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Bots for Small Businessby Brendan Byrne
Guide 11 of 17 · Medium

How to set up a document data entry bot

Pull details out of invoices, receipts or forms automatically instead of typing them in.

Tools
Hubdoc, Dext or Xero/MYOB built-in capture; or Zapier/Make with an AI step
Difficulty
Medium
Setup time
2-4 hours (estimate). A rough estimate.
Cost
Many of these tools have free tiers. Check current pricing before you commit.

Step by step

  1. Start with receipts and bills. Your accounting software may already have capture built in.
  2. Set up an email address or app to forward receipts to.
  3. Check the first 20 captures carefully, especially GST.
  4. For other documents (forms, orders), use an AI step to extract fields into a spreadsheet.
  5. Always include a 'needs review' column for anything uncertain.
  6. Review weekly.

Watch-outs

Questions

Is my accounting software enough?

Often yes for bills and receipts. Use extra tools only for other documents.

How accurate is it?

Good on clear documents, worse on handwriting. Always review.

Related guides

Need prompts for the AI steps? See 40 AI use cases with copyable prompts. Want a hand? Get in touch.