Semantic search across business documents
Search for “early termination” even if the PDF says “termination before the end of the term”. Intent matters as much as the exact word.
By DocPilot team1 min read
Searching by file name fails as soon as the file is called `scan_034.pdf`. Semantic search matches the intent (“notice period”) with the actual content. It is a cornerstone of document AI.
Keywords, filters, semantics
- Keywords / full-text: exact or close match
- Filters: type, status, party, amount (via extraction)
- Semantic: closeness of meaning despite different wording
- Questions: one step further — see asking a document with AI
Conditions for success
- Centralised documents (not 5 Drives plus the mailbox)
- OCR on scans to make the text indexable
- Access rights respected in the results
- Minimal records so content and metadata can be combined
Frequently asked questions
- Does it replace business filters?
- No. Type, supplier and status remain essential. Semantic search complements filters and full-text search.
- Is metadata needed?
- Yes: metadata + indexed content = truly useful search. AI extraction helps enrich the records.
- What about access rights?
- Search must only return documents the user is authorised to see. Otherwise it is not a DMS — it is a data leak.
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