The ABRA Flexi web interface offers the ability to import received invoices by uploading PDF files received from suppliers. This guide shows you how to proceed and how to extract information from a PDF.

You can use any PDF from any system for the import. The PDF must contain readable data in the form of strings and numbers — not as an embedded image. For this example, we will use a PDF generated from issued invoices in ABRA Flexi; download the example here.

Importing from PDF files is currently only available in the Received Invoices register. Implementation for the Issued Invoices register is planned for a future release.

Open the Received Invoices register, for example by using the search bar in the header of the web interface. In the register, create a new document by clicking the New button.

TIP: You can also create a new received invoice directly from the main Dashboard page by clicking New.

To display the PDF preview panel, you need to enable the appropriate Form Variant — With attachment preview. Form Variants can be selected in the upper right corner of the document detail view.

The new received invoice detail view then provides a panel for uploading the PDF.

You can drag the PDF directly from a folder on your computer into the upload area using Drag & Drop, or click the upload area to open a file browser dialog.

By clicking on individual items in the loaded PDF, you can transfer data into ABRA Flexi.

For example, clicking directly on the due date will prompt ABRA Flexi to suggest the available date fields where the value can be inserted.

Selecting the Due Date option will automatically populate the corresponding Due Date field in the web interface form.

Repeat this process for all the data you want to extract from the PDF into ABRA Flexi. A successfully processed value in the PDF is marked with a green circle containing a checkmark. For example, importing the Tax Base (standard rate) amount will automatically populate the VAT and Total Amount fields as well.

Data extracted from the PDF can be edited before being saved to ABRA Flexi. In our example, the Company ID (IČ) and VAT ID (DIČ) appear as a single string. Before importing into ABRA Flexi, you must therefore split these values and enter them into their respective fields.

Warning: ABRA Flexi does not validate the correctness of data mapping. In other words, it does not check whether the amounts match or whether they have been entered into the correct fields. It is the user's responsibility to verify that the data from the PDF has been mapped to the appropriate fields in ABRA Flexi.

Any data that cannot be extracted from the PDF can be entered manually in the usual way. Once all the data has been filled in, simply save the document. The PDF will be saved as an attachment to the document, and you can return to make edits at any time.

If this solution does not meet your needs, partner solutions are available that make the import process even easier. Options include reading PDF (printed) documents via QR code, or automatically extracting data using Elis by Rossum:

Document import using a QR code reader

Automatic document import using Elis by Rossum

Can I upload an ISDOC file with an embedded PDF (generated by the Pohoda system)?

Unfortunately, this file cannot be uploaded directly at this time. You must first export the PDF from the ISDOC file and then upload the PDF on its own.

Can I import a scanned (photographed) document?

Unfortunately, importing from an image is not supported. The file must be a PDF with accessible text fields — not an image embedded in a PDF. For documents in image format, please use the partner solutions listed above.

I cannot import a job/project reference from a PDF.

In ABRA Flexi, the job/project reference on a received invoice is simply a number linking to the job register. It cannot currently be imported from a PDF and must be entered manually.

If you have any questions about the application, please contact us at podporaflexi@abra.eu or via the chat window in the bottom right corner.