Invoice and Document Processing
The problem
Supplier invoices and delivery documents arrive as PDFs, photos and email attachments. Someone reads each one and types the details into the accounting system.
- Repetitive data entry that grows with volume
- Typing errors that appear later during reconciliation
- Documents scattered across inboxes at month-end
How it works
Documents are collected in one place, read by data-extraction software, and validated against business rules. Clean documents go straight through; flagged ones appear in a short review list with the original beside the extracted data.
- Documents arrive in one place. A dedicated mailbox or upload page collects every document.
- The details are read. Supplier, dates, amounts and line items are extracted into a structured record.
- Rules check the result. Totals, purchase-order matches and duplicates are checked automatically.
- People approve exceptions. Only flagged items need a human look before posting to the accounting system.
What it automates
- Collecting documents from email and uploads
- Reading supplier, dates and amounts
- Matching invoices to purchase orders
- Flagging duplicates and unusual amounts
- Posting approved invoices to accounting
Where it fits
It sits between your mailbox and accounting software. Finance staff keep control: they approve exceptions rather than type every document.
Potential benefits
- Less manual data entry
- Errors caught at entry rather than at reconciliation
- Documents stored and findable in one place
Limitations
- Extraction is not perfect, so a review step is essential
- Unusual layouts and poor scans need extra handling
- Rules must be maintained as suppliers and processes change
How to start
- Collect a sample of recent documents, including the awkward ones.
- Define which checks must pass before posting.
- Run alongside manual entry for a period, compare, then switch over.
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