Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a technology that converts printed or handwritten text (often on documents) into machine-readable digital data. 

OCR uses pattern recognition and machine learning, and sometimes AI-enhanced image processing to improve accuracy, even when documents are crumpled, faded, or photographed at an angle.

It eliminates manual data entry and allows organizations to store and process information more efficiently by turning static images into usable digital data.

OCR plays a major role in streamlining corporate travel processes. For example, in travel and expense management, employees often accumulate numerous receipts throughout a trip. Instead of manually entering details (e.g., merchant name, date, total amount, taxes, or currency), travelers take a photo of the receipt using an expense management app. 

OCR reads the printed information and automatically extracts the relevant fields, speeding up the reimbursement process.