Build · Operating decision guide
Can AI triage AP invoices before approval?
Otomat editorial · Revised
Use AI to organize evidence and route exceptions while keeping payment authority separate. Prove that duplicate, conflicting and incomplete records cannot turn into unauthorized payment instructions.
Distinguish extraction, matching and payment
Reading invoice fields is only one step. The controller also needs a valid supplier, the right purchase order, evidence of receipt and an applicable approval path. Map which system owns each fact. An assistant should show what it matched and what remains unresolved; a confident summary does not replace the original record or the company’s payment controls.
Test duplicates that do not look identical
Create synthetic invoices with a changed file name, a corrected date and a slightly different supplier spelling. Add an amended purchase order and a credit note. Check whether the proposed process recognizes the relationship or escalates it. A model that catches an exact file duplicate may still miss a duplicate commercial obligation. Include both false acceptance and unnecessary holds in the review.
| Check | Evidence to bring | Decision or stop condition |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate obligation | Altered invoice versions, credits and prior processing state | Hold related records for review rather than relying on file equality. |
| Receipt or PO conflict | Amended PO, quantity received and tolerance policy | Route the mismatch to the authorized owner. |
| Supplier change | Verified change process and separate authorization | Never treat invoice text as permission to change bank details. |
| Payment instruction | Exact approved action and segregation of duties | Keep payment authority outside unreviewed model output. |
Separate supplier changes from invoice handling
A request to change bank details is a different action from extracting an amount. Route it through the existing verified supplier-change process. Do not let instructions inside an invoice authorize a new destination or bypass a required approver. Keep any write capability scoped to the specific accepted action and retain a record of who approved the change.
Measure the whole queue
Track accepted invoices, reviewer time, held exceptions, rework and any corrections made downstream. Faster intake is not an improvement if the payment team inherits unresolved matching problems. Start with a bounded supplier or document population, compare with the current process and widen only after the controller accepts the exception behavior. This guide is a workflow test, not an assurance that a system prevents every duplicate or fraud attempt.
Questions before the decision
Can extraction accuracy prove payment safety?
No. Matching, supplier changes, approval rights and downstream actions introduce separate failure modes. Test the complete path with the controller.
What is a sensible first scope?
A bounded invoice population with clear sources, known exception types and an available reviewer. Keep payment execution separate while qualifying the triage behavior.
Take the evidence sheet to the meeting
Download the blank CSV, assign an owner to each check and record the evidence. Keep completed sheets in your own approved system.
Download the evidence sheet (CSV)Use the working tools
Blank templates are ungated. Adapt them to the workflow; inputs are not submitted.
Sources and limits
These are Otomat’s proposed operating methods and original decision artifacts. External references inform risk management; they do not certify this method or establish client results. Linked sources were selected for this review; their live revision dates may change.
For anonymous documentation and proposal patterns, see delivery evidence and its boundaries.
Related decisions
Bring a workflow to the discussion
Share the business goal and constraints through the mandate process. Do not send sensitive production data in the initial brief.
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