Vendor invoice collection and approval

Purpose

1. Automate vendor invoice collection, validation, routing, and approval specific to mobile home repair and service providers in rental operations.

2. Automating prevents lost or delayed invoices, standardizes approval routing, centralizes documentation, and ensures timely vendor payment for ongoing property maintenance.

3. Automated workflows reconcile invoices with PO/work orders, extract data using OCR, and notify stakeholders of exceptions, streamlining compliance and audit readiness for the mobile homes division.

Trigger Conditions

1. Automated email receipt from approved vendors to designated address.

2. New document upload in shared vendor portal or storage (e.g., SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox).

3. Vendor submission via web form or EDI feed.

4. Scheduled batch imports from accounting/ERP system.

5. Direct mobile photo upload by field vendors.

6. Trigger on workflow step update in property management solution (e.g., maintenance ticket completion).

Platform Variants (Each automates at least one process via a given function/API)

1. Microsoft Power Automate

• Trigger: "When a new email arrives" in shared mailbox.
  
• Action: "Extract attachments", "Start approval" automation.
  

2. Zapier

• Trigger: "New file in Google Drive" or "New email with attachment".
  
• Action: Automated parsing and forwarding, approval sequence.
  

3. DocuSign

• Feature: eSignature workflow automation API
  
• Automates: Routing invoice PDFs for digital signature approval chain.
  

4. Adobe Acrobat Sign

• Feature: REST API for automated approval and audit trails.
  
• Automates: Legal digital signatures on high-value invoices.
  

5. SAP Concur

• Function: Invoice Capture API
  
• Automates: Scanned invoice uploads, automating validation and cost center mapping.
  

6. QuickBooks Online

• API Endpoint: "Upload Invoice", "Send for Approval".
  
• Automates: Direct integration to accounting and approval process.
  

7. Xero

• Feature: Files API and Email-to-Bills
  
• Automates: Invoice upload via email, automating bill creation.
  

8. Oracle NetSuite

• Function: SuiteTalk Web Services "createInvoice", "approveVendorBill".
  
• Automates: Automated bill record creation and multi-level approval.
  

9. Google Workspace

• Script: Apps Script to trigger on Gmail or Drive update.
  
• Automator: Parsing attachments, auto-filling Sheets for review.
  

10. Slack

• Action: Incoming Webhook or Slack API "chat.postMessage"
  
• Automates: Team notification or approval requests on invoice receipt.
  

11. Trello

• Setting: Power-Up automation to create card per new invoice, checklist for approvals.
  
• Automates: Visual workflow for invoice review.
  

12. Monday.com

• Feature: Automations "When status changes to Submitted, notify manager"
  
• Automates: Approval task assignment and follow-up.
  

13. SharePoint Online

• Trigger: Document Library "On New File" event.
  
• Automates: Approval workflow start and version history of invoices.
  

14. Dropbox Business

• API: "files/list_folder", Webhook on new invoice upload.
  
• Automator: Automatic retrieval, OCR, and routing to approvers.
  

15. Smartsheet

• Feature: Automation Rules — "Invoice Submitted triggers Approval Workflow".
  
• Automates: Cross-team routing, reminder alerts.
  

16. ServiceNow

• Module: Flow Designer "New Record in Invoice Table".
  
• Automates: Incident tracking, finance integration.
  

17. Asana

• Feature: Rule Automation "When attachment added, assign approval subtask".
  
• Automates: Task assignment and deadline tracking for accounts payable.
  

18. FreshBooks

• API: "Invoices Endpoint" webhook
  
• Automator: Auto-import of vendor invoices, payment status sync.
  

19. AirTable

• Automation: "When record created in Invoices table, send email for approval".
  
• Automates: Status logging and email notifications.
  

20. Dropbox Sign (HelloSign)

• Feature: Embedded Signing API
  
• Automates: Digital approval on uploaded invoice PDFs.
  

21. OneDrive for Business

• API: "Item Add" trigger, Files webhook
  
• Automator: Automated document organization and approval route.
  

22. Tallyfy

• Feature: Workflow Automation steps for vendor invoice processes
  
• Automates: Stepwise checkpoints and completion validation.
  

Benefits

1. Automates manual entry while reducing approval cycle times.

2. Centralizes all invoice processing, automating compliance tracking.

3. Automator-driven workflows prevent bottlenecks and lost documentation.

4. Automated audit trails, real-time status, and easier onboarding of new vendors.

5. Scalable, automatable processes enhance vendor satisfaction and minimize missed or duplicate payments.

6. Mobile- and web-based automators boost responsiveness to field repairs/urgent maintenance.