How to Enter and Code AP Invoices with Document Imaging in Spectrum
Vendor invoice coding is the daily AP job of turning a stack of scanned supplier invoices into posted Spectrum transactions, each charged to the right GL account, job, cost code and cost category and each tied to its source image.
This guide walks through the full cycle as recorded: pulling the merged scan from the AP mailbox, creating a Document Imaging batch of Accounts Payable invoices, keying and distributing an invoice in Vendor Invoice Entry, linking it to its page, and sending an AP control report that flags duplicates.
- Who does itAccounts payable specialist; the project manager codes invoices that have no coding rule match
- How oftenDaily, driven by the daily AP invoice batch email
- Steps12 steps · 5 systems
- By hand2–16 hours a day, scales with invoice volume
Watch the full workflow
every click in this recording is an AI agent — no one is touching the keyboard.
In the recording, an AI agent opens the 'Daily AP Invoices Batch - 2026-08-20 - Multi-Vendor Scans' email, downloads invoices_merged_pdf.pdf (67 pages) and reviews Vellumark Industrial Finishes invoice 5132609180847 for $321.50. It signs in to Spectrum, creates the Document Imaging batch 'AP batch 20260925 0445 EM1', uploads the PDF and checks the thumbnails. In Vendor Invoice Entry it keys the header, sets routing, codes the line to GL 5010, job 2125133, cost code 01-12-25-00, category E, links the invoice page from the imaging batch and saves. It finishes by reviewing the AP processed spreadsheet, where duplicate invoices are marked, and emailing AP_PROCESSED INVOICES.xlsx to the accounts team.
- 1:21Download the merged invoice PDF from the AP mailbox
- 1:39Review each invoice and capture its details
- 2:09Sign in to Spectrum
- 2:51Create an Accounts Payable batch in Document Imaging
- 3:15Attach and upload the merged PDF
- 3:27Check the batch thumbnails
- 4:27Enter the invoice header in Vendor Invoice Entry
- 4:57Set routing and More Info fields
- 5:33Code the distribution line
- 6:15Link the invoice to its page and save
- 7:15Record results and duplicates in the AP control report
- 7:45Email the control report to AP and accounting
Systems involved
You need access to each of these before you start. In the recording the agent works in all of them from one desktop, signed in as the user.
- Trimble Viewpoint SpectrumDocument Imaging > Batches for the AP image batch; Accounts Payable > Data Entry > Vendor Invoices for entry, routing and job cost distribution
- Trimble IDSign-in to Spectrum (username, password, one-time passcode)
- Outlook (web)AP mailbox that receives the daily merged invoice PDF and sends the AP control report
- invoices_merged_pdf.pdf67-page multi-vendor scan batch that is reviewed and uploaded
- AP_PROCESSED INVOICES.xlsxAP control report: invoice number, company, amount, AP Processed (Yes/No) and reason
What you start with
- Daily AP Invoices Batch email with the merged invoice PDF (67 pages)
- Spectrum vendor master, approval routing codes and job/cost code history
What you end with
- Spectrum Document Imaging AP batch with the merged PDF attached
- Vendor invoices entered in Spectrum AP, routed for approval and linked to their image page
- AP control report (AP_PROCESSED INVOICES.xlsx) emailed to AP and accounting
The workflow at a glance
Action Decision Human review Select a step to jump to how it's done.
- 01 Action · Outlook (web) Download the merged invoice PDF from the AP mailbox
- 02 Action · invoices_merged_pdf.pdf Review each invoice and capture its details
- 03 Action · Trimble ID / Spectrum Sign in to Spectrum
- 04 Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum Create an Accounts Payable batch in Document Imaging
- 05 Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum Attach and upload the merged PDF
- 06 · Human review · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum Check the batch thumbnails
- 07 Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum Enter the invoice header in Vendor Invoice Entry
- 08 Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum Set routing and More Info fields
- 09 Decision · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum Code the distribution line Yes Coding resolves from the commitment or history: enter GL, job, cost code and category and continue. No No rule match or a closed cost code: hold the invoice for the project manager to code.
- 10 Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum Link the invoice to its page and save
- 11 Decision · Spreadsheet (invoices) Record results and duplicates in the AP control report Yes Invoice number already seen: mark as duplicate with the reason and do not enter it again. No New invoice number: enter it and route it for approval.
