Article Summary
Learn all four methods to import invoices into Dynamics 365 Business Central, with field mapping, validation error fixes, and PDF-to-spreadsheet conversion.
There are four primary ways to import invoices into Dynamics 365 Business Central: Configuration Packages for bulk Excel or CSV imports, the Purchase Invoice Import add-on available through AppSource, Power Automate flows for recurring automated imports, and the Business Central API for developer-built integrations. Each method serves a different use case, and choosing the right one depends on your invoice volume, technical resources, and how often you need to run imports.
If your AP team processes purchase invoices from dozens of vendors, each sending documents in different formats, manual entry is not a realistic long-term approach. The cost of keying in header details and line items one invoice at a time adds up fast, both in labor hours and in the data entry errors that inevitably follow. What finance teams need is a reliable, repeatable import method that gets invoice data into the ERP accurately and at scale.
This guide covers the full import workflow for financial controllers, AP staff, and system administrators who work inside Business Central daily: all four import methods compared, a Configuration Packages walkthrough with field mapping requirements, how to convert PDF invoices into import-ready data, validation error troubleshooting, and post-import verification. It is a practical resource, not an API reference or developer integration guide.
Four Methods for Importing Invoices into Business Central
Business Central offers several paths for getting invoice data into the system, and the right choice depends on your volume, frequency, and how much IT support you have available. Here is a breakdown of the four primary methods for Dynamics 365 AP invoice import.
1. Configuration Packages (Native to Business Central)
Configuration Packages are built directly into Business Central with no add-ons or extra licensing required. You create a package that maps to the Purchase Header and Purchase Line tables, export an Excel template, populate it with your invoice data, and import it back. This method gives finance teams full control over field mapping and data validation before anything touches the ledger. It is best suited for periodic batch imports, data migrations, and any scenario where you need to load a significant number of invoices at once. Technical skill required: A finance team member or system administrator can handle this without IT involvement.
2. Business Central Purchase Invoice Import Add-on (Microsoft AppSource)
The Purchase Invoice Import add-on, published on Microsoft AppSource by Lighthouse Experts Group, provides a dedicated Excel-based interface specifically for importing purchase invoices. Rather than configuring packages and selecting tables manually, the add-on gives you a pre-built template focused on the purchase invoice workflow. This is a good fit for AP teams that want a dedicated import experience without learning the Configuration Packages interface. Technical skill required: Finance team can manage independently after initial installation, though IT may need to approve and install the add-on from AppSource.
3. Power Automate Flows
A D365 Power Automate invoice workflow connects Business Central to external systems through Microsoft's automation platform. You can build flows that monitor an email inbox or cloud storage folder for new invoices, extract key fields, and create purchase invoice records in Business Central automatically. Once configured, these flows run unattended on a schedule or trigger. This method works best for recurring, automated imports from a consistent source rather than one-time batch loads. Technical skill required: Requires familiarity with Power Automate's connector model. Most finance teams will need some IT support for initial setup, though maintaining existing flows is straightforward.
4. Business Central API and Web Services
Business Central exposes OData and SOAP endpoints that allow programmatic creation of purchase invoices. This is the method used by developer-built integrations connecting Business Central to third-party procurement platforms, vendor portals, or custom applications. The API provides the most flexibility but is not practical for finance teams working without dedicated development resources. Technical skill required: Needs a developer or IT team with API integration experience.
Here is a quick comparison:
| Method | Best For | Add-on Required? | Technical Skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration Packages | Batch imports, migration | No (native) | Finance team |
| Purchase Invoice Import add-on | Dedicated invoice import UI | Yes (AppSource) | Finance team |
| Power Automate | Recurring automated imports | No | Some IT support |
| API / Web Services | Developer integrations | No | Developer |
Business Central adoption continues to accelerate. According to Microsoft's Q4 FY2025 earnings report, Dynamics 365 revenue grew 23 percent year-over-year in the quarter ending June 2025, driven by growth across all workloads including its Business Central ERP platform for small and midsize businesses. As more organizations bring AP operations into the platform, efficient bulk import workflows become essential.
One challenge common to every method above is that none of them accept PDF invoices directly. Each requires structured, tabular data as input. If your invoices arrive as PDFs, scanned documents, or other unstructured formats, you need an extraction step before any import method will work. Tools purpose-built for invoice OCR integration with ERP systems can convert those documents into the structured Excel or CSV files that Business Central expects, closing the gap between what you receive from vendors and what the ERP requires.
