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Reading supplier invoices for risk
An accounts payable audit app is only as sharp as the questions you bring to it. Before you lean on filters, spend a few minutes reading the invoice the way a sceptical reviewer would.
Start with the narrative, not the total
Vague descriptions such as “professional services — March” often hide missing purchase orders. Compare the narrative to the PO line and to any goods receipt. If the words do not match the work you recognise, mark the invoice for sampling even if the amount looks ordinary.
Watch the approval trail
UK mid-market teams sometimes approve by email outside the ERP. When the audit app shows a single click-through approval for a large amount, ask whether a parallel thread exists. Your finding should name the control as designed and the control as practised.
VAT clues that deserve a second pass
Credit notes that reverse only part of a VAT line, or reverse-charge claims on services that do not qualify, belong in your exception queue. Capture the VAT treatment field from the export alongside the PDF so reviewers see both.
Hand-off to the app
Once you have a shortlist of narrative and approval concerns, use the accounts payable audit app to expand the sample around those suppliers. Document why those suppliers entered the sample — future you will thank present you during month-end.