When you import a purchase or sales invoice into Banqup, it may need a validation step before it is ready to be paid and forwarded to your accountant and integrations. This step ensures the invoice meets the European e-invoicing standard. This article explains how to check, complete, and approve your imported invoices.
Good to know: received e-invoices (Peppol/UBL) that are correctly formatted are approved automatically by Banqup. You don't need to do anything with them. This article covers PDF and scanned invoices, which go through OCR and require manual validation.
Why some invoices need validation
Banqup treats imported invoices differently depending on their format:
E-invoices (Peppol/UBL): the invoice is automatically approved if its structured data is compliant with the European standard (EN 16931). In that case, the invoice moves directly to Unpaid (or Fully paid).
PDF or scanned invoices: the data is extracted by OCR (Optical Character Recognition). OCR may miss some fields or misread others. The invoice is marked Awaiting validation and needs a manual check before it can move forward.
The validation step has two goals:
Confirm the accuracy of the data extracted by OCR.
Complete the required fields so the invoice can be converted into a compliant e-invoice.
Once approved, the invoice is converted to a compliant e-invoice and can no longer be modified.
Validate an invoice awaiting validation
To move an invoice from Awaiting validation to Unpaid:
Go to Purchase Invoices or Sales Invoices.
Open the To check tab to see invoices marked Awaiting validation.
Double-click the invoice you want to validate to open the validation view.
Check the OCR-prefilled fields: supplier, invoice number, issue date, due date, net amount, VAT, gross amount, currency, and so on.
Fix any wrong fields and fill in any missing ones. Fields required by the e-invoicing standard are flagged.
Save or Approve: know the difference
Two actions are available, and they don't do the same thing.
Save
The Save button records your edits but leaves the invoice in Awaiting validation. Use it when:
You're waiting on a missing piece of information (for example a referenced purchase order).
You want to resume the work later.
You want a colleague to take a look before the final step.
As long as the invoice is saved but not approved, you can still modify it.
Approve
The Approve button finalises the invoice. At that moment:
All entered data is committed.
Banqup converts the invoice to a compliant e-invoice.
The invoice moves to Unpaid (general status) and Fully approved (document status).
If you have any document-export integrations active, the invoice is automatically sent to them.
Heads up: approval is irreversible. After approval, the invoice can no longer be edited. Double-check all data before clicking Approve.
What this means for your accountant and integrations
When you approve an invoice in your Business Space, the status change is visible immediately to your accountant in their Partner Space: the invoice moves from Client action needed to Ready to process. To understand how each action on your side affects what your accountant sees and what is sent to your integrations, read Understanding the document flow between your business, your accountant, and your integrations.
Frequently asked questions
Can a received e-invoice ever show up as "Awaiting validation"?
No. Correctly formatted e-invoices (Peppol/UBL) are auto-approved by Banqup. If you see an invoice in Awaiting validation, it was imported as a PDF or scan. A non-compliant e-invoice does not appear in your Purchase Invoices or Sales Invoices list. Instead, it lands in your Inbox with the status Error.
What happens if I click Approve while required fields are missing?
Banqup blocks the approval and flags the missing fields. You'll need to fill them in before approval is possible.
Can I edit an invoice after I've approved it?
No. Once approved, the invoice has become a compliant e-invoice and can no longer be edited. If you spot a mistake after approval, you'll need to handle the correction with your supplier (credit note, new invoice).
What if OCR misread most of the fields?
Fix the fields manually as described in Validate an invoice awaiting validation above.
Are invoices sent to my integrations before or after approval?
After. Only approved invoices trigger the export to your active integrations. This means e-invoices, which are auto-approved on arrival, are also automatically exported. A saved-but-not-approved invoice stays internal to Banqup.