You have two options to upload an invoice in Perk:

• by manually uploading the invoice either as an invoice processor or a submitter
• by sending the invoice to a dedicated inbox

You can upload invoices in PDF or XML format. For physical invoices, you need to digitize them, i.e. scan them, before you can upload them to Perk.

Depending on the file format, Perk may perform different operations on the uploaded file:

• If the file is a PDF and does not contain embedded XML data (e.g. a ZUGFeRD or Factur-X e-invoice), Perk’s OCR and the AI model work together to extract the relevant data.
• If the file is a PDF and contains embedded XML data that is identified as being a valid e-invoice structure, the data is extracted from the embedded XML file and mapped to Perk fields. The PDF is displayed as an invoice preview. The original file is uploaded to the Documents tab as a Source document.
• If the file is an XML and contains a valid e-invoice structure, the data is extracted from the XML file and mapped to Perk fields. In addition, Perk takes the extracted data and generates a PDF preview. The original file is uploaded to the Documents tab as a Source document.
• If the file is an XML but it doesn’t contain a valid e-invoice structure, Perk creates an empty invoice and the file is attached as a supporting document.

Upload invoice as an invoice processor

In Invoices > Invoice processor > Invoices, click the Upload invoice button in the top right corner and select the invoice document you want to upload. You can only upload one invoice at a time. You‘ll see a loading icon while the document is being uploaded and processed. Then you can click on the invoice to view the details.

Upload invoice from My tasks

Depending on your company settings, you may be able to upload and manage invoices as a submitter. This means that you can upload an invoice by clicking Upload invoice in Spend > My tasks. 

​If you can’t see this option, it means your Perk admin has disabled the option for your company.

Send an invoice via email

You can also send a paper or digital invoice that you received via email to Perk for automatic upload.

Invoice source

You can determine how an invoice was uploaded to Perk at any stage in the invoice‘s header, where it says invoice source. The invoice source displays the type of document used to create the invoice in Perk (i.e. PDF or e-invoice) and the channel used to upload the invoice.

More specifically, Perk indicates the invoice‘s source as being:

• standard PDF invoice or e-invoice (i.e. XML or hybrid PDF) received via email
• standard PDF invoice or e-invoice (i.e. XML or hybrid PDF) received via manual upload
• standard PDF invoice or e-invoice (i.e. XML or hybrid PDF) received via API 

In the case of invoices received via email, Perk also tracks the sender of the invoice.

Viewing uploaded invoices

Once you’ve uploaded an invoice, you can find it in several places depending on whether you have an invoice processor and/or employee role:

• In Invoices > Invoice processor > Invoices (all invoices for your company)
• In Spend > My tasks > Invoices
• In Spend > Expenses > Invoices (invoices you have uploaded)

Newly uploaded invoices display the status New.