The Intake Bottleneck
Staff spent hours each day copying information from inbound emails and PDF attachments into CRM and ERP records. Variations in document format made template-based OCR unreliable, and manual review introduced delays and transcription errors.
The Automated Workflow
We built a Power Automate flow that:
- Monitors a dedicated intake mailbox for new messages and attachments
- Sends PDF and image content to Azure OpenAI for structured field extraction
- Validates extracted fields against business rules (required fields, format checks)
- Routes clean records into the core system; flags exceptions for human review
Exception handling keeps a human in the loop only when confidence scores fall below threshold — typically less than 5% of submissions.
Why Power Platform Over Custom Code
The client needed rapid deployment without a six-month custom build. Power Automate integrates natively with Microsoft 365 and their existing Dynamics environment. Azure OpenAI handles unstructured document variance that traditional OCR cannot.
Total project delivery: architecture, deployment, and handover documentation — no ongoing retainer required for day-to-day operation.
Business Impact
Beyond the 200+ hours reclaimed monthly, the 95% error reduction eliminated costly rework cycles and improved downstream reporting accuracy. Admin staff shifted from data entry to higher-value client-facing work.
Related Services
This engagement sits within our Managed Technology practice — business automation, AI workflows, and Microsoft ecosystem integration.