Implementing intelligent automation for a global film distributor
The Client
The client is a global film distributor for two of the big five film production studios. Headquartered in London, UK and with distribution offices in 16 countries and licensees in a further 47,
The client’s 200 employees distribute films to cinemas in Europe, Latin America and the Far East. Since its formation, the client has distributed over 1,000 films including more than 100 Academy Award® winners.
The Challenge
Following screenings of films in across a global network of cinemas, the client captures complex data sets (name of the film, revenue, number of showings and others), from multiple organisations contributing data in different formats.
Data was then manually extracted and entered, into an AS400 System to provide critical box office figures on how the film performed worldwide. The client also used the data as the basis for invoices between itself and the cinemas.
The client was grappling with the inefficiencies of manual data entry and outdated and disjointed data management processes. The need for a robust solution became imperative.
They approached TXP seeking to automate the manual process of getting the data into the AS400 System, freeing up resources and increasing data accuracy.
The Solution
The TXP team, including an Azure architect and development lead undertook an analysis of the client’s existing data processes, identified bottlenecks, and designed a tailored solution leveraging Azure and Power Automate.
TXP trained the Al model to recognise each known document type, allowing it to correctly submit the file to the Azure Document Recognition Service. Each submission generates a JSON file with the data extracted in a recognisable format.
The file is then automatically passed to a Power Automate cloud flow which invokes a desktop flow connecting to the on-premises data centre where the AS400 machine is hosted. This enables the data to be posted into the booking System using Robotic Process Automation.
An intuitive and extensive error handling process to support multiple document types and languages was also built.
The Benefits
The combination of Azure Al engine on a secure and scalable cloud platform, while Power Automates’ advanced automation capabilities has revolutionised the client’s data management System.
The transformation has been remarkable. The client has experienced a drastic reduction in manual data entr(d, leading to enhanced efficiency and accuracy in data management. The automated workflows greatly reduced processing times and minimised errors, leading to more reliable data. The 12-month ROI projection underscored the cost-effectiveness of the investment in Microsoft technologies.
The client not only solved its immediate challenges but also laid the groundwork for future innovations and growth. The new processes will support the client in seamlessly moving away from the legacy AS400 machine in the future and to provide them with intelligent insights from the entire data set.