AvidXchange

Data Capture

Redefining the data entry process through an AI-learning partnership with Microsoft.

Overview

XDC is a platform built on top of a machine AI capable of learning how to fill out invoices and billing receipts from human input. It outputs simple analytics to ensure quality control, and simplifies the role of data entry employees on what can be a complex process.

View Prototype

My Role

Lead designer & researcher

Responsibilities

  • Visual & interaction design
  • User research
  • User interviews
  • User testing
  • Competitive analysis
  • Process educator

The problem

At AvidXchange, manual data entry of client invoices was costing the company nearly $2 million annually through outsourced labor. To reduce costs and accelerate the invoice intake process, we partnered with Microsoft to implement a cutting-edge Optical Character Recognition (OCR) solution.

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"Our turnaround time for invoices is 2 weeks. That's just too long."

The challenges

The current system contained many flaws in the user experience. Flaws that would trip up the AI and the users alike. Speaking with several indexers I identified several problem areas.

The goal

Create a data entry system using Microsoft's OCR software to reduce overhead times on time to customers and reduce complexity for employees.

User journey

We had the opportunity to address some of the problems with the current platform and reduce the friction in the data entry process. The AI on the backend could help resolve some of the complexity issues as it was trained. This would free our internal indexers to do what they did best: auditing.

Ideation

From the prior investigative research and journey mapping session I was able to sit down and create some of the first designs for presentation. They were a starting point for discussing what we would like the future of the product to be.

A screen showing a pdf and form fields to the right side. PDF pages are shown to the left
Option A
A screen showing a pdf and form fields to the right side
Option B

Stakeholder testing

A/B testing determined that Option B was easier for our indexing team to understand. The fields were closer to what they were accustomed to seeing in the old tool. Option B also simplified the color coding. Labels were added to the outlines of the corresponding data to aid our coworkers with vision issues in understanding what they were looking at. The biggest challenge was coming up with 24 distinct and accessible colors for each field that could happen.

Feedback

  • Change the navigational items to reflect our brainstorming sessions
  • Add confidence score values instead of icon system
  • Simplify the amount of navigation items to make the release schedule.

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B. It's what I'd expect to see. Easier to read.

Refined designs

The designs were refined with feedback from the meeting. This design would be the one to go into user testing.

Prototyping & Testing

Method
Unmoderated User Testing through UserZoom

Target Audience
6 Indexing Employees of AvidXchange

Overview

I conducted this test to ensure indexers found it easy to use and didn't have to refer to knowledge articles on the subject. This data was then correlated and presented back to the stakeholders, product management, and development leads. The feedback resulted in more design refinements and a finished product ready for hand off to development.

Results

  • Users liked the simplified view compared to their current system.
  • Color coding caused confusion. Add them to the corresponding fields to the right.
  • They disliked having to scroll in the new system to see all the fields.
  • Concerns the labelling on the PDF would cover up crucial information.
  • The dashboard was well received. They would like to see filters added.
  • Quick access to see the total number of invoices still pending processing.
  • Satisfaction with the experience was rated lower because of these issues.

Revision and along comes a new design system

I implemented changes to address user testing feedback. In parallel, I was overseeing the rollout of an updated design system for the company, with XDC identified as a key candidate for the transition.

Revised version of the invoice screen
Filters feature added

Alpha Launch Results

We did a soft launch with less complex customer invoices. As a metric for comparison we had both the old system and XDC process the same invoices.

Time Reduction

Turnaround time for invoices to process and show down to 1 week from 2.

Satisfaction increase

Rating went up from 16% to 90$

Reduced cost overhead

The company was able to cancel 1 contract from the 3 outsourcing companies, saving on costs.

Conclusion

During this project I learned the valuable lesson of how to juggle the need for accessible features without obstructing the use for everyday uses with the labelling system. There was also value to be added during the ideation phase to present visuals to the stakeholders for new project endeavors where there is no system to show as a reference point.

This was the first time where I had to work with an AI as one of the primary user personas. It was an interesting experience that I would like to revisit in the future. In short, the AI has needs too!

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