Even the most well-organized businesses have trouble keeping track of employee and vendor access to buildings or other locations. As a result, inadequate permit management can lead to security breaches and increase your organization’s liability risk. In this blog post, you will learn about natural language processing and how it can be used as a component of a better permit management solution.

What Is Natural Language Processing?

Natural language processing (NLP) is the ability of computers to understand human language and the intent behind that language. In other words, NLP is the ability of computers to read and understand the content of a piece of text, just as a human would. If you’ve ever used tools like Google Translate, Siri, or Amazon’s Alexa, you’ve already experienced NLP. These tools allow us to communicate with computers and AI as if speaking with others. NLP technology has been around since the 1950s, but it’s only been in the past few years that we’ve seen it become a core component of business software.

Why is Permit Management Important?

Permit management systems are responsible for tracking who is allowed to be in a specific space. For example, if you’re hosting a significant event or have employees who visit customers’ or vendors’ offices, you may need to track which people have access to which locations. In some cases, you may also need to track when people are allowed to be in those spaces. Of course, every business has different internal operations, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to permit management. However, there are a few standard features you can expect from a basic permit management system: 

  1. Permit Types: Define the types of permits you’ll use to track employees and vendors in specific locations. 
  2. Permit Rules: Create rules for when employees can enter specific spaces with their permits. For example, managers might be able to access any office, while other employees may only be allowed in their department. 
  3. Grouping: Create groups of employees (and/or vendors) who may have access to each other’s locations. For example, the marketing team might access the engineering office and vice versa.
  4.  Reporting: Analyze data on employees and permit usage. You can use this information to improve security, adjust permit rules, or make organizational changes like assigning employees to different offices.

How Natural Language Processing Can Help With Permit Management

Natural language processing can make it easier for employees to input information into your permit management system. For example, it’s easier for someone to type “Jim, marketing, Engineering Office” than to enter every person in each location manually. However, for NLP to help with permit management, your system must be able to understand the intent behind the text: 

  1. If an employee types “I need to enter the Engineering Office,” the NLP system recognizes the intent and automatically adds the person to the Engineering Office’s permit list.
  2.  If an employee types “I need to enter the Engineering Office to meet with Jim,” the NLP system recognizes the correct information, adds the person to the Engineering Office’s permit list, and adds the meeting to the person’s calendar.

NLP Tools for Better Permit Management

You can use various tools to implement NLP into your permit management system. For example, natural language processing platforms can be implemented as an application, an add-on module, or an integration with your existing software. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a natural language processing solution for permit management:

  1.  Deployment Type: Will you need to install software on your servers, or will you be able to use a service-based solution? Some permit management software offers native NLP functionality, while others use third-party integrations.
  2.  Language Capabilities: Some NLP systems can understand a variety of languages, while others are limited to English. If you’re working with employees who speak different languages, you’ll want to find a solution that supports those languages. 
  3. Customization Options: How easily can you customize the solution to fit your unique workflow? Some solutions offer a WYSIWYG editor, while others use a code-based approach.

Conclusion

Natural language processing is an essential component of all types of business software. From customer service to permit management, NLP has the potential to make your life easier and your business more efficient. Whether you implement NLP in a new piece of software or use a third-party add-on, you’ll see how easy it’s to communicate. To know more about how DeepDatum.ai can help, please visit our website, www.deepdatum.ai