AI that checks invoices sounds great, but generic checks miss the point: every company has its own way of working. One supplier is allowed on a deviating ledger account, another always needs a project code. Only when the AI checks against your procedures instead of generic rules does it become truly valuable. Here is how to set that up.
How it works
The approach has two parts. First you document your workflow: a document or prompt describing what a correct invoice looks like at your company. Then you let the AI pull the invoice data from Exact Online via Ledger Botje and check it line by line against that workflow.
So the AI does not compare against a standard checklist, but against your description of “this is how we do it here”. That way it recognises exactly the deviations relevant to you — and ignores the things that simply work differently at your company.
What it flags in practice
A check against your own workflow picks up patterns you easily miss:
- The posted amount deviates from the amount on the PDF.
- A required reference, project code or cost centre is missing.
- The chosen ledger account does not fit this supplier or cost type.
- The entry falls in the wrong period.
- An amount is a statistical outlier compared to earlier invoices.
Each one a signal you would otherwise only discover at month-end — or not at all.
Why it works: it is in your documentation
The quality of the check stands or falls with the quality of your documentation. The clearer you describe your workflow, the more reliable the signals. What helps:
- Deterministic rules. “Supplier X always posts to ledger 4500” is more useful than “usually costs”.
- Explicit exceptions. Name the cases where a deviation is actually correct.
- Require source references. Have the AI point to the invoice or line for each signal.
- No invented data. Explicitly instruct: if something is unclear, report it instead of guessing.
The AI flags, you decide
Important: the AI makes no decisions. It flags deviations and explains why, but the assessment stays with you. The connection is read-only by default, so nothing is changed without your involvement. You keep full control — the AI does the time-consuming comparison work, you do the judgement.
Get started yourself
A usable starting prompt looks like this, for example:
Here is our workflow for purchase invoices: [describe your rules, exceptions and required fields]. Check this months purchase invoices in Exact Online against this workflow. For each deviating invoice, report what is wrong and refer to the relevant rule. Do not invent data; report uncertainties explicitly.
Expand your workflow description step by step as you see which signals you miss or get too many of. Want this check to run automatically every day? Combine it with scheduled tasks.
Frequently asked questions
How does AI check my invoices against my own workflow?
You document your work instructions in a document or prompt. The AI pulls the invoice data from Exact Online via Ledger Botje and checks it line by line against your procedures.
Does the AI decide whether an invoice is wrong?
No. The AI flags deviations and explains why, but you decide. The connection is read-only by default.
Why does checking invoices against your own documentation work better?
Because generic rules do not know your exceptions. By documenting your own workflow and thresholds, the AI recognises exactly the deviations relevant to you.
Want to check your invoices against your own workflow? Try Ledger Botje free for 14 days and set up your first check.