This guide focuses on Configuration Packages because it is native to every Business Central installation, requires no add-ons or developer resources, and gives finance teams the most direct control over the import process. The next section walks through Configuration Packages step by step, covering the full process from creating a package to importing the data.
Using Configuration Packages for Bulk Invoice Import
Configuration Packages are a built-in Business Central tool, part of Microsoft's RapidStart Services, designed for bulk data migration. They let you define exactly which tables and fields to import, export those definitions as an Excel template, fill in your invoice data, and import everything back into the system. For AP teams processing dozens or hundreds of invoices during a migration or monthly close, this is the most practical native method available.
Here is the full process, from setup to import.
Step 1: Navigate to Configuration Packages. Open Business Central and type "Configuration Packages" into the search bar (the magnifying glass icon or Alt+Q). Select the Configuration Packages page from the results.
Step 2: Create a new package or use an existing one. Business Central ships with a default configuration package that already covers common tables, including Purchase Header and Purchase Line. You can use this default package as a starting point or create a new package scoped to only the tables relevant to your invoice import. Creating a dedicated package keeps things clean and reduces the chance of accidentally modifying unrelated data.
Step 3: Define your tables. At minimum, add two tables to your package:
- Purchase Header (Table 38) - holds the invoice-level data such as vendor number, invoice date, due date, and document number.
- Purchase Line (Table 39) - holds the line-item detail such as item numbers, quantities, unit costs, and GL account mappings.
Within each table, select only the specific fields you plan to populate. This keeps your Excel template manageable and reduces validation noise. The next section covers exactly which fields are required and which are optional.
Step 4: Export to Excel. With your tables and fields defined, use the Export to Excel function on the Configuration Packages page. Business Central generates a spreadsheet with the correct column headers, data types, and built-in validation rules for each field. This template is your data contract with the system. Do not alter the column headers or sheet names.
Step 5: Populate the Excel template. Fill in your invoice data following the field requirements defined in the template. Each row on the Purchase Header sheet represents one invoice. Each row on the Purchase Line sheet represents one line item. Line items are linked to their parent invoice through the Document No. field, which must match exactly between the header and its corresponding lines.
If you are importing invoices originally received as PDFs or scanned documents, you will need to extract the data into structured rows before filling the template. The section on converting PDF invoices covers how to produce import-ready data from unstructured documents.
Step 6: Import the package. Return to the Configuration Packages page and use the Import from Excel function. Select your populated spreadsheet. Business Central reads the data, validates it against the field definitions and table relationships, and flags any errors. Rows with validation issues are marked but do not block the rest of the import. You can review and correct flagged records before proceeding.
Step 7: Apply the package. After reviewing the import results and resolving any errors, use the Apply Package function. This writes the validated data from the staging area into the Business Central database. Each imported record creates a draft Purchase Invoice in the system.
One critical point: applying the package does not post the invoices. They appear as draft Purchase Invoices in your purchase invoice list, where they need to be reviewed, adjusted if necessary, and then posted to the general ledger. The final section of this guide walks through that verification and posting process.
The accuracy of the entire import hinges on getting the field mapping right. Missing a required field or using an incorrect vendor code will trigger validation errors that stall the process.
Required Fields for Purchase Header and Purchase Line Tables
Getting your field mapping right before you begin is critical to avoiding a cascade of validation errors. One mismatched vendor number, one incorrectly formatted date, or one missing posting group assignment will trigger validation errors that force you to troubleshoot row by row. This reference covers every field you need to map for a clean Business Central invoice import.
Purchase Header Fields (Table 38)
The Purchase Header table stores one row per invoice. Each row represents a single purchase invoice document.
| Field | Required? | Format / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Document Type | Required | Must be set to "Invoice" for purchase invoices |
| No. (Document Number) | Required | Must follow the No. Series configured in Business Central for purchase invoices. If left blank, Business Central auto-assigns the next number from the series |
| Buy-from Vendor No. | Required | Must exactly match an existing vendor number in Business Central. A mismatch here will reject the entire row |
| Posting Date | Required | Date format must match your system's regional settings (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD). This controls which fiscal period the invoice posts to |
| Document Date | Recommended | The invoice date printed on the vendor's document |
| Due Date | Recommended | Used for payment scheduling and aging calculations |
| Vendor Invoice No. | Recommended | The vendor's own invoice number. Business Central can use this field for duplicate detection, preventing the same invoice from being imported twice |
| Currency Code | Conditional | Required only when the invoice currency differs from your company's local currency. The code must match a currency configured in Business Central |
Purchase Line Fields (Table 39)
The Purchase Line table stores the individual line items for each invoice. Every line must reference its parent header through the Document No. field.
