How to handle problematic invoices without losing the benefits of automation

Manually retyping invoice data is slow, prone to errors, and a drain on your accounting team’s time. Automated extraction can speed up the process significantly, but it’s not always flawless. So how do you avoid tedious manual corrections without overpaying for expensive services you don’t actually need?

The invoice headache: Too many formats, too many errors

Every month, you receive a flood of invoices—some as PDFs via email, others in ISDOC format, and occasionally a scan or even a blurry photo from someone’s phone. And all of them need to make it into your accounting system.

Manually entering data is slow and exhausting, not to mention error-prone. Automatic data extraction—technology that reads key details from invoices and transfers them into your system—sounds like the perfect solution. But here’s the catch: it doesn’t always work seamlessly.

Why doesn’t extraction always get it right?

Technologies like OCR are great for standard invoices. But if a supplier uses an unusual document layout, a different format, or low-quality printing, the system can misinterpret the data. The result? You’re back to manually checking and fixing invoices—exactly what you were trying to avoid.

Most companies are stuck with two choices:

1. Accept that some invoices will always require manual review.
2. Switch to a premium extraction service that handles tricky invoices better—but at a much higher cost.

Neither option is ideal. That’s why iNVOiCE FLOW offers a smarter approach—one that combines the best of both worlds.

A smarter way to extract invoices: Three services, working together

With iNVOiCE FLOW, you can mix and match three different extraction services to fit your needs. That means you’re not stuck using a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, you can optimize the process like this:

1. Start with the most affordable extraction service—it handles the majority of invoices without issues.
2. If errors occur on certain invoices, the system detects recurring problem areas.
3. For those tricky invoices, a more advanced extraction service kicks in—but only where it’s truly needed.

This approach significantly improves accuracy while keeping costs under control—so you don’t end up overpaying for premium services on every invoice.

What does this mean for your business?

• Most invoices are processed automatically, without errors.
• More complex invoices are handled by advanced extraction, but only when necessary.
• Your employees spend less time reviewing and correcting invoices.
• You avoid unnecessary costs by only using premium services where they add real value.

And because everything runs in a single cloud-based system, you don’t have to worry about managing multiple solutions. The system automatically decides which extraction method to use, ensuring everything runs as efficiently as possible.

Smart automation, not just automation

Invoice extraction will never be 100% perfect—but when done intelligently, it can save your business time, money, and frustration. With iNVOiCE FLOW, you don’t have to choose between a budget-friendly but unreliable solution and an overpriced premium service. You get both—efficiency without wasted costs.

Want to see how iNVOiCE FLOW could work for your company? Get in touch—we’d love to show you.