Explore how third-party apps are enhancing NetSuite’s AI capabilities! In this article, we dive into powerful tools like an OCR SuiteApp for scanning bills and the newly introduced Text Enhancement feature. Discover how these solutions can streamline your processes and elevate your NetSuite experience.
NetSuite’s Built-In OCR (U.S. Release)
NetSuite has a built-in OCR feature as part of its AP Automation capabilities. However, at present it is only available in the U.S. The good news is that NetSuite 2025.1, scheduled for release in April, will extend this OCR functionality to Europe. Below is a general overview of how it works.
Navigate to: Transactions → Payables → Scanned Vendor Bills
Upload a Bill manually via drag-and-drop, or (if email capture is enabled) have bills sent directly into NetSuite.
Once the bill is uploaded, you can see the information that OCR populated for you.
ZoneCapture: A Third-Party OCR SuiteApp
Because the out-of-the-box OCR is not yet available in the EU, for many of our clients we used ZoneCapture during the implementation. This third-party SuiteApp automatically scans documents, reduces manual data entry, and offers additional features beyond the native NetSuite OCR (such as selecting the vendor and subsidiary by default when uploading a bill). Simply upload a bill, and ZoneCapture will import it into NetSuite. While not 100% perfect – around 17%-20% of documents may still need review – the accuracy is still impressive compared to purely manual entry.
Email-Based Automated Processing & Three-Way PO Matching
Bills can also be processed automatically if sent to a designated company email address. Additionally, ZoneCapture supports three-way PO matching, allocating costs at the line-item level (even over multiple pages). Some vendors can be assigned for fully automated approval with no manual intervention.
GenAI in ZoneCapture
An exciting development is the integration of GenAI within ZoneCapture for purchase transactions.
Once a new file arrives, GenAI can populate key fields based on context in the memo. You can also configure accuracy thresholds or instruct it to format data in specific ways (e.g., adding a “#” before the invoice number or calculating differences between extracted dates).
Future AI Enhancements in NetSuite
Current GenAI offerings in NetSuite are not limited to the 2024.2 release. NetSuite is investing in new AI capabilities that customers are asking for. For example, at SuiteWorld 2024, representatives announced improvements to the built-in OCR enhancements and new AI automation for bills—suggesting that NetSuite may roll out functionality similar to ZoneCapture directly in its core product.
If you are interested in the AI capabilities in NetSuite or would like to learn more about implementing NetSuite in your organization? Contact us and we’ll be in touch!
Story by: Mikhail Lapin