| Field | Required? | Format / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Document Type | Required | Must be "Invoice" - matching the value in the corresponding header row |
| Document No. | Required | Must exactly match the No. from the corresponding Purchase Header row. This is how Business Central links lines to their parent invoice |
| Line No. | Required | Sequential numbering in increments of 10000 (e.g., 10000, 20000, 30000). This is a Business Central convention that leaves room for inserting lines later |
| Type | Required | Specifies the category of purchase. Common values: "G/L Account", "Item", "Charge (Item)" |
| No. | Required | The G/L account number, item number, or item charge number, depending on what you specified in the Type field |
| Quantity | Required for item lines | The number of units purchased |
| Direct Unit Cost | Required | Cost per unit before tax |
| Line Amount | Optional | If omitted, Business Central calculates it automatically from Quantity x Direct Unit Cost |
Posting Group Configuration
Beyond the fields listed above, vendors and items in Business Central must have their Gen. Bus. Posting Group and Gen. Prod. Posting Group assignments correctly configured before you import. These General Ledger posting groups tell Business Central which G/L accounts to debit and credit when the invoice posts. If a vendor or item is missing its posting group assignment, the import will fail with a posting group error that does not always clearly identify which record is misconfigured. Verify these assignments in the Vendor Card and Item Card pages before running your first import.
Formatting Pitfalls
Date formats, decimal separators, and currency codes must all match your Business Central configuration exactly. A system set to European formatting expects commas as decimal separators (e.g., 1.250,00), while North American configurations expect periods (e.g., 1,250.00). These formatting mismatches are the most common source of import failures because the data may look correct in your spreadsheet but fail validation when Business Central parses it.
When importing invoices in multiple currencies, verify that each Currency Code exists in Business Central's currency table and that exchange rates are current. Business Central applies the exchange rate from the Posting Date, so stale rates will produce incorrect local currency amounts on the ledger entries.
All of these fields assume you already have structured invoice data in a spreadsheet or CSV format, with columns mapped to the table fields above. Many businesses, however, receive invoices as PDFs, scanned documents, or email attachments that need to be converted into structured data before any import can begin.
Converting PDF Invoices to Import-Ready Data
The Configuration Packages workflow described above assumes your invoice data already exists in a structured Excel or CSV file. In practice, that is rarely the starting point. Most vendors send invoices as PDF attachments, scanned paper documents, or image files. Finance teams facing a stack of 200 PDF invoices and an empty Excel template have a data conversion problem to solve before any Business Central import can begin.
Three approaches exist for bridging this gap, each with distinct trade-offs for accuracy and throughput.
Manual data entry is the default for many AP teams. An operator opens each PDF invoice, reads the relevant fields, and types the values into the corresponding spreadsheet columns. This works when invoice volume is low, perhaps five to ten documents per week. At higher volumes, manual keying becomes a bottleneck. A single transposed digit in a vendor's bank account number or a misread tax amount creates reconciliation issues that surface days or weeks later. For teams processing dozens or hundreds of invoices per import cycle, manual entry does not scale.
Traditional OCR (Optical Character Recognition) can extract text from PDF and scanned documents, but basic OCR operates at the character level. It reads the text on a page without understanding the document's structure. A PDF invoice from Vendor A places the invoice number in the upper right corner; Vendor B puts it below the billing address. OCR extracts raw text from both, but it cannot reliably determine which text string corresponds to "Invoice Number," "Invoice Date," or "Total Amount" across varied layouts. The output still requires significant manual review and reformatting before it matches the structured columns your Configuration Package template expects.
AI-powered invoice data extraction addresses both limitations. Purpose-built extraction tools use AI models trained to understand invoice layouts, identify specific fields (invoice number, date, vendor name, net amount, tax, total, line items), and output the results as structured spreadsheets with correctly labeled columns. Unlike basic OCR, these tools handle varied vendor formats without requiring manual template configuration for each supplier. For a deeper comparison of available tools, see our guide to invoice data capture software.
