Configuring Document Coding Rules

Document Coding rules are a powerful automation feature in Zudello that allow you to automatically populate specific fields on a document based on the presence of certain keywords or phrases found within the document's content (either extracted text or sometimes line item descriptions). This significantly speeds up the coding process for frequently occurring items or charges.

For example, you could set up a rule so that if an invoice contains the phrase "Monthly Subscription Fee", the GL Code field is automatically set to "6-1234 Software Subscriptions".

Use Cases

• Automatic GL Coding: Assign General Ledger codes based on specific services, products, or descriptions mentioned (e.g., "Consulting Services" -> GL Code 5-1000).
• Department/Project Allocation: Assign costs to departments or projects based on keywords found in line items or descriptions (e.g., "Marketing Campaign" -> Department Code MKTG).
• Tax Code Assignment: Apply specific tax codes based on keywords indicating taxability or exemption.
• Setting Custom Fields: Populate custom fields based on identified text patterns.

Configuring Document Coding Rules

1. Navigate to Settings: Access the configuration area for automation or enrichment rules. This might be under Settings > Automation, Business Rules, or within specific Document Type settings. Look for a section specifically named Document Coding, Text-Based Rules, or similar.
2. Create New Rule: Initiate the creation of a new Document Coding rule.
3. Define Trigger/Scope (If Applicable): Specify when this rule should be evaluated. This might include:
   • Document Type: (e.g., Apply only to Invoices, Purchase Orders).
   • Supplier/Customer: (e.g., Apply only for specific suppliers).
   • Source: Specify whether to search in Header fields, Line Item fields (like Description), or both.
4. Enter Keywords/Phrases: Input the specific text string(s) that should trigger the rule.
   • Exact Match: The rule triggers only if the exact phrase is found.
   • Contains: The rule triggers if the keyword is found anywhere within the specified source text.
   • Case Sensitivity: Define if the match should be case-sensitive or not.
   • Multiple Keywords: You might be able to specify multiple keywords (e.g., trigger if "Consulting" OR "Advisory" is found).
5. Define Actions (Field Population): Specify which field(s) should be populated and with what value(s) when the keyword is found.
   • Target Field: Select the field to update (e.g., GL Code, Department, Tax Code, Custom Field).
   • Value: Enter the exact value to populate in the target field (e.g., "5-1000", "MKTG", "GST Free").
   • Multiple Actions: Some rules might allow setting multiple fields simultaneously.
6. Set Priority/Order (If Applicable): If multiple keyword rules could potentially match the same document, define the order in which they should be evaluated. Typically, the first rule that matches takes precedence.
7. Activate the Rule: Save and enable the rule.

Best practices

• Be Specific: Use specific keywords or phrases to avoid unintended matches. A rule for "Service" might be too broad; "Monthly Maintenance Service" is better.
• Consider Case Sensitivity: Decide if case sensitivity is important for your keywords.
• Test Thoroughly: After creating a rule, test it with various documents (both matching and non-matching) to ensure it works as expected and doesn't cause incorrect coding.
• Use Priority Wisely: Order rules carefully if overlaps are possible, placing more specific rules before broader ones.
• Regular Review: Periodically review your keyword rules to ensure they are still relevant and accurate, especially if your chart of accounts or business structure changes.
• Combine with Defaults: Keyword rules often work well in conjunction with Supplier/Customer/Item default coding rules. Defaults can handle the common cases, while keywords handle exceptions or specifics.

Document Coding rules can dramatically reduce manual data entry and improve coding consistency across your documents.

See also: Configure Supplier/Customer/Item Default Coding (Link to be created/updated)

Need help?

If you need assistance setting up or troubleshooting Document Coding rules, contact your organisation administrator or Zudello support.