- 12 · Human review · Outlook (web) Email the control report to AP and accounting
Step-by-step: how to do it
-
Action · Outlook (web) · 1:21 in the video
Download the merged invoice PDF from the AP mailbox
Open the AP inbox and find the daily batch email. Read the batch details (file name, page count, batch date, instructions) and download the attached PDF to a working folder.
In the video- 'Daily AP Invoices Batch - 2026-08-20 - Multi-Vendor Scans'
- File
- invoices_merged_pdf.pdf
- Total Pages
- 67
- Batch Date
- 09/20/2026
-
Action · invoices_merged_pdf.pdf · 1:39 in the video
Review each invoice and capture its details
Page through the PDF and, for each invoice, note the supplier, invoice number, invoice date, PO, job or project reference, line items, sales tax, total and terms. These values drive both the header and the coding in Spectrum.
In the video- Vendor
- Vellumark Industrial Finishes LLC
- Invoice
- 5132609180847
- Bill to
- Granite Hollow Mechanical LLC
- PO
- 74186-02
- Dated
- 09/18/2026
- Job
- PR-260184
- Project
- Pinecrest Civic Center Renovation
- Line
- 2 x 5 GAL high-build epoxy coating @ 148.50 = 297.00
- Tax 8.250%
- 24.50
- Total
- $321.50
-
Action · Trimble ID / Spectrum · 2:09 in the video
Sign in to Spectrum
Sign in through Trimble ID with your username, password and one-time passcode. Confirm you land on the dashboard for the correct company before entering anything.
In the videoSpectrum dashboard for company TST, operator EM1
-
Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum · 2:51 in the video
Create an Accounts Payable batch in Document Imaging
Go to Site Map > Document Imaging > Batches and click New. Choose the batch type 'Accounts Payable invoices', give it a description you can find later (date, time, operator), and click OK. Check the new row shows type A/P and the expected cabinet and drawer.
In the video- Description
- 'AP batch 20260925 0445 EM1'
- Operator
- EM1
- Type
- A/P
- Cabinet
- VENDOR
- Drawer
- UNASSIGNED INVOICES
-
Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum · 3:15 in the video
Attach and upload the merged PDF
With the batch selected, click Attach, choose the merged PDF and click Upload File. Wait for the upload to finish before moving on.
In the videoinvoices_merged_pdf.pdf uploaded to 'AP batch 20260925 0445 EM1'
-
Human review · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum · 3:27 in the video
Check the batch thumbnails
Scroll through the page thumbnails in the batch viewer to confirm every page is present, readable and in order. Log any duplicate, unreadable or rejected page as an imaging exception.
In the videoThumbnails from page 1 through Page 68 visible in the batch viewer
-
Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum · 4:27 in the video
Enter the invoice header in Vendor Invoice Entry
Open Accounts Payable > Data Entry > Vendor Invoices. Tick Route for approval, search and select the vendor, then enter the invoice number, invoice type, entry date, invoice date, total and payment due date. Read any vendor warning Spectrum shows, such as open subcontracts.
In the video- Invoice #
- 5132609180847
- Type
- Invoice
- Entry date
- 09/20/26
- Invoice date
- 09/18/26
- Total before tax
- 321.00
- Payment due
- 10/18/26
- Retention
- 0.00%
- Reviewer
- EM1
- Message
- 'This vendor has open subcontract(s)'
-
Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum · 4:57 in the video
Set routing and More Info fields
Click More Info and pick the approval routing code from the Invoice Approval Routing Codes search. Confirm the A/P G/L account and discount due date, then click OK.
In the video- A/P G/L account
- 2000 Accounts Payable
- Discount due
- 09/18/26
- Routing code
- Chosen from the project routing list
-
Decision · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum · 5:33 in the video
Code the distribution line
Add a distribution line with GL account, amount, job, cost code, category and quantity, using the PO, subcontract or the vendor's coding history. If the first account is wrong, correct it before saving. The undistributed balance must be 0.00.
- If yes Coding resolves from the commitment or history: enter GL, job, cost code and category and continue.
- If no No rule match or a closed cost code: hold the invoice for the project manager to code.
In the videoLine 001 first entered as GL 5005 Material, then recoded.
- GL
- 5010 Equipment
- Job
- 2125133
- Cost code
- 01-12-25-00
- Category
- E
- Quantity
- 2
- Amount
- 321.00
- Undistributed
- 0.00
-
Action · Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum · 6:15 in the video
Link the invoice to its page and save
From the invoice, open Document Imaging, select the AP batch, choose the page for this invoice and attach it to the transaction. Then click Save and confirm the form clears for the next invoice.
