As planned, OpenText published in October of 2020, the new versions of its products VIM (Vendor Invoice Management by Opentext), BC (Business Center for SAP Solutions) and IC4SAP (Intelligent Capture for SAP Solutions) in its products for OCR.
This is an update with noticeable changes. We have complied the most important ones. Below you can see the new released versions vs the previous ones:
- VIM 7.5 SP11 >>>VIM 7.6
- VIM 16.3.5 > > > VIM 20.4
- BC 16.3.5>>> Which is part of VIM now.
- IC4SAP 16.7 > > > IC4SAP 20.4
- CC4SAP 16.7 > > > CC4SAP 20.4
Intelligent Capture for SAP Solutions (IC4SAP) set as the recommended OCR by Opentext.
Intelligent Capture for SAP Solutions (IC4SAP) set as the recommended OCR by OpenText.
At the beginning it did not provide all the customization capacity that we have in BCC today, and therefore many clients were reluctant to change. However, in its current version, 20.4, we are facing a more robust and parameterizable product at the BCC level.
Also, it is important to note that the latest VIM versions, 8.6 and 20.4, are only compatible with Intelligent Capture.
So, what does Intelligent Capture bring in its cloud version and on the on premise one?
- Machine Learning, the OCR learns as it is used. OpenText mentioned that it gives good recognition results after 6 documents per provider.
- Intelligent document recognition, OCR can identify an invoice, a sales order or a delivery confirmation (remember that VIM is no longer just for invoices 😉).
- Batch processing, It is no longer necessary to put separators between invoices. Although if required, IC4SAP now allows us to use them (not in previous versions).
- Simple “plug & play” configuration with VIM. SQL database is no longer needed as before, as OCR reads directly from SAP tables. Communication between the OCR server and SAP is now through webservices (HTTP or HTTPs).
New Vendor Invoice Management (VIM) versions for both SAP S4 and R3
VIM has published new versions for its two versions:
- VIM 7.6 > > > For SAP ECC systems.
- VIM 20.4 > > > Compatible with the latest 2020 S/4HANA version.
The main innovations are:
Alternative method of invoice validation in the business center’s own Work Center. Once we select one, the validator client (Validation client) will open:
Translation of user comments for instance, quite useful when in an approval flow people from different countries approve. This improvement is available both in the Fiori apps (Enter Cost Assignment Advanced and Invoice Approvals), and in the SAP GUI.
Improvement in the determination of the “business partners”, both in the invoice processing solution and in the sales order solution. How? Using “machine learning” and taking the data “live”, without constant downloads of the SAP data to the OCR server.
New electronic invoices format support, in continuous expansion:
- FatturaPA (Italy)
- X-Rechnung (Germany)
- UBL/Peppol invoices (e.g. Benelux)
- India e-Invoicing reform
- Configuration whitepaper for non-standard countries
- Roadmap: Singapore, Mexico, …
Support in the recognition of invoices from Chin and Russia through Machine Learning and optimized configuration for the recognition of the necessary fields of both countries.
New standards and types of invoices recognized for India y Switzerland.
- Hybrid formats: Factur-X and ZUGFeRD 2.x.
- Reading and recognition of the QR code.
- Reading and processing of the India’s IRN code.
In the Fiori section:
- Fiori Analytics reports include now the “Invoice Life Cycle” report as a data source, which shows the invoice life cycle in detail.
- New Fiori app “Vendor invoice report” with the current etail of invoices in real time. It would be the Fiori version of the SAP GUI “VIM Analytics” report. The report allows to navigate within each invoice and access supplier information or purchase orders.
New “Smart Coding” functionality for invoices without a purchase order:
The system learns from previously posted invoices to detect similar invoices and propose coding. The user can choose what the system proposes or do the coding themselves. You can also set it to always take the option given by the system automatically.
This improvement is available in the Fiori apps “Enter Cost Assignment Advanced / Simple” and through the SAP GUI itself on the coding screen.
- Substitute management through user settings within the apps: Enter Costs Assignment Advanced, Enter Cost Assignment Simple, Invoice Approval and Involice Bulk Approval.
It would be exactly the same that it is done today from SAP My Inbox.
Find out more about VIM, and please do get in contact with us if you have any question. We will keep publishing further information about these products’ new releases. Stay tuned 😉