An invoice data extraction tool that converts PDFs to structured spreadsheets fills this gap. With Invoice Data Extraction, you upload up to 6,000 mixed-format files (PDF, JPG, PNG) and use a natural language prompt to tell the AI exactly what to extract. For a D365 Business Central import, a prompt like "Extract invoice number, date, vendor name, net amount, tax, total" produces a structured Excel (.xlsx) or CSV (.csv) file with those fields as columns, one row per invoice. Processing runs at 1 to 8 seconds per page, so a batch of 500 invoices completes in minutes rather than the hours or days that manual keying would require. The full workflow for converting PDF invoices to Excel follows a straightforward upload, prompt, download sequence.
Once you have structured output from any of these methods, the remaining steps connect directly to the Configuration Packages workflow covered earlier:
- Map columns to Configuration Package fields. Open the extracted spreadsheet alongside the Configuration Package Excel template. Rename or reorder columns so that each extracted field aligns with the corresponding Purchase Header or Purchase Line field. For example, map "Vendor Name" to Buy-from Vendor No. (using the vendor's Business Central number), "Invoice Number" to Vendor Invoice No., and amount fields to Direct Unit Cost at the line level.
- Validate data formatting. Ensure dates follow the format Business Central expects, amounts use the correct decimal separator, and vendor numbers match existing records in your vendor master.
- Import via Configuration Packages. Load the mapped file into your Configuration Package and apply it using the process described in the previous section.
Even with clean, correctly structured data, imports can still fail when Business Central's validation rules reject specific field values or detect missing references. Below are the most common errors and how to resolve each one.
Fixing Common Invoice Import Validation Errors
Business Central validates every row of data during a Configuration Package import and flags errors before writing anything to the database. This is a safeguard, not a setback. The system catches problems early so they do not propagate into your general ledger. Understanding the most common error patterns and their fixes will save hours of troubleshooting and prevent repeated failed imports.
Here are the seven validation errors finance teams encounter most frequently.
No. Series conflicts. The Document No. values in your import file clash with the No. Series that Business Central has configured for purchase invoices. The system expects document numbers to follow a specific sequence, and imported numbers that overlap with existing or reserved ranges trigger a conflict. To fix this, either leave the Document No. column blank and let Business Central auto-assign numbers from its active No. Series, or confirm that the numbers in your file fall within an unused range in the No. Series setup (found under Purchase & Payables Setup).
Vendor not found. The Buy-from Vendor No. in your import file does not match any vendor record in Business Central. This typically happens when vendor codes differ between the source system and Business Central, or when vendors have not yet been created. Before importing, verify that every vendor number in your file exists in the Vendor List. Create any missing vendor records first, then reattempt the import.
Posting group errors. The vendor or line item is missing a required posting group assignment. Business Central requires Gen. Bus. Posting Group, Gen. Prod. Posting Group, and VAT or Tax group configurations to determine how transactions flow to the general ledger. If any of these are absent on the vendor card or item card, the import fails for that record. This is the most frequent error for organizations on new Business Central implementations where master data setup is still incomplete. Check each vendor card and item card for complete posting group assignments before running the import.
Date format mismatches. Date values in the import file do not conform to the format Business Central expects based on the server's regional settings. A file formatted as MM/DD/YYYY will fail on a system configured for DD/MM/YYYY. Check the system's regional settings under the Business Central admin center or server configuration. For import files, YYYY-MM-DD is the safest format because Business Central interprets it unambiguously regardless of regional configuration.
Decimal separator issues. Import files originating from different regional environments may use commas as decimal separators where Business Central expects periods, or the reverse. A unit cost entered as "1.250,00" will fail validation on a system expecting "1,250.00" (or vice versa). Ensure the decimal and thousands separators in your import file match the system's regional configuration. Standardize the file before import rather than adjusting system settings.
Duplicate invoice detection. If the Vendor Invoice No. already exists in Business Central for the same vendor, the system flags it as a potential duplicate entry. This prevents accidental double payments. Check the posted and unposted purchase invoices for that vendor to confirm whether the invoice has already been processed. If it is genuinely a new invoice with the same vendor reference number, resolve the conflict by updating the Vendor Invoice No. or removing the prior record before proceeding.
Field type mismatches. Text appearing in a numeric field, or a numeric value in a date field, causes an immediate validation failure. These errors are common when import files are manually edited in Excel and cell formatting changes the underlying data type. Verify that the data types in every column match the Configuration Package template definitions. Exporting the blank template from Business Central first (as described in the Configuration Packages section) provides correctly typed columns and eliminates most of these issues.
