Applications form the core of every funding submission. They contain merchant information, ownership details, requested amounts, and supporting declarations that underwriters need before evaluating a deal.
When Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) send in these documents manually (often mixed in emails with multiple attachments) teams waste valuable time sorting, labeling, and entering information.
Heron automates the intake of applications by capturing incoming submissions, identifying the application form, and parsing its contents directly into structured fields.
This replaces manual sorting, data entry, and tracking with a seamless intake flow that instantly prepares applications for validation and underwriting.
With Heron, funders and brokers move from inbox chaos to clean, structured deal records in seconds, improving both speed and accuracy across the submission process.
Use Cases
- Capture application forms automatically: Heron detects and extracts applications from ISO packets or email attachments, recognizing them regardless of format or template.
- Tag and organize by merchant: Each captured application is linked to the corresponding merchant record in the CRM.
- Handle multiple sources: Intake supports submissions via shared inboxes, secure upload portals, and API integrations.
- Eliminate duplicate submissions: Heron identifies repeat or re-sent applications, preventing redundant entries.
- Detect missing details: If required fields like business name, funding amount, or ownership data are blank, Heron flags them automatically.
- Trigger next steps: Once the application is complete, it flows directly into the scrubbing or underwriting queue.
These use cases reduce intake friction, maintain submission accuracy, and keep deals moving forward without human bottlenecks.
Operational Impact
Automating application intake with Heron drives measurable efficiency improvements across teams.
- Speed: Applications are recognized and logged within seconds of arrival.
- Accuracy: Field-level extraction removes manual typing errors.
- Scalability: Handles hundreds of daily submissions without expanding staff.
- Visibility: Teams can view real-time submission and status updates.
- Consistency: Every incoming application follows the same standardized process.
Funders using Heron often cut time-to-intake by more than 75%, reducing operational overhead and enabling faster funding turnaround.
Workflow for Application Intake in Heron
Heron’s intake automation uses structured, rule-based workflows to transform raw submissions into ready-to-scrub applications.
- Receive submissions: Brokers send applications via email, portal, or API. Heron detects attachments labeled or formatted as applications.
- Extract key data: The system identifies and captures core fields such as business name, ownership percentage, requested funding amount, and submission date.
- Validate completeness: Heron checks for missing data and flags incomplete forms for review.
- Link to merchant records: Captured data syncs to the correct CRM record or deal ID.
- Tag and categorize: Each application is tagged by ISO, program type, and deal status.
- Advance to next stage: Completed applications are automatically routed to scrubbing or underwriting.
This structured loop eliminates manual review queues and gives underwriters instant access to complete, ready-to-assess data.
Collaboration Between ISOs and Funders
Automated application intake strengthens communication and improves broker experience.
- Faster confirmation: ISOs receive automated acknowledgments when applications are received.
- Transparency: Brokers can see which applications were logged, which are incomplete, and which have advanced.
- Reduced follow-up: Missing-info alerts are triggered automatically, replacing manual outreach.
- Higher submission quality: Consistent application intake improves completeness across ISO submissions.
- Stronger trust: Reliable intake flow increases ISO confidence in funder responsiveness.
This level of visibility and automation builds trust and operational discipline on both sides.
Data Integrity and Compliance
Automating intake not only improves speed but also strengthens data hygiene and compliance standards.
- Standardized templates: Heron recognizes and processes all common application forms used in MCA and small business lending.
- Audit traceability: Each application’s intake event is logged with timestamps, sender data, and system actions.
- Secure handling: All documents are encrypted in transit and at rest under SOC 2 Type II standards.
- Version control: Updated applications automatically replace outdated versions without duplication.
- Error logging: Failed extractions or unrecognized files are flagged for quality review.
- Compliance alignment: Structured data improves audit readiness and regulatory transparency.
These controls make application handling faster, cleaner, and safer from intake through decisioning.
Implementation Best Practices
To maximize the benefits of application intake automation, funders should align workflows and configurations carefully.
- Centralize intake channels: Use a single monitored inbox or API endpoint for all incoming applications.
- Define validation criteria: Configure rules for mandatory fields like business name, requested amount, and ownership.
- Integrate CRM mappings: Ensure Heron’s extracted fields align perfectly with CRM data structures.
- Monitor exceptions: Review flagged or incomplete applications regularly to refine detection accuracy.
- Standardize communication: Use templated missing-info or confirmation messages for consistency.
- Expand gradually: Begin with high-volume ISOs and expand coverage after initial stabilization.
Following these steps allows funders to achieve fast, accurate, and scalable intake operations.
Benefits of Using Heron for Application Intake
- Speed: Instantly logs and parses applications upon arrival.
- Accuracy: Captures data precisely, reducing manual rekeying.
- Transparency: Provides real-time visibility into submission status.
- Scalability: Handles growing submission volumes effortlessly.
- Consistency: Enforces standardized intake practices across all ISOs.
Heron transforms application handling from a manual burden into a streamlined, fully automated workflow that accelerates every funding decision.
FAQs About Intake for Applications
How does Heron recognize application forms?
Heron identifies application forms using document structure, keywords, and field patterns. It recognizes standard templates even when file names or layouts differ.
What happens if an application is incomplete?
Heron flags missing fields and triggers an automated missing-info request to the ISO, listing exactly what’s required to complete the packet.
Can Heron handle multiple submission formats?
Yes. Heron accepts applications via email, portal, or API, automatically detecting and processing common formats like PDF, Word, or scanned forms.
How does Heron prevent duplicates?
Each application is checked against existing CRM records by merchant name, email, and submission date. Duplicate applications are flagged or merged automatically.
How much time does Heron save during intake?
Teams typically cut application intake time by over 80%, processing hundreds of submissions daily without expanding headcount or sacrificing accuracy.
