When you scan a purchase invoice, the Scanner identifies the supplier by their tax ID and suggests a tax regime based on the information on the invoice. Before you convert the document, you can review and confirm the details the Scanner suggests.
Supplier identification by tax ID
The Scanner identifies the supplier of an invoice by their tax ID (NIF or CIF), because it is a unique piece of data that always appears on the invoice. The supplier's name is only used as supporting data when there are several matches.
The Scanner works differently depending on the result of the tax ID search in your contacts.
The supplier's tax ID is already in your contacts
If the tax ID on the invoice matches the tax ID of a contact, the Scanner automatically links the invoice to that contact.
The supplier's tax ID is not in your contacts
If the tax ID on the invoice does not match any contact, the Scanner suggests creating a new contact with the details read from the invoice.
There are contacts with a similar name to the supplier
If the Scanner finds contacts with a name similar to the supplier on the invoice, it shows them as suggestions so you can confirm which one is correct. The Scanner never links an invoice to a contact based on the name alone.
☝️ Keep the tax ID up to date in your suppliers' contact profiles. The tax ID is what allows the Scanner to identify the supplier from the first scan.
Tax code set up in the supplier's contact profile
If you have set up a tax code in a supplier's contact profile, the Scanner always applies that tax code to invoices from that supplier, even if the invoice shows a different regime. This way, the setup you have made for special regimes is respected.
If the regime shown on the invoice does not match the tax code in the contact profile, the Scanner applies the tax code from the contact profile and shows a warning on the document. The tax code in the contact profile only changes if you edit it yourself.
Invoices without VAT: Review regime status
When a scanned invoice does not include a VAT amount, the Scanner sets the document to Review regime status. An invoice without a VAT amount can correspond to 3 regimes with different tax treatment:
Reverse charge.
Intra-community transaction.
Exempt transaction.
Identify documents in Review regime status
Documents in Review regime status show the Review regime label in the Inbox list and in the Scanner History.
Confirm the suggested regime
In documents in Review regime status, the Scanner shows a suggested regime together with the signal on the invoice that supports the suggestion. The signal can be one of 3 types:
A legal statement that appears on the invoice.
The prefix of the supplier's VAT number.
The type of invoice lines: goods or services.
When you confirm the regime, the corresponding tax group will be applied, including self-assessment when the regime requires it.
Bear in mind that the Scanner does not convert a document in Review regime status until you confirm the regime. This way, no document is posted to accounting without being reviewed.
💡 If you are unsure which regime applies to an invoice, check with your tax advisor before confirming it.
VAT number validation in VIES for EU suppliers
For suppliers from another European Union country, the Scanner checks the VAT number in VIES, the European system for validating intra-community operators. The VIES validation confirms the supplier's identity and helps determine whether the invoice corresponds to an intra-community acquisition.
The result of the VAT number validation in VIES can be one of 3 types.
VAT number verified in VIES
If the supplier's VAT number is valid and registered in VIES, the Scanner does not show any warning on the document.
Not registered in ROI warning
If the supplier is not registered in the Intra-Community Operators Register (ROI), the Scanner shows the Not registered in ROI warning. In this case, the invoice does not correspond to an intra-community acquisition, so review the regime before confirming it.
Could not be verified warning
If VIES does not respond at the time of scanning, the Scanner shows the Could not be verified warning. This warning does not block the document, and the Scanner automatically retries the validation.
Suppliers with a Spanish tax ID
The Scanner does not validate the tax ID of Spanish suppliers in VIES. VIES only shows whether a tax ID is registered in the ROI, and most Spanish companies do not need to be registered.
If you want to check a VAT number manually, go to VIES VAT number validation.
Save a supplier's regime as the default value
The first time you confirm the regime of a supplier that does not have a tax code in their contact profile, the Scanner suggests saving that regime as the default value.
If you accept saving the regime as the default value, the next invoices from that supplier will come in with the regime already applied, and you will not need to review it again.