Prevent errors with a test batch. Before processing a full invoice import, run a small test batch of 5 to 10 invoices through the Configuration Package workflow. Review the validation report that Business Central generates, identify any recurring error patterns, apply the fixes described above, and then import the remaining invoices. This approach catches systemic issues (like a missing posting group on an entire vendor category) before they multiply across hundreds of records.
Once the data passes validation and is applied to the purchase invoice tables, the imported invoices still need to be reviewed and posted before they affect the general ledger.
Verifying and Posting Imported Purchase Invoices
Imported invoices land in Business Central as draft Purchase Invoices. They appear in the Purchase Invoices list but have zero effect on the general ledger or vendor balances until you explicitly post them. This buffer gives your team a window to review, correct, and approve every record before it hits the books.
Reviewing Draft Invoices
Work through these steps for each imported batch:
- Filter the Purchase Invoices list. Open the Purchase Invoices page and filter by posting date or document number range to isolate the records from your most recent import.
- Open each invoice and verify the header. Confirm the vendor name, vendor invoice number, posting date, due date, and currency code all match the original source document.
- Check line-level details. Walk through every line item and confirm quantities, unit costs, item or GL account assignments, and description fields. If you converted invoices from PDF using an extraction tool, cross-reference each line against the source files to catch any conversion artifacts.
- Validate tax and posting groups. Confirm that the VAT/tax product posting group, VAT/tax business posting group, and general posting group on each line are correct. Mismatched posting groups are among the most common causes of ledger discrepancies after posting.
Spot-checking a handful of invoices is not enough when importing in bulk. A single incorrect posting group applied across 200 lines will create a reconciliation problem that takes far longer to fix after posting than before.
Approval Workflows
If your organization has configured approval workflows in Business Central, imported invoices follow the same path as manually entered ones. There is no bypass. Workflows can be configured to trigger based on amount thresholds, specific vendors, purchasing departments, or any combination of these criteria.
Before importing a large batch, confirm with your system administrator that the approval workflow can handle the volume. A batch of 300 invoices all requiring individual approval from the same person can create a bottleneck that delays the entire posting cycle.
Posting Invoices to the General Ledger
Once invoices pass review and any required approvals, you have two posting options:
- Individual posting. Open the invoice and select Post. Use this for small imports or when you need to post selectively.
- Batch posting. From the Purchase Invoices list, select the invoices you want to post and use the Post Batch function. This is the practical choice for bulk imports.
Posted invoices move to the Posted Purchase Invoices list, create vendor ledger entries, and update the general ledger. The original draft documents are no longer editable. If you discover errors after posting, Business Central does not allow editing posted purchase invoices. You will need to create a purchase credit memo to reverse the incorrect invoice and then re-enter the corrected version.
Maintaining an Audit Trail
Business Central automatically records posted document entries, but your team should maintain its own import log, whether as a shared spreadsheet or a note attached to each Configuration Package, that tracks the date of each import, the number of invoices in the batch, and the source of the data (Configuration Package file name, OData feed, or PDF extraction output). This parallel record makes it straightforward to answer auditor questions about where a specific batch originated and when it entered the system.
Next Steps
For teams importing invoices on a recurring schedule, consider building a Power Automate flow that watches a shared folder or email inbox for new invoice files and triggers the ingestion step automatically. This removes the manual handoff between receiving invoices and loading them into Business Central.
For teams currently processing PDF invoices manually, the Configuration Package workflow described above applies directly once you have structured data from an extraction tool. If you have not yet run a test import, start with a small batch to validate field mappings and posting groups before scaling up.
For organizations managing multiple accounting platforms, the core import principles covered here transfer directly. The field names and tools differ, but the pattern of extracting structured data, mapping it to the target system's schema, and validating before posting applies whether you are working in Business Central or importing invoices into Xero. Build your process around that shared logic, and platform-specific variations become a configuration detail rather than a new project.
Related Articles
Financial Document Automation: A Practical Guide for Accountants
A practical guide to financial document automation for accountants and bookkeepers. Covers the automation stack, document-type pathways, and approaches compared by volume.
Three-Way Matching in Manufacturing: A Complete Guide
Three-way matching guide for manufacturing AP: partial shipments, blanket POs, quality gates, UoM mismatches, and tolerance thresholds by material category.
How to Scan Receipts to Excel: Complete Guide
Convert paper and digital receipts to Excel. Four methods compared, batch processing workflows, tax compliance fields, and accounting software import.
Extract invoice data to Excel with natural language prompts
Upload your invoices, describe what you need in plain language, and download clean, structured spreadsheets. No templates, no complex configuration.