In today’s fast-paced business environment, managing documents efficiently is crucial. AI offers a revolutionary way to convert unstructured data, like documents, into structured data that can be easily used within Salesforce.
This article will guide you through how Salesforce Admins can leverage AI to streamline document processing, improve accuracy, and save time.
Structured vs. Unstructured Data
As a Salesforce Admin, have you ever wished you could automatically extract critical data from documents and enter it into Salesforce fields without manual intervention? This dream is closer to reality than ever, thanks to AI.
Structured data, such as Salesforce field values, is well-organized and easily interpreted by machines. For example, the ACV field on an Acme record might show $10,000, which is straightforward for a machine to process.
On the other hand, unstructured data, like a PDF invoice stored in Salesforce, isn’t as easily accessible. To extract the invoice amount, someone has to manually read the document. This is where AI steps in, turning unstructured data into usable, structured data, making your job as an admin much easier.
Unstructured Data Processing Using AI
AI excels at unstructured data processing without any training. E.g., given a contract, AI can accurately identify the presence of a specific clause. Moreover, computer vision can convert images into AI-readable formats, extending AI’s capabilities beyond digital text. This makes it a strong competitor to traditional document OCR.
The accuracy of AI output depends on the input. For example, consider the two prompts below –
- Prompt 1: “What’s the invoice amount?”
- Prompt 2: “What’s the total amount due for the whole invoice? Provide output in numerical format to two decimal places. If the amount is unclear, output 0.”
The second prompt handles edge cases much better, demonstrating AI’s ability to refine and format its responses.
Salesforce Document Automation + AI = Magic!
AI is a strong candidate for processing unstructured document data into structured CRM data, making it a powerful tool in AI for CRM. Adding Salesforce automations to the mix creates a scalable data entry pipeline. Since each business deals with specific document types, combining a few prompts with a few flows can make document processes faster.
For example, the hotel industry deals with vendor invoices in various formats. AI can be used to extract invoice amounts into a Salesforce field. This would enable management to build reliable invoice reports without manual data entry or machine training.
Preparing for AI Document Processing Revolution
Adopting AI doesn’t need to be a massive task. Modern AI comes out-of-the-box if you know what you need. Here’s a series of simple questions to identify your most important needs:
Q1. Which important document do you receive from external parties?
For instance, customer contracts or vendor invoices might be crucial for your operations.
Q2. What’s the most important information in that document?
Focus on data points like invoice amounts, contract terms, or customer details that are essential for your business processes.
Q3. How would this info benefit the process?
Invoice amounts can help auto-classify customers and checking for specific contract terms can automate a part of legal review.
Now, if we can just define the right prompt and figure out how to use that prompt within a flow-based Salesforce workflow automation, we’d have already made a leap towards our POC. Luckily, we have just the right free tools that you can try out to further this goal.
Free Salesforce AI Tools for POC
Luckily, we have just the right free Salesforce AI tools that you can try out to further this goal. We talk about two Salesforce out-of-the-box solutions and one AppExchange test drive that can enable you to create a free POC for your AI idea.
Einstein OCR
The Einstein platform integrates AI/machine learning capabilities with Salesforce data, offering features like image recognition and data extraction. For instance, sales reps can digitize scanned business cards effortlessly.
While it’s a paid platform, you can get trial access to Einstein for a few days if you’re an existing Salesforce customer. On top of Einstein’s own capabilities, the LLM benchmarking framework by Salesforce and the availability of Data Cloud vector database for everyone adds even more layers of streamlining.
Mulesoft Intelligent Document Processing
Mulesoft IDP enables you to extract and structure data from documents, enhancing Salesforce document management. In the future, the IDP platform will offer apex and flow integrations as well as natural language processing by integrating with Einstein.
While Mulesoft is available for free, it is an API-centric platform and needs some developer understanding. Various tutorials are available on the Mulesoft blog to get started. You can configure the IDP settings and set up automations using the Mulesoft interface.
CloudFiles Document AI Test Drive (AppExchange)
The CloudFiles Test Drive offers a unique way to test AI capabilities within the Salesforce environment. Simply go to the CloudFiles Document AI AppExchange Listing and click on the test drive button. Enter some info in the form to access the test-drive org. In the ‘Instructions’ tab, you can open various help articles which guide you through the steps.
You can experiment using the available test drives in this section:
- AI Playground: You can upload a document and ask questions to it in a chat-like format. Use this for prompt engineering in the context of your specific docs.
- KYC Upload Checker: You can upload sample passports and driving licenses in a record and check how AI automatically fills Salesforce fields. Review the underlying flow to fit this into your own requirements.
While CloudFiles excels in the document AI space, you can also use this app to modernize and automate your entire document stack.
Summary
Leveraging AI to convert unstructured document data into structured Salesforce data can significantly enhance workflow efficiency, but it’s crucial to consider best practices and limitations. Prioritize data privacy and security by understanding where and how your data is stored when using AI tools. Be aware of each tool’s limitations, as it may not be a one-size-fits-all solution and may require customization.
Start with a proof of concept (POC) using free tools like CloudFiles’ Document AI Test Drive to experiment in a controlled environment, refining your approach based on real-world results. By carefully managing these factors, you can integrate AI into your Salesforce document processing workflows effectively, ensuring data remains secure, accurate, and valuable.
