud and other instances of white-collar crime. Automated analysis and validation of the information included in financial forms can help mitigate the chances of fraud more easily.
   
• Compliance Management: Automated form processing aids financial institutions in adhering to financial regulations and other compliance requirements, minimizing their exposure to fines, penalties, and legal consequences.

How to Choose an Automated Form Processing Platform 

Ready to choose an automated form processing platform for your organization? Here are a few factors to keep in mind: 

Data Extraction Accuracy 

This is a platform’s ability to correctly extract data from different types of forms. Verify the accuracy of its extraction processes and assess how precisely it processes data. 

Seamless Integration 

Easy integration with the systems, tools, databases, and applications you currently use. High compatibility ensures you can have the platform up and running with minimal disruptions to your workflow. 

Customizability 

A customizable platform can easily accommodate your current requirements. You can also modify it to keep up with your organization’s evolving demands. 

Security and Compliance Features 

Look for security features such as encryption in your automated form processing platform and ensure its adherence to all applicable data protection and privacy regulations. Your platform may need to comply with federal and state data privacy laws, depending on which state you are based in. There can also be additional industry-specific regulations to consider. 

User-Friendliness 

An intuitive and user-friendly interface will reduce training requirements and make the platform more accessible for administrators, end users, and non-technical teams alike. 

Scalability 

Scalability ensures a platform’s long-term usage and viability for your organization. As your business expands and your form processing requirements grow, your platform needs to be able to keep up easily. 

Customer Support 

Your vendor’s customer support staff will significantly affect your user experience, as you will work closely with them to integrate the platform into your processes. Check for seamless onboarding processes and comprehensive tutorials that can prepare your teams for all aspects of usage.  

However, there’s more to a reliable vendor than good training and comprehensive documentation. Verify the accessibility of their customer support infrastructure. When issues arise, you should get the help you need to sort them out quickly. 

Cost and ROI 

The costs of acquiring a new platform are not limited to its purchase. Consider any additional applicable fees, the pricing structure, and setup and training costs. Additionally, factor in the potential return on investment you expect to see in resource conservation and time savings. 

The Astera Advantage 

Astera combines AI-powered functionality with a user-friendly, no-code interface and an enterprise-grade ETL engine. The result? A powerful, scalable end-to-end document processing solution that readily ingests data from structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data sources. 

Fulfilling customer requests 15 times faster? Cutting purchase order processing time from hours to 2 minutes? Processing an invoice in less than a minute when previously it used to take 30 minutes to a couple of hours? It’s possible with Astera. 

Automate your data’s extraction, validation, and transformation—then send it to downstream destinations, such as databases, BI tools, and ERP/CRM systems, without manual intervention for analytics, reporting, and other uses. 

Using Astera for Automated Form Processing 

Astera can help your automated form processing with: 

• Adding a Document: Astera works with PDF, TXT, DOC, and XLS formats. You can add these documents from email, cloud storage, web services, FTP/SFTP, and other sources.
   
• Data Extraction: Astera allows both manual and AI-based extraction template creation. After a document is added, these extraction templates capture the relevant information.
   
• Data Preparation: Astera’s Data Prep feature lets you preprocess the extracted data. You can cleanse it, transform it based on your requirements, and validate it using your specified rules.
   
• Data Export: You can then move the processed data to a destination of your choice, depending on your objectives. Export it to a database for integration, a BI tool for analytics, or a CRM system for compilation.
   
• Automation and Scheduling: Once you have configured the document source, processes, and desired destination, use Astera’s automation and scheduling capabilities to decide these extraction jobs’ frequency. For example, you can set them up to run when there is a new document detected in the system or at a given time of the day. 

Conclusion 

Automated form processing can transform form management in a variety of sectors, especially education, healthcare, government, and finance. By choosing the right automated form processing platform for its needs, an organization can save time, minimize delays, mitigate human errors, and redirect its resources to where they’re needed the most. 

Start using an automated form processing platform designed to grow alongside your operations. Contact us for a quote or start your free trial today!