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Automated Invoice Email Recognition and Data Extraction Workflow

This workflow automates the recognition and data extraction of invoice emails. It periodically retrieves emails from Microsoft Outlook, intelligently identifying and extracting key information from supplier invoices. Using AI models for classification and OCR processing, it automatically downloads and organizes invoice data, ultimately structuring and uploading it to Microsoft Excel 365. This process significantly reduces the workload of manual processing and enhances the accuracy and efficiency of invoice handling, making it suitable for financial management in various types of enterprises.

Workflow Diagram
Automated Invoice Email Recognition and Data Extraction Workflow Workflow diagram

Workflow Name

Automated Invoice Email Recognition and Data Extraction Workflow

Key Features and Highlights

This workflow periodically retrieves emails with attachments from Microsoft Outlook, leveraging AI models to intelligently identify whether the emails and their attachments contain vendor-issued invoices. For identified invoices, it automatically downloads the attachments and utilizes Google Gemini 2.0’s document understanding and OCR capabilities to extract critical invoice information. The structured invoice data is then uploaded to a Microsoft Excel 365 workbook, facilitating subsequent manual review or integration with financial systems. By effectively combining AI-based text classification and visual recognition, this workflow significantly enhances the automation and accuracy of invoice processing.

Core Problems Addressed

  • Reduces manual effort in screening and processing large volumes of emails with attachments
  • Automatically distinguishes genuine invoices from ordinary attachments or other documents, preventing misprocessing
  • Efficiently extracts key invoice data, minimizing manual entry errors and time costs
  • Provides structured data output for easy financial reconciliation and system integration

Application Scenarios

  • Automated processing of vendor invoices in corporate finance departments
  • Accounting or audit teams needing rapid organization and analysis of large volumes of invoice emails
  • Organizations using Microsoft 365 email and Excel as data management tools
  • Enterprises aiming to enhance financial process digitization and intelligence through AI empowerment

Main Process Steps

  1. Scheduled Trigger: Periodically fetch Outlook emails with attachments received within the last hour.
  2. Email Classification: Perform AI-based text classification on email content to preliminarily filter emails likely containing invoices.
  3. Attachment Download: Download all attachments from the filtered emails.
  4. Attachment Splitting: Separate multiple attachments into individual files for processing.
  5. Invoice Recognition: Use Google Gemini 2.0 model to analyze attachment content and confirm if it is a vendor invoice issued to the company.
  6. Invoice Detail Extraction: Execute OCR-based detailed data extraction on confirmed invoice attachments.
  7. Data Consolidation: Merge extracted invoice data with corresponding email information.
  8. Excel Upload: Append the structured data into a Microsoft Excel workbook for easy querying and verification.
  9. Loop Processing: Repeat the above steps for all emails and attachments, then await the next scheduled trigger.

Involved Systems and Services

  • Microsoft Outlook: Email retrieval and attachment download
  • Google Gemini 2.0 (PaLM API): Email content classification, invoice recognition, and OCR data extraction
  • Microsoft Excel 365: Invoice data storage and management
  • n8n Workflow Platform: Automation orchestration

Target Users and Value

  • Finance personnel and accountants: Simplifies invoice collection and data entry, saving substantial repetitive labor time.
  • IT automation engineers: Serves as a reference and foundation for building intelligent financial automation solutions.
  • Enterprise management: Enhances financial operation efficiency, reduces human error rates, and supports digital transformation.
  • Suitable for both SMEs and large enterprise finance teams, especially those handling large volumes of vendor invoices.

This workflow’s high degree of automation and intelligence in invoice processing helps enterprises significantly improve financial process efficiency, reduce manual intervention, and achieve rapid and accurate financial data flow.