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Invoice Fields Extracted

The Zera AI invoice model was trained on 420,000 invoices covering a wide range of formats — from structured digital invoices generated by ERP systems to scanned paper invoices with handwritten fields. Here's a complete field reference:

FieldDescriptionHandling
Vendor NameSupplier/vendor company nameNormalized against known vendor list if provided; otherwise extracted as-is
Invoice NumberUnique invoice identifierExtracted from header; used for duplicate detection
Invoice DateDate invoice was issuedNormalized to YYYY-MM-DD regardless of source format
Due DatePayment due dateCalculated from terms (Net 30 etc.) if not explicitly stated
Line Item DescriptionProduct or service description per lineFull text preserved; each line extracted as separate row
QuantityUnits ordered per line itemNumeric value; handles fractional quantities
Unit PricePrice per unit per line itemMulti-currency supported; currency symbol extracted
Line TotalQuantity × unit price per lineValidated against extracted quantity and unit price
SubtotalSum before taxes and feesCross-checked against sum of line totals
Tax RateApplicable tax percentageGST, HST, VAT, and sales tax handled
Tax AmountDollar value of taxesPer-line or total; validated against rate × subtotal
Total Amount DueFinal invoice totalCross-validated against subtotal + taxes
PO NumberPurchase order referenceExtracted for three-way matching workflows
Payment TermsNet 30, Net 60, etc.Standardized text output
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Input Types and OCR Handling

Invoice formats vary more than bank statement formats — different vendors use completely different layouts, some use structured tables, others use free-form text. Zera AI was specifically trained to handle this variability without templates.

Digital PDF Invoices

Invoices generated by QuickBooks, Xero, SAP, Oracle, and other systems — processed directly with 99%+ accuracy. No OCR step required for digital invoices.

Scanned Paper Invoices

Zera OCR handles scanned invoices at 95%+ accuracy. Works on invoices scanned at 150 DPI and above; handles slight rotation and skew automatically.

Handwritten Amounts

Handwritten totals, quantities, and dates are extracted using financial document-specific OCR training. Amount fields are validated against arithmetic cross-checks.

Non-Standard Layouts

Invoices that don't use standard table layouts — including narrative-style invoices from professional services firms — are handled without template configuration.

Every line item. No manual entry.

Upload an invoice PDF — digital or scanned — and get every line item extracted and categorized for QuickBooks or Xero. Part of the $79/month unlimited plan.

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AP Workflow Integration

Invoice extraction is only valuable if the data integrates smoothly into your AP workflow. Here's how extracted invoice data moves from Zera Books into your accounting software:

Invoice Processing — Step by Step

Step 1
Upload invoice PDFs (batch or individual)
Step 2
AI extracts all fields including every line item
Step 3
AI categorizes each line to your chart of accounts
Step 4
Review, approve, and export to QuickBooks/Xero

Three-way matching: PO numbers are extracted from every invoice. When a PO number is present, it is included in the output — allowing your accounting software to cross-reference against open purchase orders during import. The matching logic runs inside QuickBooks or Xero, not in Zera Books.

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Output Formats for Invoice Data

Invoice data is exported in structured formats that preserve the line-item hierarchy. A 10-line invoice becomes 10 rows in the output, each with the header fields (vendor, invoice number, date) repeated for reference.

Excel (XLSX)

Line items as rows, header fields as columns, AI category column, confidence scores. One sheet per invoice or consolidated across batch. See PDF to Excel specs.

CSV

UTF-8 encoded, configurable delimiters. Column names match standard AP import field requirements. See PDF to CSV specs.

QuickBooks-Formatted

Direct API push into QuickBooks Online as bills, with line items, AP account, and vendor auto-matched where possible.

Xero-Formatted

Direct API push into Xero as bills. Line items mapped to tracking categories where configured in your Xero account.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What fields does Zera Books extract from invoices?

Vendor name, invoice number, invoice date, due date, line items (description, quantity, unit price, line total), subtotal, tax rate, tax amount, total due, PO number, and payment terms. Each line item is a separate row in the output.

Can Zera Books handle scanned invoices?

Yes. Zera OCR processes scanned and image-based invoices at 95%+ accuracy. Handles handwritten amounts, blurry scans, and non-standard layouts without template setup.

Does Zera Books require template training for each vendor?

No. Zera AI was trained on 420,000+ invoice formats and adapts to new layouts dynamically. No template configuration required for new vendors or formats.

How does invoice processing integrate with QuickBooks and Xero?

Via direct API for both platforms. Extracted invoice data is pushed as bills with line items, vendor names, and categories pre-mapped. See zerabooks.com/products/invoices for integration details.