Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is used to process document such as receipts and invoices by using Azure Cognitive Services to “read” the document and import the data into the system, helps reducing manual entry work.
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Expense Management mobile app uses the Azure Cognitive services OCR to automatically identify and capture the transaction details in receipts.
It is assumed that the Expense Management configuration is already setup to perform the expense transactions.
Automatic Receipt Capture via OCR in the D365 Expense Mobile App
The following additional configurations are needed to enable automatic receipt capture functionality:
Install Expense Management Service Add-In in LCS
Expense Management add-in auto-matches and creates expenses from receipt using the power of Azure Cognitive Services. Add-in can be accessed from your project in Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services (LCS).
Refer below link for detailed steps:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/project-operations/expense/match-receipt-expense-ocr#installation
Azure Cognitive Service
‘Vision’ Azure cognitive service provides the capability to extract the data from receipts. ‘Form Recognizer’ (now called ‘Azure AI Document Intelligence’) vision service should be configured in Azure Portal.
Please copy and note down the Endpoint URL. This will be used in later steps.
Feature Management
In the Feature management workspace, turn on the following features:
- Expense reports re-imagined
- Auto-match and create an expense from receipt
Note: Install add-in before enabling the feature.
When these features are turned on, following actions occur:
- The existing Expense management workspace is replaced with the new workspace.
- Receipts will be processed through Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services, and metadata will be extracted and added.
- An option is added to lets you create an expense line from a receipt or attempts to match an existing receipt to an existing expense line.
Expense Management Parameters
There is a new section Automatic receipt capture in Expense management parameters. This is where you need to provide a URL in the Receipt capture URL field. This will contain the URL for the Azure Cognitive Service (copied in earlier step) that will be used to “read” the receipts you upload into D365FO.
In absence of this setup, following error can be expected while capturing the receipt.
Create Expense with Receipt Scanning
Once you upload the receipt, a scanned image, or a file, whether it is via the Expense management workspace or via mobile app, and attach it to an Expense report, OCR will begin trying to read the receipt.
Following steps can be performed to log expenses via mobile app:
- Open Dynamics 365 expense management mobile app.
- Create new Expense with Plus Sign (+)
- Take the expense receipt picture from Camera or select the already captured receipt image.
- Azure Cognitive Service (OCR) has successfully recognized and captured the Transaction Amount, Transaction date and Merchant.
- Here, employee will have the flexibility to update the details identified by OCR, if required.
- Enter Expense Category, Payment Method and other details. Click ‘Done’, new Expense is created.
Where do my receipts go?
D365 F&O will contact Cognitive Services to extract the field data. Cognitive Services will retain a copy of your receipt for up to 24 hours while processing occurs. After processing is completed, Cognitive Services will remove the receipt. Receipts are still stored in Finance.
Refer below link:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/project-operations/expense/match-receipt-expense-ocr
Stay tuned for next blog on Expense Management mobile app.
About the expert
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Ravi Goyal, Senior Consultant, OnActuate
Ravi has worked in the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem for more than 18 years for a variety of projects spanning North America and India. He has expertise in modules like Procurement and Sourcing, Sales, and Marketing, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Inventory Management and Expense Management. Additionally, he also holds multiple certifications like MB 300, MB 330, MB 800, and DA-100 along with other Microsoft Azure fundamental certifications. |
The “OneByte” blog series are technical how-to articles by OnActuate’s expert consultants covering technologies like Dayforce and Microsoft Business Applications (Microsoft Dynamics, Power Platform). Have a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email us at info@onactuate.com!
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