Invoice Extraction reads an invoice image and pulls its details into Inn-Flow automatically, so your AP (Accounts Payable) team spends less time on manual data entry. This guide walks through extracting an invoice, mapping its fields, coding the expenses, and sending it for approval.

1. Open the Invoice Inbox page for the hotel and select the invoice that needs to be entered. A slide-out with the invoice details opens.

2. Enter the Vendor name.

3. Select Extract.

4. Click the Gear icon to open the Extract Mapping page, where you tell Inn-Flow which part of the invoice maps to each field.

5. On the Extract Mapping page, select each outlined section individually to map it. As you select a section, the matching item is highlighted on the invoice image so you can confirm your choice.

6. If a section cannot be mapped, choose Select to leave it blank. That item will need to be entered manually on the Invoice Entry page.

7. When every section is mapped, click Save Changes. You are returned to the Invoice Entry page with all mapped fields filled in.

Note: After clicking Save Changes you will be brought back to the Invoice Entry page. All the sections mapped on the Extraction Mapping page will reflect there.

1. On the Invoice Entry page, select the COA (Chart of Accounts, the list of expense and income accounts) to assign to each expense line.

2. If taxes are listed separately on the invoice, they appear as a separate line item. Post the tax to the line with the highest dollar expense amount (for example, allocate $112.37 to Guest Supplies).

3. Delete any lines that do not belong to the invoice total. Extraction sometimes picks up rows like Subtotal or Total Amount Due – these are not expenses and should be removed.

4. Once every line is recorded, reviewed, and confirmed correct, click Send to Approval.

IF PRO TIP: You only map an invoice once per vendor. Inn-Flow learns the layout, so the next invoice from that vendor extracts without the gear icon step.

• Extraction reads one page of an invoice, so use the first page – it usually holds the invoice number, date, and totals.

• If a value does not appear (such as a due date), leave that row alone so nothing imports. Do the same for invoices with a very long list of descriptions (like Sysco or US Foods): leave the extras blank and import only the top portion.

• Use Assign the same COA to multiple rows when several lines share an account. Over time Inn-Flow learns to code items automatically based on their description.

Inn-Flow uses optical character recognition (OCR) and natural language processing (NLP) to read invoices, which saves manual entry but is not flawless. Knowing what affects accuracy helps set realistic expectations.

• Poor image quality – blurry, skewed, or low-contrast images are harder to read. Clear, straight-on scans give the best results.

• Unclear tables or layouts – unusual or poorly defined table structures can cause missed fields.

• Complex or multi-page invoices – long or complex documents can confuse the system.

• Handwritten or cursive fonts – extraction excels at printed text but struggles with handwriting.

• Unusual or rare terms – industry-specific or uncommon terminology may not be recognized.

• Foreign languages or special characters – non-English invoices or special characters can pose challenges.

• Low resolution or faded print – faint characters are harder to distinguish, leading to errors.

These issues tend to be exceptions rather than the rule, and the system is continually monitored to improve accuracy.