Invoices

Invoice validation is part of the procure-to-pay process chain, involving receiving an invoice from the supplier, extracting structured data from it, verifying that the invoiced goods have been received in good condition, and that the invoice is accurate before payment is made.

Common challenges

• Variety of supplier formats (typically several hundred)
• Different languages (English, German, Polish, Czech, etc.) and number formats (continental vs. US)
• Different invoice types (e.g. credit notes, invoices, pro forma invoices)
• Importance of line item data for validation process
• Special items (discounts, energy surcharges, etc.)

Shortcoming of previous-generation solutions

• Unreliable extraction of line items
• Manual labelling required to train the AI for specific requirements
• Post-processing required for number formats and common errors

Solution with Clerk

Clerk does not require classification of invoices - all formats can be processed with a single extractor module, which enables a production setup within a few minutes. Clerk is fully reliable in extracting line items along with the header data, and can handle different languages and number formats out of the box. It outputs clean, well-formatted data without the need for post-processing. Specific requirements (e.g. handling of industry-specific references or fees) can be configured through natural-language feedback.