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Lookup

The lookup is intended to help and enhance AIDA's intelligence in searching, auto-completion, normalisation and validation of the properties you want to extract from documents.

How it works​

When you have created or imported a list, you can associate it with one or more properties in AIDA. This way, when AIDA searches for the value on the document, it compares with the database to best recognise the property, validate or normalise the value.

If, on the other hand, you load an file containing a table with several columns, AIDA is able to autocomplete the other properties automatically, even if they are not present in the document.

In case AIDA does not find a match, it will ask you to add the new value to the database directly in the training section.

Strengthening recognition​

AIDA, thanks to the values in the lists you have loaded, enhances and speeds up the learning of properties, because it can compare the contents of the document with the contents of the lists.

Normalisation​

AIDA finds the value of the property on the document and compares it with the associated lookup, if it matches, AIDA normalises the data according to your specifications.

For example, even if it finds 'JOHN' on the document, AIDA will change it to 'John'.

Validation​

When the option Allow only lookup values is activated , AIDA filters the values found on the document by accepting them only if they are present in the lookup list.

Autocomplete​

With a table with multiple columns, once a single value has been found, AIDA can automatically fill in the other properties using the information in the database with multiple columns. This function is especially useful when the document does not contain all the information.

For example, in the case of a document that only shows the VAT number of a company but not the Company name, you might want to use the lookup list to complete the company name from the VAT number and vice versa.

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When importing a file to update the content, AIDA compares the new list with the one already in the database and only loads the changed or new rows based on the row number.

Creating a List​

To create a Lookup list choose Configuration in the top menu and select Lookup.

Click on Create your first lookup list if it is your first list, otherwise you will find the button Create a list.

After giving a name, AIDA creates an empty list ready to be populated.

Populate a list​

You can choose to add the values manually or import an file. Supported file formats are XLS, XLSX and CSV.

To import a list, you have to enter the desired list and press the button Import. You can now drag the file directly into the box or click to choose the file from your PC/Mac.

Each list, whether simple or complex, can be used in several types of documents at the same time, and likewise, each type of document can make use of several lists within it.

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When you import a file, the contents of the first row will be used to name the columns.

Linking a list to one or more properties​

To link a list to one or more properties you have to enter the document type configuration, choose the property for which to use the lookup and press the button .

In the options, enable the function Enable lookup within the section Lookup on external systems.

Once enabled , new settings will open:

  • Lookup module: Select 'AIDA Database'.
  • Lookup list: Select the list to be used.
  • Lookup column: If the selected lookup list contains more than one column, AIDA will make you choose which column to impute to the property.

Other Operations​

On the lookup list page you can:

Renaming the list​

To change the name of a list, press the button Rename.

Deleting a List​

To delete a list you must press Delete.

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Before deleting a list, check whether it is currently being used by entering the list page by pressing the button.

Emptying the list​

To delete all the items in a list, enter the list by pressing the button and then press the button Clear.