Line level
Invoice lines must be split, coded, and matched. Header fields alone are not enough for trade and manufacturing.
Complete guide 2026
Automated invoice processing: how it works in 2026
Automated invoice processing goes beyond scan and recognize. The real value is an end-to-end flow: capture invoice data, predict GL and VAT, approve exceptions, and then reliably post in Exact Online.
What exactly do you automate?
The term automated invoice processing is often used for OCR alone. In practice, finance wants fewer exceptions, less retyping, and a better audit trail all the way through posting.
Capture header and line fields from PDF and scanned invoices.
Predict GL account, VAT, and dimensions.
Send approvals to the right person automatically.
Match purchase orders, receipts, and invoices.
Write postings back to Exact Online.
Use corrections to improve future proposals.
Definition
More than OCR or scan and recognize
Automated invoice processing starts with capture, but only ends when the invoice is posted with control in Exact Online. An OCR tool can read an amount and supplier; an AP automation flow also decides whether the supplier is valid, which GL account fits, which VAT code applies, who must approve, and whether the invoice may be posted.
That distinction matters when you grow. At 30 invoices per month, faster capture may be enough. At 300 or 1,000 invoices per month, exceptions, approvals, dimensions, e-invoices, and PO matching become the real bottleneck.
| Part | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Capture | Without reliable header and line data, finance still has to review everything. |
| Coding | GL, VAT, and dimensions determine whether the posting is usable immediately. |
| Approval | Budget owners, buyers, and entities need different routes and tolerances. |
| Matching | Purchase order, receipt, and invoice must match at line level. |
| Audit trail | Corrections, exceptions, and approvals must be explainable later. |
Process
From invoice to posting in four steps
1. Receive and capture
PDF and scanned invoices enter Glimps. OCR and AI extract header and line data from the invoice.
2. Predict AI coding
Glimps proposes GL account, VAT code, cost center, and dimensions based on suppliers and corrections.
3. Approve and route exceptions
Only invoices with risk, budget questions, or missing context go to the right person.
4. Match and post
For PO processes, Glimps matches purchase order, goods receipt, and invoice before posting back to Exact Online.
Selection criteria
Where good software stands out
Many vendors promise automated processing. Do not only compare capture rates; compare what happens with exceptions, new suppliers, VAT differences, multiple administrations, and goods invoices with order lines.
Learning coding
Corrections on GL, VAT, and dimensions should improve future proposals.
Exact Online context
The tool must understand administrations, suppliers, VAT codes, dimensions, and posting rules.
Approval logic
Routes must fit amount, budget owner, project, entity, and purchasing context.
E-invoices
Define how UBL and Peppol are received outside Glimps until support is available.
Cost model
Check included volume, authorizers, administrations, overage, and PO matching add-ons.
What does it deliver?
The biggest saving does not only come from faster capture, but from fewer corrections, fewer email questions, and fewer manual postings.
EUR 25
Common benchmark for manual processing per invoice.
EUR 2,50
Directional value for automated processing in stable flows.
EUR 75+
Glimps plans start from EUR 75 per month.
Customer result: at Vitacress Real, 80–90% of around 750 invoices per month are processed in Exact Online without manual work.
Read customer storyCommon selection mistakes
Test the process, not only the recognition rate
A high recognition rate says little when it only measures header fields. Finance needs GL, VAT, dimensions, approvals, and exceptions to be handled reliably too.
Define what “correct” means
Check whether an invoice only counts as correct when lines, coding, and workflow are right—not just supplier and total.
Test real exceptions
Use changed IBANs, duplicate invoice numbers, VAT differences, missing PO numbers, and invoices sent to the wrong entity.
Calculate twelve months ahead
Include approvers, administrations, document volume, implementation, overage, and PO matching in total cost.
