Process Purchase Invoices with GoldFinch AI Document Processing

GoldFinch AI Document Processing uses AI to extract information from supplier invoices, validate it against GoldFinch ERP, and create draft Purchase Invoices for review. You can submit an invoice by forwarding it from an Accounts Payable mailbox or by uploading it directly in the AI Document Processing Console.

The process reduces manual data entry while allowing users to review and correct all information before posting the Purchase Invoice.

Before You Begin

Confirm that:

• GoldFinch AI Document Processing has been configured for your organization.
• You have access to the GoldFinch OCR app and the AI Document Processing Console tab.
• The applicable OCR template has been configured.
• Vendors, items, currencies, units of measure, and other required master records exist in GoldFinch.

Supported Submission Methods

You can submit invoices in either of the following ways.

Email Submission

Vendors send invoices to your organization’s Accounts Payable mailbox. That mailbox automatically forwards the invoices to the Salesforce Email Service configured for GoldFinch.

Email submission allows vendors to use a familiar address, such as ap@yourcompany.com or invoices@yourcompany.com, without exposing the Salesforce Email Service address.

Console Upload

Use the AI Document Processing Console to upload an invoice when:

• The invoice was received outside the normal email process.
• You need to test an OCR template.
• You need to troubleshoot or reprocess a document.
• You want to paste an email's contents instead of uploading a file.

The console accepts one document at a time. Supported formats include PDF, PNG, JPG, TIFF, CSV, and XLSX, with a maximum file size of 3 MB.

How Invoice Processing Works

GoldFinch processes each invoice in four steps:

1. You submit an invoice by email or through the console.
2. GoldFinch creates an OCR Request and sends the document to the configured AI provider.
3. The AI extracts the invoice data, and GoldFinch validates it against ERP records.
4. GoldFinch creates a draft Purchase Invoice for the user to review and post.

The AI may extract information such as:

• Vendor
• Vendor invoice number
• Invoice date and payment due date
• Currency and payment terms
• Purchase Order number
• Invoice lines, quantities, unit costs, taxes, and discounts

Open the AI Document Processing Console

1. In Salesforce, open the GoldFinch OCR app.
2. Select the AI Document Processing Console tab.

The GoldFinch OCR app also includes the OCR Requests and OCR Templates tabs for setup and historical review.

Understand the Console

The console provides one workspace for submitting documents, monitoring processing, reviewing extracted values, and creating GoldFinch records.

OCR Requests

The OCR Requests panel lists current and historical requests. Each entry displays the request number, status, file name, OCR template, submission date and time, and source channel.

Use this panel to:

• Search by request number, template, or file name.
• Filter requests by status.
• Refresh the list.
• Select a request to display its document, status, and extraction results.

Data Entry

Use the Data Entry panel to prepare a document for processing.

• Record Type to Create: Select the GoldFinch record to create, such as Purchase Invoice, Sales Quote, or Sales Order. GoldFinch displays the applicable OCR template based on your selection. For documents received by email, GoldFinch automatically identifies the record type when possible.
• Upload File: Drag a document onto the upload area or select Browse. Uploading another file replaces the currently staged document.
• Paste Email Body: Paste the text of an email instead of uploading a document. Select the record type before pasting the email content.
• Clear: Remove the staged document and reset the panel.
• Process Document: Create the OCR Request and submit the document for AI extraction. This button becomes available after you select a record type and add a document or email body.

Document Preview

The Document Preview panel displays the file name, file size, and a scrollable preview of the selected document.

Use the preview to confirm that you selected the correct document and to compare the source document with the extracted values. Select Open Full Preview to view the document in a separate window.

Processing Status

The Processing Status panel tracks the request through the following stages:

• File staged: The document has been added to the console.
• Request created: GoldFinch has created an OCR Request and displays its request number.
• AI extraction: The document has been sent to the AI provider. The stage changes to Completed when extraction finishes.
• Record created: GoldFinch has created the selected record, or the stage shows Failed if validation prevented record creation.

The panel may also display the extraction confidence and processing time.

AI Document Processing

This section summarizes extraction and record-creation results.

• Extraction: Shows whether the AI extraction was completed.
• Record Creation: Shows whether the GoldFinch record was created successfully.
• Re-extract: Resends the original document to the AI provider. Use this option if the extracted information is incorrect or incomplete.
• Retry Record Creation: Resubmits the saved extraction values to GoldFinch without running AI extraction again. Use this option after correcting validation errors in the OCR Result Editor.

If record creation fails, the console displays the validation errors GoldFinch returns. The extracted data remains saved and can be corrected without re-uploading or re-extracting the document.

OCR Result Editor

The OCR Result Editor displays the extracted header fields and line items in an editable format. Fields that fail validation are highlighted when applicable.

Header fields may include:

• Vendor invoice number
• Invoice date and payment due date
• Description
• Purchase Order number
• Buy-from Vendor
• GL Ledger
• Billing address
• Currency
• Payment terms

Line fields may include:

• Line number and description
• Item number
• Quantity and unit cost
• Unit of measure
• Tax and tax percentage
• Discount and discount percentage
• Line cost

Use Add Line to add a missing line. Use the row menu to edit or remove an existing line. Select Save after making corrections.

