Extraction Rules: How Finofo Reads Each Vendor's Documents

How It Works

Extraction rules are "Instructions we follow when reading this vendor's documents. They apply to future uploads, not to documents already extracted." A vendor with no statement rules shows "We read this vendor's statements with our standard rules. Add an instruction when something is read the wrong way every time."

Each rule applies either to the Whole document ("Applied when reading any part of the document") or By field ("Applied only when reading that field"). Statement fields include Statement number, Statement date, Period start, Period end, Opening balance, Total amount due and Transactions. Invoice fields include Invoice number, Invoice date, Due date, Line items, Adjustments, Subtotal, Tax breakdown and Total amount.

Examples of Saved Rules

• Alpine Waste & Recycling, vendor statements, Transactions: "Each month appears as one "Service" line per site. Read the invoice number from the reference column, not the account number beside it.".
• Andes Green Coffee Importers, invoices, Line items: "Quantities are jute bags. The bag weight (60 kg or 70 kg) belongs in the description, never in the quantity.".
• Andes Green Coffee Importers, invoices, Adjustments: "Freight and import duty are printed under the subtotal. Extract them as adjustments, not as line items.".

Good rules name the field, say where the value is on the page, and say what to ignore.

Review and Add Rules

1. Open Vendors and select the vendor, or click Extraction rules on one of the vendor's statements.

2. On the Extraction rules tab, choose Vendor statements or Invoices. The count on each sub-tab shows how many rules are saved.

3. Read the saved rules under Whole document and By field.

4. To add a rule, click Add an instruction.

5. Upload the next document from the vendor and check that it is read as expected.

Vendor Aliases

The Aliases tab lists other names the vendor appears under, so documents link to the right vendor even when the trading name differs. A vendor without aliases shows "No aliases yet". Use Add alias to record one.

Tips

• Write one instruction per problem, in plain words, so the next person can see why it exists.
• Add a rule only when the same mistake repeats. A one-off misread is quicker to correct on the document.
• For item names and units, rely on the "Also seen as" names and unit aliases on the vendor's offerings in Products & services.
• Below the rules, Email senders shows the sender rules for the vendor, with a link to All sender rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do extraction rules change documents already in Finofo?

No. They apply to future uploads, not to documents already extracted.

How is an extraction rule different from a coding rule?

An extraction rule changes how a vendor's documents are read. A coding rule, set in Settings > Integrations > Coding settings, decides how invoices are coded.

What if Finofo cannot identify the vendor at all?

With Read invoices even when we can't identify the vendor switched on in Settings > Documents, the invoice is read anyway and waits on the Drafts tab until someone names the vendor.

Do I need templates for a new vendor?

No. Finofo reads structured and unstructured documents without templates.