What it costs
A flat monthly price, not a price per document
Most invoice-processing software charges per document, so costs rise with your volume and your bill changes every month. Glimps charges a flat monthly fee per volume tier. Below is what that works out to per invoice when a tier is fully used.
| Invoices per month | Plan | Per month | Per invoice* | Additional invoice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| up to 100 | Starter | €75 | €0,75 | €0,75 |
| up to 300 | Professional | €149 | €0,50 | €0,50 |
| up to 1,000 | Business | €399 | €0,40 | €0,30 |
* Monthly fee divided by the tier maximum. Process fewer invoices and the per-invoice price is higher. Approval workflows are included from Professional; PO matching is a €149/month add-on. Annual billing gives a 10% discount.
Implementation plan for Exact Online teams
The technical connection is rarely the hardest part. Most delays come from messy master data, unclear approval rules, and suppliers sending invoices in different ways. Start with process rules before automating everything fully.
Calculate the business case- 1Clean suppliers, IBANs, VAT numbers, and default postings.
- 2Decide which invoices may post automatically and which need review.
- 3Define approval rules by amount, entity, project, and budget owner.
- 4Test PDF and scanned invoices with real supplier invoices.
- 5Measure touchless rate, corrections, cycle time, and exceptions after 30 days.
From pilot to touchless
Build automation supplier group by supplier group
Start with suppliers that send repeatable invoices, then add more complex flows. Improve capture and coding first, then exceptions and approvals, and finally controlled posting without manual correction.
- 1Capture: reliably extract header and line fields.
- 2Suggest: fill GL, VAT, dimension, and entity.
- 3Control: review only exceptions and low-confidence cases.
- 4Approve: send only necessary invoices to budget owners.
- 5Post and learn: write back with control and reuse corrections.
Manage five metrics after go-live
Automated invoice processing is not a one-off setup. Review these metrics monthly and fix the suppliers and rules that cause the most repeat work first.
- Touchless rate
- Number of corrected fields
- Approval cycle time
- Potential duplicate warnings
- Suppliers causing the most exceptions
Automated invoice processing in Exact Online
Exact Online remains the finance system. Glimps adds the smart AP layer and writes controlled posting proposals back. This avoids a separate ERP project and keeps finance owning the data.
Read about invoice processing in Exact OnlineSoftware checklist
- Does the solution handle PDF and scanned invoices in the same flow?
- Does the AI learn from corrections on GL, VAT, and dimensions?
- Are approval rules flexible enough for budget owner and purchasing?
- Is PO matching available without a large implementation project?
- Is pricing transparent as invoice volume grows?
Frequently asked questions
What is automated invoice processing?
Automated invoice processing uses OCR, AI, workflows, and accounting integrations to receive, capture, code, approve, and post invoices with as little manual work as possible.
Is automated invoice processing the same as scan and recognize?
No. Scan and recognize is usually the capture step. Automated invoice processing also includes coding, checks, approval, PO matching, and synchronization with Exact Online.
What does automated invoice processing cost?
Glimps Starter is EUR 75/month, Professional EUR 149/month, and Business EUR 399/month. The PO matching add-on is EUR 149/month and annual billing gives a 10% discount.
What does automated invoice processing cost per invoice?
Glimps charges a flat monthly fee instead of a price per document. When a tier is fully used that works out to roughly EUR 0.75 per invoice on Starter (up to 100 invoices), EUR 0.50 on Professional (up to 300), and EUR 0.40 on Business (up to 1,000). Invoices above the tier cost EUR 0.75, EUR 0.50, or EUR 0.30 each.
How much does automated invoice processing save?
A manual invoice often costs around EUR 25 in processing time. An automated flow can move toward EUR 2.50 per invoice, depending on volume, exceptions, and controls.
Does this work with Exact Online?
Yes. Glimps is built for Exact Online and synchronizes suppliers, ledgers, VAT codes, dimensions, and postings.
Does Glimps support Peppol or UBL?
No. Glimps currently supports PDF and scanned invoices. Peppol and UBL input are not supported yet.
When do I need PO matching?
PO matching is especially relevant for wholesale, manufacturing, and stock processes where invoices must match purchase orders and receipts.
How quickly can Glimps go live?
The standard start is to connect Exact Online, synchronize master data, process test invoices, and then activate workflow rules.
See how Glimps automates invoice processing
Start with Exact Online, fixed plans from EUR 75/month, and 10% discount with annual billing.