Automatically capture and process invoices in Salesforce

How can I automatically capture and process invoices in Salesforce?

You don’t want to keep typing incoming invoices by hand, but instead extract, validate and link them directly in your CRM? That’s exactly what this article is about – including a short walkthrough of how to do it with REEDR.

Can I automatically capture invoices in Salesforce “out of the box”?

1. Manual work + standard features

• Attach files to records via Files / drag & drop
• Maintain fields in a custom object (for example Invoice__c)
• Use Flows for simple checks (for example required fields, basic plausibility checks)

Limitations: there is no automatic text recognition. Data still has to be transferred manually – which is slow and error-prone.

1. Workarounds with Flow / Email Services: Receive the invoice by email → Email-to-Salesforce → create a file in Salesforce

External alternatives (without native Salesforce integration)

1. Generic OCR engines (e.g. Tesseract, Google Vision, ABBYY)

• Pros:
  • Strong text recognition
  • Good coverage for different layouts and languages
• Cons:
  • No built-in Salesforce logic
  • You need exports/imports, middleware or custom code
  • Mapping, error handling and monitoring usually sit outside Salesforce

1. RPA/ETL/middleware

• Pros:
  • Automates data transfers
  • Can orchestrate several systems at once
• Cons:
  • More components, more licenses, more monitoring
  • Often no native Salesforce UI – users have to switch tools
  • Changes in the process frequently require IT support or external partners

Short takeaway: without a native integration, you end up with media breaks, extra effort and risks for data quality. As soon as you process more than around 50 invoices per month, a solution directly in Salesforce starts to pay off.

How to capture and process invoices directly in Salesforce – with REEDR

What REEDR does: AI-powered OCR directly in Salesforce. You upload invoices (PDF, image), REEDR reads the contents (for example invoice number, date, supplier, total amount, line items) and writes the data into your fields – without leaving the system.

Here’s a quick step-by-step overview of how it works in REEDR.

Step 1: Choose target object & model

• Define your target, for example Invoice__c (or use an existing object).
• In REEDR, choose the appropriate invoice model – we set up this model for you and handle the onboarding free of charge.

Step 2: Configure the mapping

• In REEDR go to Mappings → New to create an AI mapping.
• Choose the Object Name (for example Invoice__c) and select the invoice model.
• Under Field Configurations → Configure you assign the detected values:
  • InvoiceNumber_c ← invoiceNumber
  • InvoiceDate_c ← invoiceDate
  • SupplierName_c ← supplier.name
  • AmountTotal_c ← total.amount
• Optional: write the line items into a child object such as InvoiceLine_c.

Step 3: Upload an invoice & start a test job

• Go to Files → Upload (PDF/JPG/PNG)
• Go to Test → select document → Create
• The job shows you the detected fields and raw text.

Step 4: Review & write back

• Quickly review the results → Save / Commit
• REEDR writes the values into your target fields (write-back) in Salesforce.

Step 5: Automate & monitor

• With Flow / Process Builder you can:
  • Automatically match the invoice to the correct supplier (via tax ID, IBAN or name)
  • Set the status (New → Checked → Posted)
  • Send notifications in case of deviations
• In the Results tab you can see successes, warnings and errors transparently.

How REEDR captures and processes invoices in Salesforce in practice

• Incoming invoices in purchasing: The invoice lands as a file → REEDR extracts the data → fields are filled → a Flow creates a review task for amounts above X € or missing purchase orders.
• Financial preparation: Amounts, due date and creditor are stored directly on the record → export to accounting/ERP or transfer via an integration.
• Project allocation: The line description contains a project number → a Flow links the invoice automatically to Project__c.

Best-practice checklist

• Clarify your data model: do you need line-item details? If yes, set up clean child objects.
• Use field validations: for example date logic, currency checks, required fields.
• Supplier matching: maintain unique keys (for example tax ID) to increase matching accuracy.
• Document quality: clean PDFs or sharp scans noticeably improve recognition rates.
• Sampling: initially review 20–50 cases, then switch to exception-based checks only.
• Monitoring: check the Results tab regularly and fine-tune the mapping when you see recurring issues.

What else REEDR can do

REEDR is a powerful, AI-powered OCR tool that can capture not only invoices but also, among other things, receipts, bank statements, delivery notes, HR documents, ID documents, contracts and legal documents – all directly in Salesforce using the same mapping principle.

Conclusion

Salesforce standard features only get you so far when it comes to invoices. Generic OCR without Salesforce integration creates new breaks in the process.

If your invoices already come in by email, you can use in.bounz to create an Invoice__c record in Salesforce directly from the incoming email – with the invoice PDF already attached. REEDR then reads the contents and writes them into your fields.

The result: an end-to-end process – from email to record to completed data capture – all in Salesforce, with less manual typing, better data quality and no media breaks.