How to add document OCR to ECI JobBOSS2
Short answer
Document OCR for JobBOSS2 means extracting fields from vendor invoices, packing slips and mill or conformance certificates, matching them to POs and receipts in the database, and sending anything uncertain to a review screen. Approved results are staged for entry or posted through a supported route.
Paper still moves through job shops. A packing slip arrives with the material, a certificate of conformance comes with plated parts, and an invoice shows up days later that has to agree with what was received. Matching those three by eye is slow, and mismatches tend to be found at month end.
OCR is mature enough to read most of these, but the value is in the matching and the exceptions. Reading a total from an invoice is easy. Knowing that it relates to PO 5523 line 2 and that the quantity billed exceeds the quantity received is what saves time.
This page covers capture, extraction, matching to JobBOSS2 records, and how to set thresholds so staff review only what needs it.
What teams use it for
Vendor invoice capture
Read vendor, invoice number, date, lines and totals, then match to the PO and receipts for a three-way comparison before payment.
Packing slip receiving
Extract PO number and quantities from the slip so the receiver confirms rather than types.
Material certs against lots
Pull heat or lot number, spec and chemistry reference from mill certs and attach them to the received lot.
Outside processing certs
File certificates of conformance from plating or heat treat against the job and PO that required them.
Inspection reports
Capture first article and CMM report headers, linking them to the job and part revision.
ECI JobBOSS2 integration surface
- SQL Server database: receipts, purchase order lines, vendors and inventory lots for matching. Verify names for your version.
- JobBOSS2 document attachments: link the original scan to the PO, job or lot so auditors find it from the record.
- ECI JobBOSS2 API: where licensed, a supported way to create receipts or attach documents; otherwise stage for manual posting.
- Scanner and folder watch: multifunction printers can drop PDFs to a network folder that the pipeline monitors.
- Vendor and part cross-reference data: needed to resolve vendor part numbers to your item master.
How it works
- 1
Set up capture points
Use a scan-to-folder location at receiving and accounting, plus a mailbox for emailed documents. Name folders by document type.
- 2
Classify the document
Detect invoice, packing slip, mill cert or CoC. Reject unknown types to a manual folder.
- 3
Run OCR and extraction
Use a layout-aware OCR engine and field extraction, producing values with confidence scores and bounding boxes.
- 4
Match against the ERP
Find the PO and lines by number and vendor, compare quantity and price, and locate the receipt or lot.
- 5
Apply thresholds
Auto-accept only when every key field is above your threshold and the match is exact. Everything else goes to review.
- 6
Review screen
Show the image beside the extracted fields, highlight the mismatch, and let the clerk correct and approve.
- 7
Post and file
Stage the approved record for entry or write through the API, and link the original document to the record.
Example flows
Invoice with a quantity difference
Trigger: A vendor invoice PDF arrives in the AP mailbox.
- OCR reads the PO reference and line quantities.
- The match finds fewer pieces received than billed on line 3.
- The invoice enters the review queue with the variance highlighted.
- AP holds payment on that line and notifies the buyer.
Result: Overbilling is caught before payment instead of at reconciliation.
Mill cert on receipt
Trigger: Bar stock arrives with a mill certificate.
- The receiver scans the packing slip and the cert together.
- The pipeline extracts the heat number and spec and matches the PO line.
- The receiver confirms and the cert is attached to the lot record.
- The job pulling that lot can reference the cert for traceability.
Result: Traceability documents are filed at the time of receipt.
Keeping data on-prem
Invoices and certificates can reveal customers, programs and specifications, so many shops want OCR to stay local. Open-source OCR engines and layout models run on a modest on-prem server, and a local language model can handle field extraction from messy text. Keep scans on a controlled file share, with SQL Server and the review tool on the same network. If you use a cloud OCR service for ordinary vendor invoices, exclude documents tied to controlled programs and record that decision.
Security checklist
- Restrict the scan folders and review tool by role, since invoices show pricing.
- Keep original documents immutable and link, not overwrite, when attaching to records.
- Log every correction a reviewer makes with user and time.
- Separate duties so the person who approves a payment is not the one who edited the extracted amount.
- Exclude controlled technical documents from any cloud extraction route.
Ways to get it done
Accounts payable automation product
Effort: Weeks, with subscription cost and an integration to JobBOSS2 to confirm
Shops whose need is invoice capture and approval workflow
Open-source OCR plus a review UI built in-house
Effort: Four to eight weeks
Teams with a developer and a clear set of document types
Partner build with Netray
Effort: Scoped after sampling your real documents
Mixed documents, matching to POs and lots, on a local model
Pitfalls
- !Accepting a high overall confidence while a single key field, like quantity, is wrong.
- !Skipping the three-way match and only reading invoice totals.
- !Poor scan quality: skewed, faxed or photographed pages cut accuracy sharply.
- !Forgetting unit of measure differences, such as feet billed against inches received.
- !Overwriting the original scan rather than keeping it as evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Does JobBOSS2 have built-in OCR?
To our knowledge it can attach documents to records but does not read their contents. Check your version with ECI, since features change. OCR is typically added alongside as a separate service.
How accurate is OCR on invoices?
Typed PDFs from regular vendors are usually read well, while scans and handwriting need more review. Test on your own last few months of documents and set thresholds from those results.
Can it read mill certificates?
It can pull heat numbers, specs and dates, but layouts vary by mill. Expect a review step at first, and keep the certificate image attached because the extracted data is a convenience, not the record.
Can approved data post to JobBOSS2 automatically?
Through the API where licensed, or by staging for a clerk to enter. Direct database writes are risky and may be unsupported, so avoid them.
Is it suitable for aerospace traceability?
It supports it by filing certs to lots, but your quality system still defines what is acceptable. Keep humans in the loop for certs and retain originals per your retention requirements.
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