Narrow down the first process
Start with one document type and a defined set of suppliers. Decide which fields you need: supplier, date, reference, project and material lines, for example. Avoid trying to automate every document in the business in the first pilot.
Prepare examples that include difficulties
Gather representative samples authorised for testing. Include photographs of varying quality, different references and incomplete documents. If evaluation uses only clean documents, it will not show how much review the real process will need.
Define what is checked before data is recorded
The system should check required fields, project references and possible duplicates. Uncertain results should be sent for review. Extracting text does not prove that a value is correct or that it matches the expected purchase order.
Measure the complete process
Compare preparation and review time with the manual process. Record errors by field and exceptions that block the workflow. These measures will help you decide whether to expand the pilot, adjust the process or keep certain tasks with the team.