Understanding Invoice Matching: Types, Processes, And Best Practices

what is invoice matching

For example, high-volume businesses with frequent, complex purchases might need advanced three- or four-way matching. On the other hand, smaller operations with fewer transactions may only need two-way matching. With Rillion’s, you can avoid the long paper trail that comes with approval. Our AP automation solutions let you create better, faster, smarter, and simpler invoice approval workflows that route invoices directly to approvers for remote and instant approvals. This Rillion guide explores its ins and outs, how to set it up, and why automation is becoming a must-have for modern AP teams. Create clear workflows for handling discrepancies, with defined escalation paths and response timeframes.

what is invoice matching

Still matching invoices manually? Switch to automation now!

what is invoice matching

Although we’re focusing on the relevance of 3-way matching for the accounts payable team, there are additional stakeholders involved in the process. You authorize the payment, at which point the payment is processed and recorded in the accounting system. The matched documents are then typically archived for future reference and auditing purposes.

Order to Cash

With the right technology, 4-way matching no longer has to slow down your process. If the vendor confirms that it’s merely a clerical error, a corrected invoice is requested. The vendor receives the PO and acknowledges it, confirming the order and delivery timeline. Imagine your company onboards new employees and determines it needs 100 invoice matching new laptops. The IT department submits a request to the purchasing department, outlining the specific requirements and quantities.

Centralize invoice data for faster resolutions

However, if you receive an invoice for 115 software packages, that’s outside your 5% tolerance level. If the invoice is rejected, the vendor will be notified and asked to correct the exception. By ensuring purchase accuracy, your organization can avoid overpaying or double-paying goods or services, saving money and avoiding financial losses. Two-way matching goes into greater detail than invoice totals matching, comparing the information on the invoice with the information on the purchase order.

How does Brex’s automated invoice matching work?

  • Resolution may include invoice correction, PO amendment, or Goods Receipt adjustment.
  • Organizations receive invoices in multiple formats, from traditional paper to advanced electronic data interchange (EDI).
  • To really smoothen your invoice matching workflow, it’s important to connect your AI-powered system with your other business tools, like your ERP and accounting software.
  • Regular vendor communication also reduces exceptions and improves matching accuracy.
  • But there are also other matching processes that require the presence of additional documents.
  • OCR technology is a crucial component that enables the software to scan and extract relevant data from invoices, purchase orders, and receipts.

Here are three impactful invoicing best practices businesses can follow to optimize their process. The invoice matching process varies depending on the level of invoice verification required. Some businesses use a simple two-way match, while others implement additional layers of validation to ensure accuracy. Since not all transactions carry the same level of risk, businesses apply different invoice matching methods to maintain accuracy. The three primary types—2-way, 3-way, and 4-way matching—offer varying degrees of oversight, depending on internal controls and vendor trust.

what is invoice matching

Tolerating Mismatches

Invoice matching process is an important undertaking for your business to ensure smooth financial transactions. By matching these documents, it becomes easier to https://www.extracao.apepi.org/2022/11/29/is-my-gym-membership-tax-deductible/ identify discrepancies and other errors in your business. Integration with enterprise resource planning, or ERP systems enables real-time validation against master data and business rules. The system tracks match rates and accuracy metrics, providing visibility into process performance.

Strengthens control and compliance

what is invoice matching

Invoice matching is a key process in accounts payable that ensures accuracy and efficiency in financial workflows. A well-managed matching process helps maintain precise records, speeds up reporting, and quickly resolves discrepancies, especially for non-general ledger invoices. AP automation software and invoice matching help to support a borderless economy with a consistent approach to touchless processes. With access to critical financial data in real-time, teams can work remotely on the same projects with little interruption. This helps a business reach beyond local resources, save money, and expedite production.

Integrate with existing systems

Our solution seamlessly integrates automated matching with corporate cards, spend management, and automated bill pay capabilities. This unified approach gives businesses unprecedented visibility and control over their finances, while intelligent automation reduces manual workload and strengthens vendor relationships. Brex leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate invoice matching, reducing manual processing while ensuring data accuracy. The technology extracts key data from invoices and validates it in real time, transforming traditionally https://www.bookstime.com/articles/epayables time-consuming verification steps into a streamlined digital workflow.

  • If you’re interested in learning more about automating matching in your business, click below to book a demo with AvidXchange.
  • In fact, a study by the Institute of Finance & Management found that businesses that implement strong invoice matching practices can reduce overpayments by up to 50%.
  • For example, the system can check the vendor’s name against your vendor database in your ERP system (like SAP or Oracle) and add in their full address and contact information.
  • While AP teams can optimize the invoice matching process in many ways, the most reliable way is by investing in cloud-based procure-to-pay solutions like Peakflo.
  • It is an AI-based platform that offers intelligent document processing capabilities to automate your invoice processing workflow end-to-end.
  • Successful matches flow directly to payment processing, while exceptions route to appropriate personnel for review.
  • In most cases, the error gets resolved either by correcting the invoice or adjusting the payment amount.
  • Learn common causes, prevention strategies, and how automation helps protect your company’s financial health.
  • The process begins when an employee generates a purchase requisition to request goods or services, whether through a purchase card or direct vendor billing.
  • This ensures faster approvals, prevents bottlenecks, and enhances overall financial control.
  • If discrepancies are found, an exception-handling process is triggered, and the issues must be resolved before payment can be made.
  • It specifies what the buyer agreed to purchase, including product details, quantity, unit cost, and delivery terms.

Every business transaction, from purchase to payments, can be managed in one place. But what happens when one invoice is linked to multiple purchase orders? Sorting and matching line items across different orders can be confusing and increase the likelihood of errors or mismatches. Once the order is received, the supplier will send an invoice requesting payment.