Advanced optical character recognition (OCR) technology introduced by FleetCheck earlier this year is saving “hundreds” of hours in fleet administration during extensive trials.
A new tool created by the fleet software firm uses OCR to scan invoices from suppliers as they arrive, with all data automatically populated into the correct fields rather than having to be manually keyed.
It’s already been put to the test by Chesterfield-based MDel Fleet Management, which operates 2,000 cars and vans.
Managing director Mike Cuckson said: “This has been a gamechanger for our fleet management processes. Previously, we had to type in the details for every invoice, which was time-consuming and prone to error. Now, with this streamlined system, we’ve significantly reduced administrative time and are ensuring greater accuracy.
“OCR has not only saved us a considerable amount of time but has also allowed us to allocate resources to more critical tasks, ultimately driving better productivity and cost savings across the business.”
The OCR technology typically reduces the time spent processing each individual invoice from around five minutes to less than 60 seconds, according to Callum Haymon-Collins (pictured), COO at FleetCheck.
“When we survey our users, one of the things they say is most time-consuming is manually keying all the information on an invoice into the system. The new tool means it’s as fast as scanning the invoice, massively reducing processing time
“All of the important details on the document are automatically recognised from the image and populated into our system. They can then be passed directly to each company’s accounting software in the appropriate format.”
Working on the basis that each vehicle in your fleet generates at least one invoice a month, that kind of saving in administration equates to a saving of 40 hours a year on a 50-vehicle fleet – and could regain hundreds or even thousands of hours for larger fleets.
FleetCheck says it’s already seeing a high level of interest from a large number of fleets and plans to roll out the use of OCR across a range of other documentation in 2025, including fuel receipts, driving licences, preventative maintenance inspection documents, penalty charge notices and insurance documents.
“The potential of the technology to reduce fleet administration and free staff up to work on more strategic matters is considerable,” stated Callum Haymon-Collins.
