Invoice checker
Go through an invoice field by field before you pay it: the arithmetic, the VAT, the dates and payment details, and how the prices compare with the contract or rate card you agreed.
Why check an invoice at all
Most invoices are correct, and most errors are honest. But an invoice is prepared by someone else's system from someone else's data, and once it is paid the money is gone and the conversation becomes a credit note negotiation. Ten minutes of checking before payment is cheaper than a recovery afterwards.
The risk grows with volume. A single wrong unit price on a monthly recurring invoice quietly repeats for a year before anyone notices.
An invoice checking checklist
Supplier and payment details
Confirm the supplier is one you deal with, that the registration and tax numbers match your records, and that the bank account is the account you have used before. A changed bank account on a familiar invoice deserves a phone call to a number you already have, not the one on the invoice.
Invoice number and dates
Check the invoice number has not been used before — duplicate invoices are one of the most common causes of double payment. Check the invoice date, the supply date and the due date, and that the payment terms match what was agreed.
Line items
For every line, confirm that the item was actually delivered, the quantity matches the delivery note or timesheet, the unit is the one you buy in, and the unit price is the agreed price. This is where most real money is found.
VAT
Check that the rate applied is the rate that should apply, that VAT was calculated on the net amount rather than on a gross figure, and that mixed rates on one invoice are grouped and summed correctly.
Totals
Recalculate the net subtotal, the VAT and the gross total from the lines and compare with what is printed. A total that does not follow from its own lines is worth querying whatever the explanation turns out to be.
Checking against a contract or rate card
- 1Upload the invoice you received.
- 2Upload the contract, rate card or agreed pricing it should follow.
- 3Each priced line is compared with the agreed price for that item.
- 4Differences are listed with the figures and the source text behind them.
- 5You review each finding and decide what to query with the supplier.
Findings are worded carefully on purpose. The tool reports what differs and shows why; it does not assert that a supplier has overcharged you.
Where the invoice checker fits
Use the invoice calculator when you want to confirm the arithmetic, and the invoice checker when you want to compare an invoice against what was agreed. Most people use both on the same document: first that it adds up, then that it matches the contract.
Frequently asked questions
- What should I check on an invoice before paying?
- Check the supplier details and bank account, the invoice number and dates, the quantities and unit prices on each line, the VAT rate and VAT amount, the net subtotal, the gross total, and whether the prices match what was agreed.
- How do I verify an invoice total?
- Recalculate it: quantity times unit price for every line, add the line totals for the net subtotal, apply VAT per rate, then add net and VAT. Compare that result with the total printed on the invoice.
- How do I check an invoice against a contract?
- Upload both the invoice and the agreed contract or rate card. Each priced line is compared with the agreed price and differences are listed with the evidence behind them so you can judge each one.
- What are the most common invoice errors?
- Duplicate invoices, quantities that do not match what was delivered, prices above the agreed rate card, the wrong VAT rate, VAT applied to an already-gross amount, and old surcharges that were never removed.
- Does ChargeAlign tell me an invoice is wrong?
- No. It points out where a figure differs from what was calculated or agreed and shows the evidence. Whether that is an error, a legitimate variation or a rounding convention is a judgement for you and, where needed, your accountant.
ChargeAlign highlights differences and shows the evidence behind them. It does not determine whether a charge is valid and does not provide tax, accounting or legal advice.
Related calculators and checks
Work out line totals, net subtotal, VAT and the gross invoice total.
VAT calculatorAdd VAT to a net price or take VAT back out of a gross price.
Invoice calculator from a photoUpload a photo or PDF, review what was read, then calculate.
Invoice discrepancy checkerSee where a stated amount differs from the calculated amount.