Importing Invoices
Import vendor invoices to update ingredient costs and track purchases. Use spreadsheets for structured data or OCR for scanned documents and photos.
Two Import Methods
| Method | Best For | Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet | Digital invoices, exports from vendor portals | CSV, Excel |
| OCR Scan | Paper invoices, emailed PDFs, photos | PDF, JPG, PNG |
Spreadsheet Import
File Format
Your file needs header information and line items.
Header Fields
| Column | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| invoice_number | Vendor's invoice number | "INV-2024-001" |
| vendor_name | Vendor name | "Sysco" |
| invoice_date | Date of invoice | "2024-01-15" |
| total_amount | Invoice total | "1,234.56" |
Line Item Fields
| Column | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| item_description | Product name | "All Purpose Flour 50lb" |
| item_code | Vendor's item code | "1234567" |
| quantity | Quantity ordered | "2" |
| unit_price | Price per unit | "25.99" |
| line_total | Extended price | "51.98" |
Import Steps
- Navigate to Imports → New Import → Invoices
- Select Spreadsheet Import
- Upload your file
- Map columns to fields
- Resolve unmatched items
- Process import
Matching Line Items
The system attempts to match invoice items to your ingredients:
| Match Method | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Item code | Matches vendor item codes you've previously linked |
| Description | Fuzzy matches product names to ingredients |
| Manual | You select the ingredient for unmatched items |
Tip
Link vendor item codes to ingredients once, and future invoices auto-match.
OCR Import
Scan paper invoices or PDFs using AI-powered text recognition.
Supported Formats
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| Single or multi-page documents | |
| JPEG/PNG | Photos or scanned images |
How OCR Works
- Upload your document
- AI extracts text and identifies:
- Invoice header (number, date, vendor)
- Line items (products, quantities, prices)
- Totals
- Review and correct any misread items
- Process the invoice
OCR Steps
- Navigate to Imports → New Import → Invoices
- Select OCR Scan
- Upload your PDF or image
- Wait for processing (usually 30-60 seconds)
- Review extracted data
- Correct any errors
- Match items to ingredients
- Process import
Tips for Better OCR
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Use clear, high-contrast scans | Upload blurry photos |
| Ensure text is right-side up | Include handwritten notes |
| Crop to just the invoice | Include multiple invoices in one file |
Note
OCR uses OCR credits—one credit per page. See Credits to check your balance or buy more.
Vendor Templates
Save time on recurring invoices by creating vendor templates.
What Templates Store
- Column mappings (which columns map to which fields)
- Row filtering rules (skip header rows, totals, etc.)
- Default values (vendor name, currency)
Creating a Template
- Complete a successful invoice import
- Click Save as Template
- Name the template (e.g., "Sysco Weekly Invoice")
Using Templates
- Start a new invoice import
- Select Use Template
- Choose your saved template
- Columns auto-map based on the template
After Import
Imported invoices can be:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Review | Check line items and matches |
| Receive | Add items to inventory |
| Approve | Mark for payment |
Common Questions
Q: What if OCR misreads a price?
A: You can edit any extracted field before processing. The review screen lets you correct errors.
Q: Can I import multiple invoices at once?
A: For spreadsheets, each file is one invoice. For OCR, each PDF/image is one invoice.
Q: How do I handle credits or returns?
A: Enter negative quantities for returned items, or process as a separate credit memo.
Q: Why didn't my item match?
A: The item code or description might not match any ingredient. Link it manually, and future invoices will auto-match.
Next Steps
- Import Overview — General import workflow
- Invoice Processing — Detailed invoice workflows
- Receiving Invoices — Add invoice items to inventory
Last updated: October 09, 2026