Toast Retail: Invoice Import Overview

The invoice import feature for Toast Retail simplifies invoice management by allowing you to upload your invoice files directly into Toast Web. This minimizes manual data entry, errors, and ensures accurate inventory and financial records.

While Toast Retail has import templates for specific suppliers (currently UNFI, Kehe, and Hackney), you can import invoices from any supplier using a generic template.

Supported file formats include CSV and Excel (.xlsx).
Ensure your file includes clear column headers for these required fields:
- Supplier Item ID
- Item Name
- Item Quantity
The invoice import tool will also recognize the following column headers:
- Receiving Unit
- Qty/Receiving Unit
- Receiving Unit Net Cost
- Extension Cost
- Barcode
- PLU
- Price (Retail)

If you’d like, you can download and use this Excel template for your invoice import: Toast Retail Invoice Template.

When you import an invoice, Toast Retail will process the file and validate it against your Item Library in Toast. The system will attempt to match invoice items by supplier item ID, but will also look for secondary matches using exact barcode match, or partial supplier item ID/barcode matches (without leading zeros or check digits). If there are unmatched items or other potential issues, you’ll have a chance to review and resolve those before finalizing your import.

Upload Your Invoice to Toast Retail

To upload your invoice to Toast Retail, follow these steps:

In Toast Web, navigate to Retail > Purchasing > Purchasing & Receiving.
Select Receive via invoice.
Enter your Supplier.
Select Import file, then select Next on the Import invoice pop-up window.
- If there’s a specific supplier template available for your selected supplier, you’ll see the option to use it. If you have issues using the template with your invoice, you can always disable the template and use a generic template instead.
Drag and drop the file you wish to import in the middle of the screen, or click in the middle of the screen to view your computer's file-picker.
Review your column mappings. Toast will attempt to automatically map your invoice columns to the Template columns, but if there are any columns that are unmapped you can use the drop-down to select the appropriate match. You can also use the trash can icon to exclude a column from your import. If there are any issues with your import file, a message will appear with additional details. Select Next when you’re finished.
Toast Retail will match the incoming items to your item library.

Any Unmatched items will be displayed at the top of the invoice creation page.
- If a suggested match is available (for example, for items that are already in your Item Library but have not yet been purchased from this supplier), Toast will display the item information. Select Confirm match if the suggested match is correct.
- If no suggested match is displayed but an unmatched item should be linked to an existing item in your Item Library, select the chain link icon next to the item name. A pop-up will appear where you can search for the matching item by name, PLU, or barcode to select a manual match.
- New items can also quickly be created from this workflow before receiving using the details on your invoice. Select the plus sign (+) icon next to the item name. Confirm item details on the pop-up, then select Create item.
Review and adjust quantities or costs for matched items as needed. When you’re finished, you can select Save as draft or Mark as received.

Note:

Items marked as unavailable or out of stock (quantity = 0) will not be imported.
Retail prices are not updated from invoices. These values come from the existing Item Library and can be adjusted manually.

AI Invoice Scanning for Toast Retail

Permissions Required:

4.5 Full Edit Menu

Step 1: Upload an Invoice

Follow the steps below to upload an invoice using AI scanning. You can choose from upload by the following:

(Mobile Device)

Option 1: Upload to Toast Web

Upload or capture your invoice
1. In Toast Web, navigate to Retail > Purchasing & Receiving.
2. Select Next to start the scan. Note: Scanning can take up to 2 minutes.

Option 2: Upload from Your Mobile Device in the Toast Now app

Open Toast Retail in the Toast Now app on your mobile device.
Tap Add Invoice and allow camera access.
Take a clear photo of your invoice (you can add multiple pages).
Tap Submit — your invoice will be uploaded, and scanning will begin.

Wait for the scan to complete

Once processing is finished, the invoice will display a “Scan complete” status.

Step 2: Review extracted details

Check the information pulled from your invoice to ensure accuracy.

A digital copy of your original invoice on the left. The extracted line items on the right.
Make any necessary edits
1. Hover over each field to highlight where it appears on the invoice. Update any incorrect or missing details. This may be needed if parts of the invoice were unclear, cut off, or obstructed.
2. After confirming your scanned details:
  1. Select Next to move into the familiar invoice creation screen.
  2. Toast will automatically fill in. Note: If something doesn’t populate automatically, you can manually adjust it here:
    
    Supplier details
    Invoice number
    Item names, quantities, and costs

Step 3: Create and Review the Invoice in Toast

After confirming your scanned details:

Select Next to move into the familiar invoice creation screen.
Toast will automatically fill in:
1. Supplier details
2. Invoice number
3. Item names, quantities, and cost
  
  Note: If something doesn’t populate automatically, you can manually adjust it here.

Step 4: Match or Add Your Items

The system will use AI to recognize and categorize items.

If an item already exists in your inventory, Toast will suggest a match. Select the Confirm match check mark to confirm.
If an item is new, select the + icon next to the item name to create it.
Fill in missing details like cost, category, or sales price.
Use Add All to bulk-create multiple new items.

Note: The first few scans may require adding several new items. Over time, Toast “learns” your catalog, and the matching becomes faster.
Save and link items
1. The finalized details are saved as a vendor item, which can be linked to a product in Toast. This helps streamline future receiving by improving speed and accuracy when updating inventory.

Step 5: Receive Your Invoice

Once you have verified all of the upload information and/or have made the necessary changes:

Review your matched and newly added items. Select Save at the top of the page to save your draft invoice.
(Optional) Mark any non-sellable items (like cleaning supplies) as Exclude — Toast will remember this next time for that supplier.
Select Mark as received to move the invoice from Draft or Received state. This will update the inventory on-hand count for items in your item library.

AI Invoice Scanning Limitations

Invoice-only scanning: You can scan invoices, but not apply them to purchase orders (POs) at this time.
Mobile experience: You can capture invoices on mobile via Toast Web and Toast Now Retail and continue receiving them, but the review experience is best on desktop due to detailed tables and image viewing.