AI-enhanced optical reading of incoming royalty statements, from any publisher any language.

An AI-enhanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) system for processing incoming royalty statements—such as the one used in platforms like That’s Rights!—addresses a common challenge in publishing and licensing: the manual handling of inconsistent, complex royalty reports from third parties.Royalty statements often arrive in varied formats, including PDFs, scanned images, physical documents, or unstructured Excel files, and may be in different languages and currencies. Instead of manually entering this data, an AI-enhanced OCR system automates the process through a structured approach.

How It Works

1. Contextual Reading Without TemplatesTraditional OCR relies on fixed layouts, requiring users to define exact locations for fields like ISBNs or earnings. If a publisher changes their format, the system may fail.With AI, the system interprets the document more flexibly. It identifies patterns—such as a 13-digit number next to a title as an ISBN, or terms like “Recette” or “Netto” as revenue indicators—regardless of their position on the page.

2. Multi-Lingual and Multi-Currency SupportSince licensing deals are often global, statements arrive in various languages and currencies. The AI can recognize and translate terms (e.g., French, German, or Japanese) and flag the reported currency for conversion to a base currency.

3. Structured Line-Item ExtractionRoyalty statements often include hundreds of rows for different formats (e.g., paperback, eBook) and sales channels. The system extracts these details into structured data, capturing:

• Identifiers (e.g., ISBNs)
• Title variations or translations
• Formats (hardcover, eBook, etc.)
• Sales channels (retail, digital, etc.)
• Quantities, list prices, royalty rates, and earnings

Extracted data is displayed in That’s Rights! for verification, allowing users to correct any inaccuracies directly.

Why It’s Useful

• Reduces Manual Work: Processing lengthy or complex statements is faster, cutting down hours of manual entry to minutes of review.
• Speeds Up Payments: For agencies or publishers distributing royalties to authors, faster data processing enables quicker payouts.
• Improves Accuracy: Ensures all reported earnings are captured correctly, making it easier to reconcile with contract terms stored in That’s Rights!.