What is our primary use case?
The IQ Bot use cases were mostly, in the realm of intelligent document automation, extracting data from documents.
The solution can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud.
How has it helped my organization?
One of our main uses for IQ Bot is in the processing of invoices. We have a customer that receives invoices from their suppliers and needs to validate that they are valid invoices. In order to do this, they check for the purchase order reference on the invoice. If the invoice matches a pending purchase order, the customer then checks for several other factors, such as if the cost center is valid, if the amounts match the quote, if the individual prices match what was agreed, and if the location of delivery is correct. If all of these factors match, the invoice is accepted. If not, the invoice is denied and a reason is provided. With IQ Bot, we are able to automatically read the invoice, understand all of these variables, and make decisions based on them. Without IQ Bot, we would not be able to identify the key information needed to make these decisions.
What is most valuable?
Training the model is very simple with IQ Bot's technology. It requires providing several examples of the type of document you want to evaluate. IQ Bot already has a built-in taxonomy, which is like a dictionary of elements commonly found in certain types of documents. For example, when evaluating an invoice, you will find elements, such as "total," "item descriptions," and "shipped to." This pre-existing taxonomy greatly speeds up the training process as it provides a starting point and structure, rather than starting from scratch.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve by having more domain-specific templates, such as for documents other than invoices or contracts. For example, having templates for IDs or Passports.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used IQ Bot within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has not failed us before.
I rate the stability of IQ Bot a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 20 users using this solution. We expect our customers to use this solution more in the future. As the solution delivers value, the customer will look for more areas to automate.
The solution is robust.
I rate the scalability of IQ Bot a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I have used the support and once you have the right channels, they are very straightforward.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of IQ Bot is straightforward.
The number of people required for the deployment will depend on the scope of the project. For instance, the invoice project used to require six people to review the volume of invoices customers had, but now only two individuals are needed for reviewing and retraining. The remaining staff has been reallocated to other tasks within the department. However, the number of people required will depend on the scale of implementation. Typically, our team consists of three individuals, a consultant who works with the solution hands-on, an architect, and a developer.
What about the implementation team?
We implement this solution for our partners and customers.
What was our ROI?
Our customers have received a return on investment. It is the easiest return on investment to provide to a customer.
The benefit of using IQ Bot for document-based tasks is that it's easy to measure cost savings. By evaluating the number of documents processed and the time it takes, it's simple to assign a dollar value to each document. This is very attractive as it allows for the automation of tasks that were previously too complex or time-consuming. For example, in the invoice process we worked on with a customer, they needed to validate certain information in the packing list, such as the weight and units of the items being shipped. Before, they were not doing this extra validation because it was too complex and they assumed the importer would get it right. However, with IQ Bot, they were able to automate this validation and save time and money by being proactive instead of reactive. The technology makes it easy to provide a clear ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of IQ Bot could improve by being less expensive.
As a provider, my perspective may be biased. However, the pricing is reflective of the complexity and capabilities of the technology. The more complex the extraction needs, the more sense it makes to invest in IQ Bot. The platform, which is integrated with Automation Anywhere, offers added value that sets it apart from other solutions. For companies that need to address both simple and complex situations, the pricing may be reasonable. However, for those only looking for a narrow solution, it may seem expensive. This is usually reflected in our customer base.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to others is for them to test out the solution. Subscribe and practice using it, you'll be amazed at the things you're able to do by yourself.
IQ Bot was the first to tackle the problem of data extraction on documents, and it set the standard for others to follow. While other solutions have since emerged and improved in certain areas, IQ Bot remains the leader in the market. For us, it's a comprehensive and complete solution that has everything we need.
I rate IQ Bot a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.