Converting any Demand forecast document into a standard EDI format

Only 8.4% of companies use EDI exclusively for all their purchase orders and demand forecasts, according to our survey of more than 200 supply chain professionals. The rest utilize a mix including EDI, API, uploading to an EDI interface, or manually entering data into an ERP system.

The low adoption of EDI is primarily due to its high cost, which is often not an option for mid-sized and small enterprises. The integration is also time-consuming, burdening already overwhelmed IT departments. As a result, many companies use manual effort to enter data into their ERP since these demand forecasts come in various formats—Excel spreadsheets, PDFs, SAP print screens, and more. Additionally, the structures of these documents differ significantly; some might include time frames like months or weeks without specifying exact dates. This variety represents a challenging obstacle to automation, thus requiring manual data entry into the ERP system, a process that is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors.

Intermediaries also encounter significant challenges when handling the diverse document formats from different enterprises. They have to convert these various documents to align with the specific requirements of each recipient while accurately extracting and processing the essential data. This process is complicated by the low volume but high variety of transactions, making automation difficult and costly. To make this process easier and to eliminate manual data entry, we can leverage AI and LLMs to turn all these different types of files/documents into an EDI-friendly file, for example CSV file.

Setting up an automation system can be completed in just one day, resulting in substantial time savings and improved efficiency. This quick implementation ensures that data is consistently organized and accurate. By automating repetitive tasks, businesses can redirect their focus towards more critical and strategic activities. The benefits include streamlined operations, enhanced productivity, and the ability to concentrate on tasks that drive growth and success, all achieved through a simple, rapid setup process.

A case study: Use of Power Automate and extrakt.AI

The extrakt.AI app can be utilized for transforming documents into CSV files and we can automate the process by getting the extractions sent directly to email. To automate the workflow, we can use RPA tools like Power Automate, ensuring that as soon as an email with an attachment is received, the CSV file is automatically saved directly to an EDI upload folder (e.g., SharePoint). You can see the whole process in the video below, but we have also provided a step-by-step guide here, as well as a .zip file with the steps, so you don’t have to do them manually, but can simply import them to Power Automate.

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RPA - Power Automate Setup (optional)

1. Create a New Flow

• First, go to Power Automate and on the left, you will find: + Create button.

• Select Automated cloud flow and name it: “CSV Extractions” (or whatever you want). Flows trigger is: Outlook; “When a new email arrives (V3)”.

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2. Customize advanced parameters

• When creating your new flow, go to advanced parameters and select "From", "Include Attachments" and "Only with Attachments". This ensures Power Automate saves attachments only from specified senders, not all attachments.

• Set the sender (From) as: noreply@extrakt.ai and the attachment to true by choosing YES.

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3. Add a new action

• We want to make sure that every new attachment is saved, so what we need is a control called: “Apply to each”.

• First, click in the text bar. The lightning will appear to the right of the text bar and search for: “Attachments”.

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4. Inside the "Apply to each" loop

• Add a "SharePoint, create file" action. This will save all the attachments sent from extrakt.AI app to your chose folder on SharePoint.

• Choose the site address and folder path on SharePoint where you want attachments from the extrakt.AI app to be saved. This ensures all attachments will be stored in your designated folder.

• For file name, click on lightning and search for: “Attachments Name”.

• For file content, click on the lightning again and search for: “Attachments Content”. That will be the content of the attachment.

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5. Save your automation

• In the top right corner click save. Now every attachment, coming from the noreply@extrakt.AI email will be sent directly to your chosen folder on SharePoint.

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Now, let’s create an integration to convert these different types of documents into an EDI-friendly format, in our case a CSV file, which will be sent directly to your email.

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Extrakt.AI Setup

1. Create a Template

• Go to the extrakt.AI app in the sidebar look for: Create a Template.

• Scroll down to the sales tab where you will find Demand Forecast Report Template. Add or remove the fields to customize it and once you're done, click Create in the top right corner.

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2. Create an integration

• Go to the sidebar again and find Integrations. On the top left find a Plus sign and after that click Email icon.

• Scroll down to find your template and check the box in front of it.  

• Scroll up and go under the Result Email tab, keep Reply to sender box checked.

• Where you see Email attachment format, choose your preferred format (in our case CSV).

• I don’t want my email to include the original attachment as well, so I will uncheck Include input with the email box.

• Once you are done, go to the top right corner and Create Intergration.

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3. Forward email

• You can find your new Integration under Integrations, where you can copy the unique email address.  

• Forward customers email, with the document attached to this unique email address pertaining to the Demand Forecast template.

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4. You will get all the CSV extraction files sent to your email and saved to SharePoint.