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The Purchase Orders File Reader uses OCR trained on purchase order documents to extract structured data from PO forms. It understands common PO layouts and field types for use in automation workflows.

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Key Features

  • Specialized OCR — Trained on purchase order layouts and field patterns for accurate extraction.
  • Pre-Configured Fields — Common PO fields ready for extraction with smart field detection.
  • Structured Output — Extracts vendor, order, and shipping information into defined fields for automation.
  • Automation Ready — Integrates with automation workflows for procurement and vendor management.

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Purchase Order Fields

The Purchase Orders File Reader can extract standard PO fields automatically:

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Primary Purchase Order Fields

  • Tax Payer ID - Vendor tax identification number
  • Vendor Name - Company or individual vendor name
  • Vendor Address - Complete vendor address
  • Vendor Phone - Contact phone number
  • Vendor URL - Website or online portal
  • PO Number - Purchase order number
  • Order Date - Date the order was placed
  • Payment Terms - Payment conditions and terms
  • Total - Total order amount
  • Discount - Applied discount amount
  • Receiver Name - Delivery recipient name
  • Receiver Address - Delivery address
  • Address - General address field

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Additional Available Fields

  • Invoice Receipt Date - When invoice was received
  • Invoice Receipt ID - Internal invoice tracking number
  • Customer Number - Customer identification
  • Account Number - Account reference number
  • Due Date - Payment due date
  • Delivery Date - Expected delivery date
  • Amount Due - Outstanding amount
  • Amount Paid - Paid amount
  • Subtotal - Pre-tax amount
  • Tax - Tax amount
  • Service Charge - Additional service fees
  • Gratuity - Tip or gratuity amount
  • Prior Balance - Previous account balance
  • Shipping Handling Charge - Shipping costs
  • Vendor ABN Number - Australian Business Number
  • Vendor GST Number - Goods and Services Tax number
  • Vendor PAN Number - Permanent Account Number
  • Vendor VAT Number - Value Added Tax number
  • Receiver ABN Number - Receiver’s ABN
  • Receiver GST Number - Receiver’s GST number
  • Receiver PAN Number - Receiver’s PAN
  • Receiver VAT Number - Receiver’s VAT number
  • Receiver Phone - Receiver contact information

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Create a Purchase Orders File Reader

1

Navigate to File Readers

In your application, go to File Readers section
2

Create New Reader

Click + File Reader and select Purchase Orders from the document type options
3

Configure Basic Settings

Name: Enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Vendor PO Processing”)Description: Optional description for your team
4

Select Required Fields

Choose the fields you need from the available Purchase Order fields:Core Fields: PO Number, Vendor Name, Total, Order Date Optional Fields: Select additional fields based on your workflow needs
5

Test with Sample PO

Upload a sample purchase order to validate field extraction accuracy

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Using in Automations

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Integration with Procurement Workflows

Email Received → Purchase Orders Reader → Vendor Validation → Create PO Record → Start Approval Process

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Common Automation Patterns

Trigger: Email Received (with PO attachment) File Reader: Extract PO fields Actions:
  • Search Records to find vendor
  • Create Record for purchase order
  • Start Approval Process based on amount
  • Send Email Notification to procurement team
Trigger: Attachment Added (invoice PDF) File Reader: Extract invoice details Actions:
  • Search Records to match with existing PO
  • Run Calculation to verify amounts
  • Update Record Fields with invoice data
  • Post Comment with matching results
Trigger: Record Updated (receipt confirmation) File Reader: Process delivery receipt Actions:
  • Search Records for PO and invoice
  • Run Calculation to compare quantities
  • AI Classification to determine discrepancies
  • Send Message to Teams for resolution

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Approval Workflow Integration

Combine PO processing with approval workflows: 
PO Extracted → IF Total > $5000 → Start Approval Process (Manager) → ELSE → Auto-Approve → Update Status

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Best Practices

  • Field Selection — Choose only the fields you need to optimize processing speed and accuracy.
  • Document Quality — Use clear, high-resolution PO documents for best extraction results.
  • Validation Rules — Implement validation checks for critical fields like PO numbers and amounts.
  • Error Handling — Plan for missing or incorrect field extraction in your automations.
  • Document preparation — Use standard PO templates, clear printing or high-quality scans, and consistent formatting; supports PDF, scanned, and image formats.

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Advanced Features

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Multi-Vendor Processing

Handle purchase orders from different vendors with varying formats:
  • Vendor-specific configuration — Create separate PO readers for different vendor formats.
  • Dynamic field mapping — Use AI Classification to determine vendor type and apply the appropriate reader.
  • Fallback processing — Configure Text File Reader as fallback for unusual formats.

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Data Validation and Enrichment

Enhance extracted PO data with additional processing: 
PO Extracted → Transform Data (standardize formats) → Search Records (vendor validation) → AI Classification (risk assessment)

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Integration with ERP Systems

Connect PO processing with enterprise systems:
Send API Request: Post PO data to ERP system Field Mapping: Match PO fields to ERP data structure Status Updates: Sync approval status back to Elementum Error Handling: Manage API failures and data conflicts
Search Records: Validate vendor in master data Create Record: Add new vendors automatically Update Record: Maintain vendor information AI Classification: Assess vendor risk levels

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Error Handling and Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

Symptoms: Expected fields return empty valuesCauses:
  • Non-standard PO format
  • Poor document quality
  • Unusual field placement
Solutions:
  • Test with different PO formats
  • Improve document quality
  • Configure additional fields
  • Consider Elementum Intelligence File Reader for complex formats
Symptoms: Financial amounts are wrong or missingCauses:
  • Multiple currency symbols
  • Unusual number formatting
  • Tax calculations in different locations
Solutions:
  • Standardize PO templates
  • Use Transform Data to clean amounts
  • Implement validation calculations
  • Add manual review steps for large amounts
Symptoms: Vendor details extracted incorrectlyCauses:
  • Multiple addresses on document
  • Vendor name variations
  • Address formatting differences
Solutions:
  • Configure multiple address fields
  • Use Search Records for vendor matching
  • Implement fuzzy matching logic
  • Maintain vendor master data

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Validation Checklist

  • PO number format and uniqueness
  • Vendor exists in approved vendor list
  • Amount fields are numeric and reasonable
  • Dates are valid and logical
  • Required fields are populated

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File Reader Comparison

Choose Purchase Orders Reader when:
  • Processing standard purchase order documents
  • Need high accuracy for PO-specific fields
  • Working with procurement workflows
  • Handling vendor management processes

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Next Steps

Automation System

Learn how to integrate Purchase Orders Readers with procurement workflows

Approval Processes

Set up approval workflows for purchase order processing

Table File Reader

Process vendor catalogs and pricing spreadsheets

Elementum Intelligence Reader

Handle complex or non-standard purchase order formats