AI Result JSON

The AI Result JSON panel displays the extraction payload and the GoldFinch field API names the values map to.

Two views are available:

• AI Result (original): The values returned by the AI provider.
• Current (edited): The values after corrections have been saved in the OCR Result Editor.

Use Copy or Download when you need to report an extraction problem or adjust an OCR template.

Process Invoices Submitted by Email

When GoldFinch receives a forwarded invoice email, it automatically:

1. Creates an OCR Request containing the sender, original email, and invoice attachment.
2. Processes the invoice using AI.
3. Creates a draft Purchase Invoice when validation is successful.

The request appears in the OCR Requests panel with Email as its source channel.

To review the processing status or correct an error:

1. Open the AI Document Processing Console.
2. Select the request from the OCR Requests panel.
3. Review the document, processing status, and extracted values.
4. Correct any inaccurate values in the OCR Result Editor, then select Save.
5. Resolve any related issues identified in the error message. Depending on the error, you may need to delete a duplicate Purchase Invoice or receive the related Purchase Order before trying again.
6. Select Retry Record Creation.
7. Open the created Purchase Invoice and verify its information before posting.

You do not need to re-extract the invoice after manually correcting a validation error.

If an email contains multiple PDF attachments, GoldFinch creates a separate OCR Request for each PDF.

Correct a Failed Request

If record creation fails:

1. Review the error banner in the AI Document Processing section.
2. Locate the highlighted or incorrect fields in the OCR Result Editor.
3. Correct the values and select Save.
4. Select Retry Record Creation.

Use Re-extract only when the AI extraction itself is incorrect or incomplete. You do not need to re-extract a document after manually correcting a validation error.

Manually Upload an Invoice in the Console

1. Open the AI Document Processing Console.
2. Click the Clear button.
3. In Data Entry, select Purchase Invoice as the record type.
4. Confirm that the correct OCR template appears below the selection.
5. Drag the invoice onto the upload area or select Browse. To submit email text, select Paste Email Body and paste the content.
6. Review the document in Document Preview.
7. Select Process Document.
8. Monitor the request in Processing Status.
9. When extraction is complete, compare the source invoice with the values in the OCR Result Editor.
10. Correct any inaccurate or incomplete values and select Save.
11. If Record Creation shows Success, open the created Purchase Invoice and review it before posting.
12. If Record Creation shows Failed, correct the validation errors, select Save, and then select Retry Record Creation.

Configure Email Forwarding

Create a dedicated Accounts Payable mailbox, such as ap@yourcompany.com or invoices@yourcompany.com. Configure the mailbox to forward supplier invoice emails to the Salesforce Email Service address set up for GoldFinch AI Document Processing.

Verify Gmail Forwarding

The first time you configure automatic forwarding in Gmail:

1. Gmail sends a verification email to the Salesforce Email Service address.
2. GoldFinch creates an OCR Request containing the verification email.
3. Open the OCR Request.
4. Open the attached verification email.
5. Select the Gmail verification link.
6. Return to Gmail and enable automatic forwarding.

After verification, invoices received in the AP mailbox are automatically forwarded to GoldFinch.

How GoldFinch Validates Invoice Data

Before creating a Purchase Invoice, GoldFinch validates the extracted data against existing ERP records.

When a Purchase Order number is identified, validation may include:

• Vendor
• Purchase Order
• Warehouse Receipt
• Received quantity
• Unit cost
• Currency
• Item numbers
• Units of measure

For an invoice without a Purchase Order, validation may include:

• Vendor
• Vendor invoice number
• Currency
• Items
• Units of measure
• GL information, when applicable

Common validation errors include:

Review and Post the Purchase Invoice

After validation succeeds, GoldFinch creates a draft Purchase Invoice. Before posting, review the following information:

• Vendor, Buy-from Vendor, and Pay-to Vendor
• Vendor invoice number
• Invoice date and payment due date
• Currency and payment terms
• GL Ledger, when applicable
• Invoice lines, quantities, and costs
• Taxes, discounts, and accounting dimensions

The Purchase Invoice remains editable until it is posted. Post it only after confirming that the information is complete and accurate.

Important: AI extraction can reduce data entry, but users remain responsible for reviewing and approving the accounting record before posting.

Optional Vendor Payment Automation

GoldFinch AI Document Processing automates invoice capture, validation, and Purchase Invoice creation. After you approve and post a Purchase Invoice, an integration with a payment platform such as Ramp or BILL may send it for payment by ACH, check, virtual card, or another supported method.

Payment options and status synchronization depend on the selected platform and your integration configuration.

Troubleshooting

The Process Document button is unavailable

Confirm that you selected a record type and uploaded a document or pasted an email body.

Record creation failed

Review the error banner, correct the affected values in the OCR Result Editor, select Save, and then select Retry Record Creation.

The extracted information is incorrect

Correct the values directly in the OCR Result Editor. If the extraction is substantially incomplete or incorrect, select Re-extract.

The wrong document is displayed

Select Clear, upload the correct document, and confirm it in Document Preview before processing.

An emailed invoice does not appear

Confirm that the AP mailbox forwarded the message to the correct Salesforce Email Service address. Also confirm that the email contains a supported attachment and does not exceed the configured file-size limit.