UK Medical Device Distributor

Automated Order Processing

Design and implementation of an automated sales order processing solution that could achieve greater than 70% straight-through processing of orders

Services

Process Discovery, Solution Design, Platform Selection, Implementation, Maintenance

Platform

Azure Document Intelligence, Machine Learning, Azure Functions, MIcrosoft Power App, Robotic Process Automation, SQL Server,

The Challenge

A large Medical Device and Consumables distributor processing over 10,000 sales orders per month from private and public healthcare providers faced significant challenges in manually processing growing order volumes into their ERP system for fulfilment. Order processing required validation of products, pricing, bill-to addresses, delivery addresses, tax codes, delivery charges and various complex rules for processing of certain order types. Increased volumes meant challenges in maintaining rapid turnaround times on order fulfilment.

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The Solution

To address the distributor’s growing operational demands, Apridata delivered a fully automated end-to-end order processing system that streamlined the journey from order receipt to ERP posting. The solution significantly reduced manual intervention and enabled scalability while maintaining speed and accuracy.

The system comprises four integrated components:

1. Intelligent Document Ingestion & Data Extraction

Orders received via email and electronic data exchange are automatically captured and processed. A hybrid approach combining rule-based templates and AI models ensures high-accuracy data extraction from both structured and unstructured formats—including PDF attachments and email bodies.

2. Rules & Matching Engine with Machine Learning

A sophisticated engine validates critical order elements such as product codes, pricing, tax codes, billing and delivery addresses, and delivery charges. Embedded machine learning models continuously learn from processing outcomes and exception handling, improving the accuracy and autonomy of the system over time.

3. ERP Integration via Bots and APIs

Orders are posted directly into the SAP ERP system using a blend of API-driven and UI-based bots. Where SAP APIs are unavailable, bots leverage computer vision to reliably interact with the SAP user interface, ensuring seamless data input across various modules and order types.

4. Exceptions Management & Workflow Application

A custom-built workflow portal allows Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) to review and resolve processing exceptions efficiently. Orders flagged by the system—due to missing, incorrect or ambiguous data—are routed through this interface for quick intervention, ensuring continuity in the fulfilment pipeline.

Performance Monitoring

Real-time dashboards provide visibility into system performance, tracking metrics such as order volumes, automation rates, exception frequency, and resolution times. These insights empower stakeholders to optimise processes and further drive autonomous processing levels.

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The Benefits

Reduced Operational Costs: By achieving over 70% fully autonomous order processing, the solution drastically reduced the manual effort required by Customer Service teams. This led to a significant increase in the volume of orders processed by the team.

Faster Order Turnaround Times: Automation of data extraction, validation, and ERP posting enabled orders to be processed in minutes rather than hours or days. This supported faster fulfilment cycles, directly contributing to improved service levels and customer satisfaction across both private and public healthcare clients.

Minimised Revenue Leakage and Errors: Automated validation of pricing, tax codes, and product references ensured orders were processed accurately the first time. This reduced costly errors such as under-billing, shipment delays, or incorrect order fulfilment.

Scalable Growth Without Headcount Increases: The system absorbed increased order volumes without needing to scale headcount, allowing the business to grow its customer base and transaction volume while constraining operating costs.

Improved SLA Compliance and Competitive Differentiation: Faster, more reliable order processing helped the business meet strict SLAs for healthcare providers, strengthening contractual relationships and reinforcing its competitive advantage in a highly regulated and service-critical industry.

Enterprise-Wide Adoption and Standardisation: Due to the measurable success of the initial deployment, the solution was rolled out to other business divisions, establishing a consistent, enterprise-grade order processing capability and delivering cross-divisional efficiencies.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Operational dashboards and performance insights provided management with visibility into automation rates, exception trends, and order bottlenecks—enabling continuous improvement and evidence-based process refinement.

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