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 credits—one credit per page. Check your credit balance in account settings.
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 — Add invoice items to inventory
Last updated: March 23, 2026