In the video- Batch
- 'AP batch 20260925 0447 EM1'
- Transaction
- 'A/P Invoice 5132609180847'
- Documents
- 1 (the Vellumark page)
- After Save
- Blank Vendor Invoice Entry
-
Decision · Spreadsheet (invoices) · 7:15 in the video
Record results and duplicates in the AP control report
List every invoice with company, amount, AP Processed (Yes/No) and a reason for anything not entered. Check each invoice number against the rest of the file and prior entries before keying it.
- If yes Invoice number already seen: mark as duplicate with the reason and do not enter it again.
- If no New invoice number: enter it and route it for approval.
In the videoDuplicate amounts marked Yes.
- Reason
- 'Duplicate invoice - same invoice number found more than once in the submitted file; verify it was not already paid before processing again.'
- 220 Duplicate · Yes
- 59.81 Duplicate · Yes
- 305.31 Duplicate · Yes
- 375.28 Duplicate · Yes
- 1426.75 Duplicate · Yes
-
Human review · Outlook (web) · 7:45 in the video
Email the control report to AP and accounting
Create a new email, attach the control report, verify the recipients and send. Summarise in the body that some invoices were already processed and are marked in the file.
In the video- Subject
- 'Invoices processed for ap process'
- Attachment
- AP_PROCESSED INVOICES.xlsx
Rules, exceptions and controls
Rules to follow
- Create the imaging batch with type 'Accounts Payable invoices' so pages land in the vendor cabinet's unassigned invoices drawer.
- Enter invoices with 'Route for approval' ticked and a routing code set under More Info.
- Do not save until the undistributed balance is 0.00.
- Link every AP transaction to its source page in the imaging batch.
- An invoice number that appears more than once in the submitted file is flagged, not entered twice.
When something doesn't match
- Duplicate invoice: same invoice number found more than once in the file; marked in the control report and verified against payments.
- Imaging exception: a duplicate, unreadable or rejected page in the batch is logged before entry.
- No coding rule match or a closed cost code: the invoice goes to the project manager to code.
- Wrong first-pass coding: the line is recoded (GL 5005 Material corrected to GL 5010 Equipment in the recording) before saving.
Controls and audit trail
- Approval routing with a named reviewer on each invoice
- Source image attached to every AP transaction
- AP control report listing processed status and the reason for each exception
- Recipients checked before the control report is sent
Practitioner tips
- For PO and subcontract invoices, copy coding from the matched commitment; use the vendor coding table only when there is no commitment.
- Put the date, time and operator in the batch description so the batch is easy to find when linking pages.
- Scan the thumbnails before keying; it is faster to catch a missing or doubled page in the batch than after entry.
- Heed Spectrum's 'open subcontract' warning: it usually means the invoice should be coded to that commitment.
About this recording
In the recording, the agent handled the whole cycle: downloading the merged PDF, building and uploading the Spectrum imaging batch, entering, coding and linking an invoice, and emailing the AP control report. Invoices were entered with Route for approval ticked for human approval.
Documented the way you'd train a new hire — and the same way an agent learns it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you enter AP invoices with Document Imaging in Trimble Spectrum?
Create a Document Imaging batch of type Accounts Payable invoices and attach the scanned PDF, then enter each invoice in Accounts Payable > Data Entry > Vendor Invoices and attach its page from the batch before saving.
How are vendor invoices coded to job cost in Spectrum?
Each distribution line gets a GL account, job, cost code and cost category, and the undistributed balance must be zero. In the recording the line was coded to GL 5010, job 2125133, cost code 01-12-25-00, category E.
How do you route a Spectrum vendor invoice for approval?
Tick Route for approval on Vendor Invoice Entry, then open More Info and select the routing code from the Invoice Approval Routing Codes search.
How do you catch duplicate vendor invoices?
Check each invoice number against the rest of the submitted file and prior entries. Duplicates are not re-entered; they are marked in the AP control report with a reason to verify payment status.
What goes in an AP control report?
Invoice number, company, amount, whether AP processed it (Yes/No) and the reason for any exception, sent to AP and accounting.
Can an AI agent do vendor invoice coding in Trimble Spectrum?
Yes. As shown in the video, the agent works the same Spectrum screens a person does, from the imaging batch to Vendor Invoice Entry, and invoices are routed for approval so a person still approves them.