Why is an invoice not read correctly by the system?

Why is an invoice not read correctly by the system?

This article is about recognizing PDF invoices. Did you receive an XML invoice where the system did not read the desired values? Read this article about which fields the Spend Cloud reads by default from an XML invoice and what you can when the desired field is not in there.

When uploading invoices, Spend Cloud attempts to recognize information based on predefined characteristics (such as the characteristic that an amount always consists of numbers and a comma to indicate decimals, or that an amount is always preceded by a currency symbol). However, not all invoice data always conforms to these generic features, making them sometimes difficult to recognize. This is particularly because the structure of invoices varies widely, and data is not always identifiable by common characteristics. For example, payment references can be challenging to recognize as they can consist of numbers, letters, and an indeterminate number of positions.

For text recognition on PDF invoices Spend Cloud uses the software of Smartscan which is being rolled out in phases. Your organisation will be informed per e-mail when your invoices are going to be processed by this new technique.

Here are some recommendations for improved recognition:

  1. Scan Quality and Font: Low scan quality and invoice font can lead to incorrect data recognition. It is essential to verify the recognized data for accuracy.
  2. First and Last Page Recognition: Spend Cloud reads only the first and last pages of an invoice. If, for instance, the total amount is on an intermediate page, it will not be recognized. Suppliers can be instructed to place the total amount on the first or last page.

See the checklist below for each piece of data and possible reasons why it may not be recognized.

Unrecognized Creditor
Recognition is based on the bank account, Chamber of Commerce (KvK), and VAT numbers. Ensure that these details are up-to-date in Spend Cloud for better recognition.
Poor quality of the section containing supplier details on the invoice may lead to non-recognition.

It can happen that the bank account number is recognized, but Spend Cloud does not fill in a relation because the bank account number is entered for multiple relations. Spend Cloud cannot choose which relation is correct and leaves it blank. Ensure that (per administration) a bank account number is used only once per relation. Sometimes, a relation may appear multiple times in the system with the same bank account number but a different Chamber of Commerce (KvK) or VAT number. In such cases, we can exclude the bank account number from recognition, so the system skips this number when recognized and tries to recognize based on the KvK or VAT number instead. You can contact our support department with a request to exclude a bank account number from recognition.

Unrecognized Invoice Date
If the invoice date is only labeled as 'Date,' the recognition probability is lower. It's crucial to specify the date as 'Invoice Date.'

Unrecognized Invoice Number
Generic terms like 'invoice' for the invoice number make recognition difficult. Specific terms like 'Invoice Number' or 'Payment Reference' should be used.

Unrecognized Total Amount
The total amount must be labeled clearly, such as 'Total Amount,' 'Total Due,' 'To Pay,' or 'Invoice Amount.' Also, the amount should be aligned with this label.


For recurring invoices, the use of templates is recommended to facilitate quick coding. Learn more about using templates here.


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