Submit an Invoice via Email

This page explains how to submit a supplier invoice to PayInvoice Next by email, and how to track its progress after submission.

Prerequisites

• Your organization has configured an email address for invoice intake (e.g., invoices@yourcompany.com)
• The supplier invoice is in PDF, JPEG, or PNG format
• You have the Accounts User or Accounts Manager role to view incoming invoices

Step-by-Step

Sending the Invoice

1. Compose a new email (or forward the supplier's original email) to your organization's designated invoice intake address.
2. Attach the invoice file. Supported formats: PDF (recommended), JPEG, or PNG.
3. Optionally include a reference number in the subject line — this is stored in the External Reference field for easy searching later.
4. Send the email.

TIP

If the supplier emails invoices directly to the intake address, you do not need to forward anything. The system picks up all incoming emails automatically.

What Happens Next

Once the email arrives, PayInvoice Next processes it automatically:

1. Invoice Inbox record created. The system creates a new entry in the Invoice Inbox with:

   • Source Channel set to "Email"
   • Tracking Number auto-generated for lifecycle tracking
   • Sender Email and Email Subject captured from the message
   • Received On timestamp recorded
   • Invoice File attached from the email

2. OCR processing begins. The status changes to "OCR Processing" and the system extracts:

   • Invoice number, date, and due date
   • Supplier name, GSTIN, and address
   • Line items with quantities, rates, HSN/SAC codes, and tax amounts
   • Grand total and tax breakdown (CGST, SGST, IGST)

3. Supplier matching. The system identifies the supplier automatically using GSTIN (highest confidence), PAN, email address, or name matching.

4. Duplicate check. The system verifies this invoice hasn't already been processed by checking the file hash, invoice number, and supplier combination.

5. IPU record created. If everything passes, an IPU record is created and the invoice moves to 3-Way Matching.

Checking the Status

1. Navigate to Invoice Processing Unit > Invoice Inbox.

2. Search by tracking number, sender email, or external reference.

3. Open the record to see the current Status:

   • Pending — received but not yet sent for OCR
   • OCR Processing — data extraction in progress (the page auto-refreshes)
   • OCR Completed — extraction successful, ready for IPU creation
   • OCR Failed — extraction encountered an error (see the Error Details section)
   • Processed — IPU record has been created successfully

4. Once the status is "Processed," click the IPU Reference link to view the matched invoice.

After Submission

• The invoice moves through OCR and into the IPU automatically — no manual steps are needed if extraction succeeds.
• If OCR fails, the error message appears in the Error Details section of the Invoice Inbox record. You can retry OCR or correct the issue and re-upload. See Intake FAQ for common OCR errors.
• Processing time depends on your organization's configuration. Emails are typically processed within minutes.

Related Pages

• Submit an Invoice via Portal — Alternative method for submitting invoices
• Intake Field Reference — What each Invoice Inbox field means
• Intake FAQ & Troubleshooting — Common errors and solutions
• Invoice Intake Overview — All intake channels explained