An AI invoice intake agent watches the channels where invoices arrive and picks up each document, together with the message or portal entry around it.
Picks it up from email, portal or upload.
Creates a record and notes sender, date and format.
Looks for duplicates, missing pages and unreadable files.
A person handles items the agent cannot place.
Clean invoices go on to capture and matching.
It records receipt, checks that a file is readable and complete, and creates one intake record per invoice with source, date and sender.
It routes the record to the next step and flags files it cannot read or that look incomplete, so AP knows what needs attention.
Invoices arrive in many places and formats, and without a single front door, some are missed, delayed or handled twice.
Mailboxes, portals and post all carry invoices.
Payment terms start on receipt, but nobody recorded it.
The same invoice may arrive by two routes.
Blurred scans and partial pages delay everything downstream.
AP cannot tell how many invoices are waiting.
Reads configured mailboxes and portals and picks up invoice documents.
Confirms that each file is an invoice and not a statement, quote or reminder.
Creates an intake record with channel, sender, received date and file reference.
Flags unreadable, partial or password-protected files for a human.
Sends the record to the next step, such as capture or triage, and updates the queue count.
Bring a small sample and watch Flo work through it.
| Aspect | By hand | With the agent |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Invoices arrive in shared inboxes, portals and post. | All channels feed one intake record. |
| Logging | Receipt dates are keyed or guessed. | Receipt time is stamped on arrival. |
| Unreadable files | Bad scans are found at coding time. | Unreadable or incomplete files are caught at intake. |
| Ownership | Nobody is sure who has an invoice. | Each invoice has a status and a holder. |
| Queue view | Backlog is known only by looking in the inbox. | A live view shows what has arrived and what is waiting. |
| If | Then | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| File is an invoice in a supported format | Creates the record and passes it on | AP team sees it in the queue |
| File is unreadable or cut off | Marks it incomplete and drafts a request for a resend | AP clerk |
| Invoice looks identical to one already logged | Holds it as a possible duplicate | AP specialist |
| Sender is not a known vendor contact | Flags it for a vendor check | AP specialist |
| Attachment contains several invoices | Splits them into separate records for review | AP clerk |
| Message is not an invoice | Moves it to the correct queue | Mailbox owner |
The agent logs the link and notes that the file has not been fetched. A clerk retrieves it unless a portal route is set up.
The agent identifies it as a credit and routes it separately. AP decides how to apply it.
The agent classes it as a statement and holds it for review. AP uses it to check for missing invoices.
The agent flags the billing entity mismatch. AP asks the vendor to reissue or reroutes inside the group.
Talk it through with the team. We will map it to your steps and show where a person stays in control.
Connect the main invoice mailbox first and compare counts with the inbox.
Switch on completeness and duplicate flags.
Bring in portal and scanned post once the mailbox is steady.
Share the live queue with the AP team and review its use.
This shows whether intake is keeping up. A low rate means payment-term clocks start before AP knows about the invoice.
Quick answers to what people ask most about invoice intake.
Book a demoIt is the stage where invoices are received from all channels, identified, logged and passed on. It sets the received date and makes sure each invoice is in one place.
Payment terms usually run from it, and late payment or missed discounts depend on it. Logging it correctly at intake protects both.
It can work with any channel your team connects, such as shared mailboxes or portals. You choose which are official.
The agent flags them and drafts a request for a clearer copy. An AP clerk decides what to do next.
What is no PO invoice detection?
→What is invoice email triage?
→What is contract to invoice validation?
→What is invoice spam filtering?
→Bring a small sample of real items. We will show what Flo handles on its own and where it hands over to your team.
