# Order Intake

The Order Intake value stream automates the transformation of unstructured, email-based purchase orders into fully processed and validated orders in your ERP system. The setup is project specific and it is designed to eliminate manual effort, reduce processing time, and ensure consistent data quality across all incoming requests.

By defining a trigger on incoming emails, the process automatically initiates and executes a sequence of steps, including AI-driven interpretation of order intent, data extraction, and validation against customer-specific rules. Only exceptions that require human attention are routed to employees, while all standard cases are handled end-to-end without intervention. This enables a reliable, real-time, and scalable ordering process that improves operational efficiency and ensures a faster, more accurate response to customer requests.

## Key features

| Feature                                    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| ------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Automated Data Extraction and Accuracy** | Order data is captured using AI-based parsing, ensuring consistent data extraction across varying formats and reducing the likelihood of manual entry errors.                                                                                         |
| **Validation and Exception Routing**       | Extracted data is validated against predefined business rules, including customer-specific pricing, product identifiers, and delivery conditions. Only incomplete or inconsistent orders are routed to users, along with full context for resolution. |
| **Zero-Touch ERP Integration**             | Validated order data is transferred directly into ERP or commerce systems by APIs. The integration is designed to operate within the existing system landscape without requiring manual re-entry or extensive system changes.                         |
| **Real-Time Processing**                   | Orders are processed immediately upon receipt, enabling timely downstream activities such as quoting, confirmation, and fulfillment.                                                                                                                  |
| **Operational Efficiency**                 | The automation of repetitive processing steps reduces manual workload and allows users to focus on exception handling and higher-value activities.                                                                                                    |
| **Scalability**                            | The process supports increasing order volumes without requiring proportional increases in manual effort or operational resources.                                                                                                                     |
| **Fail-Safe Handling**                     | Built-in error detection mechanisms identify edge cases and ensure that exceptions are handled appropriately, maintaining data integrity and process reliability.                                                                                     |

## Process template flow

The process flow can be configured together with the [Order Intake Cockpit](https://app.gitbook.com/o/z8MNPigQv25NZe33g3AV/s/NXembrzntBOyi7ynrVRB/) or [Forms](https://app.gitbook.com/s/8dAaH7DfB59pzZwLxmur/management-dashboard/forms). The section below outlines the general process logic, while the more detailed instructions for each option are available in the related guides.

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th align="center"></th><th align="center"></th><th align="center"></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="files"></th><th data-hidden></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center"><i class="fa-headset">:headset:</i></td><td align="center"><strong>Order Intake - Cockpit</strong></td><td align="center">Automate order intake with Cockpit operator actions.</td><td></td><td></td><td><a href="order-intake/order-intake-cockpit">order-intake-cockpit</a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><i class="fa-file-import">:file-import:</i></td><td align="center"><strong>Order Intake - Forms</strong></td><td align="center">Automate order intake from structured forms and uploads.</td><td></td><td></td><td><a href="order-intake/order-intake-forms">order-intake-forms</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

The process begins with the configuration of one or more inboxes that the system continuously monitors. It automatically classifies incoming emails and collects relevant attachments for further processing. AI-based components then interpret the content, identify order intent, and extract key information such as customer details, items, quantities, pricing, purchase order numbers, and delivery data. Within the value stream, the data is extratcted and normalized to align with internal system requirements, for example by mapping customer-specific product codes to internal identifiers.

Following extraction, the data is validated against predefined business rules, including completeness checks, pricing validation, and consistency of order details. Based on the validation outcome, orders are either processed automatically or routed for manual review. Successfully validated orders are transferred directly into connected ERP and commerce systems by API.

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Order Intake implementations must be tailored to each project, with the goal of reducing manual effort, accelerating processing, and ensuring that incoming order data remains consistent and reliable.
{% endhint %}