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Duplicate check for invoices
Duplicate check for invoices

An overview on AutoEntry's duplicate check process for invoices and bills.

Oliver Cook avatar
Written by Oliver Cook
Updated over a week ago

AutoEntry has a three-stage duplicate check to catch any duplicate invoices before they're published to your accounting software.


Three stages of duplicate checking

We automatically check your invoices at three points:

Duplicates caught at the point of upload

When a duplicate invoice/bill is caught at the point of upload, you see the message 'File already uploaded - Process anyway' displayed under the File Status column of your Activity feed.

After the upload, AutoEntry compares it to files previously uploaded to that company. If the file matches, it's cancelled and the File Status appears as above.

📎NOTE: No credits have been used at this point as the file has not been sent for processing.

Process anyway

If you believe this highlighted duplicate is in error, and the file hasn't been uploaded before, there's the option to process it anyway.

  1. Click Process anyway.

  2. This brings up a pop-up to confirm that you want to process the file and ignore the duplicate check done by AutoEntry. Processing will then begin for that file.


  3. Click Yes, please process to confirm you want to process it anyway

📎NOTE:

  • Any individual invoices that have already been processed from the previous upload are individually rejected as duplicates. So if the invoices don't appear in your Inbox they are likely in your Rejected folder

    It still costs a credit to process items (invoices/bills/receipts/credit notes) even if they are rejected.

  • The auto-detection of duplicate invoices sent to AutoEntry works when a supplier name, invoice date, invoice number, and gross amount all exactly match

Duplicates caught during the extraction process

AutoEntry recognises duplicates of individual invoices/bills during processing as the second stage of the duplicate check.

Where the supplier name, invoice date, invoice number, and gross amount match a document previously uploaded, the document is marked as a duplicate and subsequently rejected.

You can find these invoices in your rejected folder with a notice stating that it was a duplicate invoice.

You can click View on the left-hand side to view the invoice image. You can also override the duplicate check and force the invoice through to your Inbox when you click the Move to Inbox button.

The Activity Page also displays the document as rejected.

📎NOTE: As the full extraction and verification are attempted before an invoice can be confirmed as a duplicate, any rejected invoices/bills consume a credit as normal.

Duplicates caught when publishing

When publishing an invoice to your accounting software, AutoEntry does a final check to confirm if it already exists in the software. It could be the case that the invoice was previously entered manually by a colleague, or entered before you started using AutoEntry.

If an invoice with the same supplier name, invoice date, invoice number, and gross amount already exists in your accounting software, a red warning icon with an error message is displayed beside the invoice in your Inbox. Click the warning icon to view the message. This message differs depending on what accounting software you're integrated with.

When you view the error message, the option to override the duplicate warning is available. To force the invoice through to your software, click Add the invoice anyway and it then publishes.

📌TIP: Check your accounting software for the matching invoice data. If you do this and find the duplicate, you can select the option to Reject the invoice.


What fields are checked to verify duplication?

For individual invoices, where the uploaded file hasn't been received before, the following fields are used to verify if an invoice is a duplicate or not:

  • Supplier/Vendor Name

  • Invoice Number

  • Invoice Date

  • Gross Total


Am I charged for duplicate uploads?

This depends on the stage at which the duplicate is recognised.

The following applies to uploads to Purchases, Sales, Expense Reports and Supplier Statements:

  • If the exact same file is uploaded twice, this is recognised before it is sent for processing. This shows on your Activity screen with the status File Already Uploaded. In this instance, you will not be charged for this upload unless you select the option to 'Process Anyway'

  • If a different file containing a document that has previously been processed is uploaded, this won't be recognised as a duplicate before it is sent for processing. In this case, as the file is only recognised as a duplicate during extraction, you will be charged credits for this upload

  • The final duplicate check is at the point of publishing. If an invoice is flagged as a duplicate at this stage, it means the invoice hasn't previously been uploaded to AutoEntry. However, it has been entered manually into your accounting software, or the invoice has been published already and later republished on AutoEntry. In both of these scenarios, the invoice in question has still been fully processed by AutoEntry and you will be charged for the upload


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