What Happens After You Upload an Invoice

When you upload an invoice photo, the app doesn't just store the image — it automatically reads the text and fills in the amounts, date, and invoice number. This article explains how that works.

Step 1 — Your photo is saved

As soon as you tap Save, your invoice image is uploaded to secure storage. Your admin can see the new invoice immediately, even before the data has been read.

Step 2 — The app reads the text

Within a few seconds, our system scans your photo and converts the text in the image into machine-readable form. This is called OCR (Optical Character Recognition). It's the same technology used by your phone to read QR codes or scan business cards.

Step 3 — Key information is extracted

From the raw text, the system identifies and extracts:

• The total amount (and the amount before and after tax, if visible)
• The invoice date
• The invoice number

These are filled into the invoice automatically.

Step 4 — Your admin reviews

Your admin opens the invoice, checks that the extracted data is correct, and links the invoice to the right project. They may also make small corrections if the reading was not quite right.

How long does it take?

Usually less than a minute. You'll see the status change from Processing to Processed in the invoice list when it's done.

What if it shows "Error"?

Sometimes the extraction fails — usually because the photo was blurry, taken at an angle, or the invoice is written by hand.

This doesn't mean anything is wrong. Your original photo is still safely stored. Your admin will fill in the details manually.

To avoid this in future, try:

• Taking the photo in good lighting
• Laying the invoice flat before photographing it
• Making sure the whole invoice is in the frame