n8n Template

Automated Invoice Processing

Extract invoice data from emails with OCR, validate against POs, route for approval, and post bills to QuickBooks automatically.

FinanceAdvancedGmailQuickBooksSlackGoogle Drive

What this template does

Accounts payable is repetitive, error-prone, and slow when done by hand. This workflow automates it end to end. Supplier invoices arriving by email are read with OCR, validated against your vendor list and purchase orders, routed for approval based on amount, then posted as bills in QuickBooks. The PDF is archived to Google Drive and a confirmation goes back to the supplier.

This is an advanced template: OCR accuracy, validation rules, and approval routing all need real-world tuning. Done right, it turns a multi-day approval cycle into minutes for routine invoices.

How it works

The trigger is a new email with an invoice attachment. The flow:

Extracts the PDF attachment from the email.
Uses OCR to read the invoice details.
Parses invoice number, date, amount, and vendor.
Looks up the vendor in QuickBooks.
Extracts line items and amounts.
Matches against a PO if one is provided.
Routes to an approver based on amount.
Waits for approval.
Creates the bill in QuickBooks.
Saves the PDF to Google Drive and sends a confirmation email.

Setup steps

Create a Gmail label “Invoices”, filter supplier emails into it, and grant n8n access to Gmail.
Create QuickBooks credentials, set up your vendor list, and configure expense accounts.
Add the invoice email trigger, extract PDF or image attachments, and run OCR to pull the data.
Validate: check the invoice number format, verify the vendor exists, cross-reference the PO, and confirm currency and amounts.
Build the approval workflow: route by amount, create a Slack approval task, require manual approval above 5,000 dollars, and auto-approve verified invoices under 500 dollars.
Post to QuickBooks (bill with line items, linked to the PO, marked received), then archive the PDF to Google Drive, update the tracking sheet, and email the supplier.

When to use it

Use this for vendor invoice processing, expense report handling, three-way matching (PO, receipt, invoice), and general AP automation. The clearest wins come where invoice volume is high and approval delays cost you early-payment discounts or strain supplier relationships.

Need this customized? Let’s talk.

Download the workflow

Import-ready n8n JSON, no credentials or secrets baked in. In n8n, open Workflows, choose Import from File (or paste the JSON), then assign your own credentials to each node.

Download workflow JSON View raw

Preview the JSON

{
  "name": "Automated Invoice Processing",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "parameters": {
        "pollTimes": {
          "item": [
            {
              "mode": "everyMinute"
            }
          ]
        },
        "filters": {
          "labelIds": []
        }
      },
      "id": "5e30749b-4327-4b80-abc1-1fe92295466d",
      "name": "Invoice Email",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmailTrigger",
      "typeVersion": 1.2,
      "position": [
        260,
        300
      ],
      "notes": "Assign Gmail credentials; filter your Invoices label."
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "method": "POST",
        "url": "https://api.ocr.space/parse/image",
        "sendBody": true
      },
      "id": "f611989a-c711-41d6-9700-e11d12c5ce2e",
      "name": "OCR Extract",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "typeVersion": 4.2,
      "position": [
        560,
        300
      ],
      "notes": "Header Auth credential for your OCR provider."
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "assignments": {
          "assignments": [
            {
              "id": "26e01b4c-07fd-4b49-abbd-acb91f008c93",
              "name": "vendor",
              "value": "={{ $json.vendor }}",
              "type": "string"
            },
            {
              "id": "bf9ddef5-7e67-43a1-9c93-ca1cbc536644",
              "name": "amount",
              "value": "={{ $json.amount }}",
              "type": "number"
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "id": "58606e24-57e9-4d6d-8383-d383ca88ba7a",
      "name": "Parse Fields",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
      "typeVersion": 3.4,
      "position": [
        860,
        300
      ]
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "conditions": {
          "conditions": [
            {
              "id": "b4382d10-a9c8-475f-a96c-dda489c519ab",
              "leftValue": "={{ $json.amount }}",
              "rightValue": 5000,
              "operator": {
                "type": "number",
                "operation": "gt"
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "id": "8bf607e0-4f74-4e9e-bc2f-a2445f8b4a3e",
      "name": "Over 5000?",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
      "typeVersion": 2.2,
      "position": [
        1160,
        300
      ]
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "select": "channel",
        "text": "=Invoice needs approval: {{ $json.vendor }} - {{ $json.amount }}"
      },
      "id": "0a58c4b8-0543-40e2-b2ba-3a5a05730efa",
      "name": "Request Approval",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.slack",
      "typeVersion": 2.3,
      "position": [
        260,
        520
      ]
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "bill",
        "operation": "create"
      },
      "id": "a6d9ee79-ef6c-400e-ab05-68a37a4582da",
      "name": "Post Bill",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.quickbooks",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [
        560,
        520
      ],
      "notes": "Assign QuickBooks Online credentials."
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "upload"
      },
      "id": "a2117585-24d3-45f3-8c5a-bf9bb5436c1a",
      "name": "Archive PDF",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
      "typeVersion": 3,
      "position": [
        860,
        520
      ],
      "notes": "Assign Google Drive credentials."
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Invoice Email": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "OCR Extract",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "OCR Extract": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Parse Fields",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Parse Fields": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Over 5000?",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Over 5000?": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Request Approval",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ],
        [
          {
            "node": "Post Bill",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Request Approval": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Post Bill",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Post Bill": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Archive PDF",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "active": false,
  "settings": {
    "executionOrder": "v1"
  },
  "pinData": {}
}

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