Automating invoice processing can save time and reduce errors for businesses. Using Make (formerly Integromat) combined with Google Drive offers a powerful solution to streamline this task. In this article, we will walk through a step-by-step workflow to set up invoice automation effectively.

Prerequisites and Setup

  • Make account (sign up at make.com)
  • Google account with Google Drive access
  • Google Drive folder dedicated to invoices
  • Basic knowledge of Make scenario creation

Step 1: Prepare Your Google Drive Folder

Create a folder named Invoices in Google Drive. This folder will store all incoming invoice files. Set permissions to allow Make to access this folder.

Step 2: Create a New Scenario in Make

Log in to Make and click on Create a new scenario. Search for and add the Google Drive module. Choose the Watch Files trigger to monitor your invoices folder.

Step 3: Configure Google Drive Watch Files Module

Select your Google account and specify the Invoices folder. Set the trigger to activate when new files are added. Optionally, filter by file type (e.g., PDF, DOCX).

Step 4: Add a Module to Download the Invoice

After the trigger, add the Google Drive - Get a File module. Map the file ID from the previous step to retrieve the invoice document.

Step 5: Extract Data from the Invoice

Use an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) service like Google Cloud Vision or PDF.co to extract data from the invoice. Add the corresponding module and upload the file content for processing.

Step 6: Parse and Organize Extracted Data

Once OCR processing is complete, parse the extracted data to identify key fields such as Invoice Number, Date, Amount, and Vendor. Use Make's built-in tools or JSON parsing modules to organize this data.

Step 7: Save Data to Google Sheets or Database

To keep records, add a Google Sheets - Add a Row module. Map the parsed data to corresponding columns such as invoice number, date, amount, and vendor. Alternatively, connect to a database if preferred.

Step 8: Send Notifications or Confirmations

Optionally, add an email module to notify relevant staff about the new invoice. Configure the email content to include invoice details and a link to the stored file.

Step 9: Automate and Test the Workflow

Save your scenario and run a test by uploading a sample invoice to your Google Drive folder. Verify that the data is correctly extracted, stored, and notifications are sent. Adjust configurations as needed.

Conclusion

With this workflow, invoice processing becomes automated, saving time and reducing manual effort. Regularly monitor and optimize your scenario to handle different invoice formats and ensure accuracy. Leveraging Make and Google Drive creates a flexible, scalable solution for your business needs.