Which preparation step fits your sector?
Choose a recurring step with a known document source and a person who can check the output. The table shows three distinct starting points. Credit, investment, coverage and tax decisions are outside the scope described here.
When does AI help with document work?
AI can help when similar information appears in differently worded letters, scans or instructions and needs to be brought together. For fixed fields in a structured export, a rule-based comparison is often the simpler starting point.
The specialist defines the expected documents or the permitted internal instruction. The assistant supplies a document, page or section for every statement. Illegible passages, contradictory information and missing references remain visible as open questions. A filename alone proves neither contents nor the period covered.
Who handles each part?
Process owners define the scope, permitted sources and how errors are handled. The responsible specialist checks the original and approves the request or compilation. Only then is anything sent or entered into a binding workflow.
IT and the responsible privacy or security staff clarify which application, access and processing are permitted before real client data is used. Start the functional trial with fictional documents or documents approved for that purpose.
What does FINMA’s perspective mean for this starting point?
In its communication of 18 December 2024, FINMA describes AI risks and observations on governance and risk management. It addresses supervised institutions. This does not establish identical requirements for every fiduciary practice.
At a supervised institution, the responsible internal function needs to place the intended use within its own risk and approval processes. A working document checklist alone demonstrates neither suitability for production use nor compliance with supervisory requirements.
Is the workflow worthwhile in practice?
Process the same approved sample cases manually and with assistance. Compare overlooked documents, incorrectly assigned periods, unsupported statements and the total time until the output has been checked.
Include an illegible scan and a missing document: do these remain visibly unresolved? If checking takes more effort than preparation saves, simplify the sources or process first.
Three starting points with a clear output and responsible role
Scroll the table sideways if needed.
| Sector | Preparation and output | Who checks and decides? |
|---|---|---|
| Fiduciary services | Match client documents against a checklist; draft a follow-up request with source locations. | The engagement lead checks documents and the request; postings and tax assessments remain in the professional workflow. |
| Banking / finance | Compile document requirements from an approved internal instruction, with section and version. | The responsible specialist function checks currency and applicability; credit or investment decisions remain in their designated process. |
| Insurance | Record received claim documents: type, date, source location, and illegible or contradictory information. | The claims handler checks the file and any follow-up requests; the assistant makes no coverage or benefit decision. |