Automated Accounts Payable Invoice Import Workflow Using Workato IDP for Streamlined Finance Processing
I have built an Accounts Payable Invoice importing workflow. It monitors an email Inbox to see when suppliers send us invoices, usually as attached PDFs or URL links to PDFS from their systems. Its downloads/open each invoice PDF and uses Workato IDP to extract all the relevant details, no matter where they are on the invoice itself and does a whole bunch of integrity checks
Is this a new or existing customer?
Do we have a bank account and GST number on the invoice that matches the detected customer?
If the quote a Purchase Order number, does it match and does it have sufficient remaining funds?
If all tests are passed then the invoice details are loaded into the Finance system via its API for an approval step
If any tests are failed, the email is moved to a labeled sub-folder indicating the issue for staff to investigate
This workflow has enabled us to not need to replace a staff member who left our company to travel the world, and the remaining staff say it has made their jobs so much easier in that all they do is investigate the anomalies. All the routine data-entry drudgery has gone. Next challenge is that we are changing finance systems and we'll need to figure out what needs modification to allow it to keep working. 😁
