Let us examine the key types of such automation.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
If you receive an invoice in PDF format, OCR can extract the relevant data, such as totals and item descriptions, so you don't have to type it in manually. This saves time and minimizes errors that result from manual data entry.
Fun Fact
Parseur is a tool for automating data extraction from documents such as invoices and emails.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
If your team spends hours copying customer data from emails into spreadsheets, RPA can handle it, automatically transferring information accurately and quickly.
Example Deutsche Bank also implemented RPA country code +49, germany phone numbers to automate data entry, validation and reconciliation processes in its finance department. This helped improve data accuracy, ensure regulatory compliance and manage risk. It also achieved 24/7 processing to handle large volumes of data, demonstrating the real-world impact of RPA.
Forms automation
Forms are everywhere—from surveys to feedback requests—but manually entering this data into tools for better organization and analysis can be tedious. Form automation tools simplify the data collection process by automatically capturing and organizing responses.
Application Integration Software
Did you know that you can even use automation tools to transfer data between apps?
Tools like Zapier Connect to over 5,000 apps allowing users to automate workflows between apps without coding.
For example, when a new lead fills out a form on a website, Zapier can automatically send that information to your CRM. And your sales automation tool can detect the new entry, nurture the lead, and track its progress.
Text expansion software
These tools allow you to create shortcuts for frequently used text fragments so that you don't have to manually type the entire fragment multiple times. For example, simply typing "addr" can automatically expand to the full address. TextExpander is an example of such a tool that lets you store text fragments and assign them shortcuts. So, instead of typing your name, designation, and organizational affiliation every time in an introductory email, you can type a shortcode like ";intro" to insert it immediately.
Steps to automate data entry
Want to try your hand at automation after reading these examples? Automate manual tasks and turn them into efficient workflows by following the steps below.
Step 1: Identify Recurring Tasks
The first step to implementing data entry automation in your company is to identify repetitive, time-consuming and error-prone tasks.
Create a list of all such tasks and track how your team spends time on them. This will give you an idea of how to automate them.
Pro Tip : If you’re new to automation, leaving critical tasks until later is smart. Let your team get used to the changes, then gradually expand automation to more critical areas as your processes and confidence grow.
To make this process even easier, you can use project management tools like ClickUp that allow you to better organize and analyze tasks.
Here are the features you can count on:
