Vendor invoice collection and approval workflows

Purpose

1.1. Automate and streamline end-to-end vendor invoice collection, approvals, and routing for maintenance and operations within multi-unit residential apartment complexes.
1.2. Ensure timely collection, policy-aligned verification, departmental routing, multi-tier approvals, and accurate record-keeping for accounting and compliance.
1.3. Minimize human error, improve visibility, accelerate payment cycles, and boost vendor satisfaction while maintaining strong audit trails and real-time reporting.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Vendor submission of an invoice by email, upload, or portal entry.
2.2. Receipt of new invoice attachments in a pre-defined cloud folder.
2.3. Form submission by maintenance staff documenting vendor interactions.
2.4. Scheduled batch pulls from e-invoicing APIs or SFTP servers.

Platform Variants

3.1. Gmail
• API: watchEmails() — monitor for invoices via attachment, label, or keyword.
3.2. Outlook 365
• Feature: Flow trigger “When a new email arrives with attachment.”
3.3. Dropbox
• API: files/list_folder — detect new invoice PDFs in vendor-specific folders.
3.4. Google Drive
• API: Files: list & watch — observe folders for latest uploads.
3.5. DocuSign
• API: Envelopes:create — initiate approval signatures on new invoices.
3.6. Adobe Sign
• API: Transient Document API — send invoices for digital signature.
3.7. Slack
• API: chat.postMessage — send notifications to approval channels on new invoice arrivals.
3.8. Microsoft Teams
• API: Create chat message — alert and request actions from multi-level approvers.
3.9. QuickBooks Online
• API: Invoice API — push approved invoices into accounting.
3.10. Xero
• Endpoint: POST Invoices — add finalized invoice records.
3.11. SAP Concur
• API: InvoiceEntry:POST — automate entry of approved vendor invoices.
3.12. Zoho Books
• API: Invoices API — create or update vendor transactions after approval.
3.13. Trello
• API: Create Card — visualize invoice approval status for ops managers.
3.14. Jira Service Management
• API: Create Issue — auto-create and track invoice tickets for audit flow.
3.15. Docparser
• API: Parse Document — extract structured data from inbound invoices.
3.16. Microsoft Power Automate
• Connector: Approval Flow — create multi-stage invoice approvals based on value.
3.17. Box
• API: webhook triggers — act on new vendor documents in shared folders.
3.18. AirTable
• API: Create Record — log invoice, status, and date metadata for historical analytics.
3.19. Salesforce
• API: Create Task or Case — assign invoice approvals to regional staff.
3.20. ServiceNow
• API: Create Record — update finance workflow tables with invoice submission events.
3.21. Asana
• API: Add Task — generate to-dos with invoice key dates for finance approval queues.
3.22. FreshBooks
• API: Invoice.create — add and reconcile vendor bills automatically.

Benefits

4.1. Shortens invoice processing times and reduces risk of late payment penalties.
4.2. Boosts compliance and audit integrity via uniform digital processes.
4.3. Increases visibility for all stakeholders via instant status updates.
4.4. Reduces manual entry, minimizing risk of error and duplicated payments.
4.5. Elevates vendor satisfaction due to faster, automated approvals and predictable cycles.
4.6. Enables real-time reporting for finance and executive management.