OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
Technology that converts images or scanned documents into machine-readable text. In automation: scan a physical invoice, OCR extracts the text, Claude AI interprets it, and the data is created in your accounting system zero manual entry.
Expert insight
OCR accuracy drops sharply on handwriting, low-resolution scans, and non-standard fonts, a workflow built and tested against clean typed documents can perform dramatically worse the moment a real client submits a photographed, slightly skewed paper form. Budgeting for a manual review step on low-confidence OCR results is realistic, expecting 100% automation from OCR alone usually isn't.
In a real workflow
Scanned delivery notes are run through OCR so the order number and quantities can be matched to purchase orders.
Common mistakes
- Trusting OCR output on poor scans without a confidence check.
- Not keeping the original image for verification.
Complexity level
Requires some familiarity with automation concepts.
Related terms
See it in action
Want this built into your automation?
Book a free audit and we'll show you exactly how this applies to your business.
Get my free automation plan →Who we build for
Run a firm, an agency or an online store? We automate the work behind it.
Done-for-you n8n workflows and Claude AI agents, fixed price, maintained for you.
- Professional firms Onboarding, documents, billing and reporting run on their own. See what we automate →
- Agencies and SaaS teams Custom n8n and Claude builds, client reporting and internal tools. See what we automate →
- E-commerce brands Orders, support, returns and stock handled without the busywork. See what we automate →
More in Data
Keep exploring
Output schema
The defined structure of data produced by a workflow step field names,…
Parse
Converting raw data (JSON text, CSV, XML) into a structured format tha…
Pipeline (data)
A connected sequence of automated steps that data flows through from s…
Query (database)
A request for specific data from a database. Automation workflows ofte…
Serialisation
Converting a data object into a format that can be transmitted or stor…
SQL (Structured Query Language)
The language used to query and manipulate relational databases. In aut…
Go deeper
Guides that cover OCR
Workflow automation for small businesses: 12 quick wins under £500
Small businesses are systematically underinvesting in automation not because it does not work for them, but because nobody has shown them which automations pay back in weeks rather than months. Here are 12 that do.
Invoice automation: eliminate manual billing and get paid faster in 2026
Manual invoicing costs the average SMB 6-10 hours per month and adds 8-12 days to payment cycles. Here is how to automate every stage of the billing process from quote to cash with specific tools, worked examples, and a practical implementation guide.
Data entry automation: eliminate 90% of manual input with AI in 2026
Manual data entry costs businesses £47 per hour in fully-loaded labour and that is before the error correction. Here is how AI-powered extraction pipelines eliminate 90% of it.