Purpose

This article provides general instructions for investigating situations where:

• SmartPDF fails to identify the supplier, and
• BTimport/AP Automation also fails to match the supplier
  based on the data extracted from an invoice PDF.

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1. Symptoms

You may encounter one or both of the following:

• SmartPDF cannot match the supplier during PDF processing.
• BTimport/AP Automation rejects the invoice from automatic matching because the supplier cannot be identified.
• The error message may indicate an unmatched supplier, a no-supplier found error, or supplier ambiguity.

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2. Common Cause

The supplier data on the PDF does not sufficiently match the supplier master data in AP.

Typical mismatches include:

• Supplier name differs (alternate name, brand name, abbreviation, trade name).
• Supplier address partially matches, but name does not.
• Supplier record in AP exists, but with a different naming convention.
• Supplier uses multiple legal entities, but the invoice shows a variation.

When SmartPDF cannot confidently match the supplier, the invoice is passed to AP Automation, which also fails if the master data does not meet the matching criteria.

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3. Steps to Verify on the AP Side

Step 1 — Identify the Receiving Organization

Check which organization the invoice was sent to (example: from PDF metadata or routing details).

In AP:

1. Navigate to Administration → Suppliers.
2. Select the correct organization/unit to which the invoice belongs.

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Step 2 — Search for the Expected Supplier

Search for the supplier based on information extracted from the PDF:

• Supplier name
• Address (street, ZIP code, city)
• Supplier number if known

Typical findings:

• The address matches, but
• The supplier name does not match the name printed on the PDF.

If the PDF shows one supplier name, but the master data includes a different name, SmartPDF cannot validate it.

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4. Root Cause Explanation

SmartPDF and AP Automation both rely on matching:

• Supplier name
• Supplier address
• Supplier identifiers (if available)

If the name on the invoice differs from the name in the supplier master data—even when the address matches—the system will not identify the supplier.

Examples include:

• Legal name vs. trading name
• Subsidiary vs. parent company name
• Old name vs. rebranded name
• Vendor uses different names per region

Because of this mismatch, the system cannot automatically assign the supplier, resulting in a "supplier not found" situation.

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5. Resolution

Option A — Update Supplier Master Data

If the invoice name is a valid alternative or trading name:

• Add it to the supplier master record (alias, alternate name field, or note—depending on system rules).
• Ensure the name variations used on invoices are recorded so SmartPDF can match them.

Option B — Request Clarification From the Vendor

If the PDF includes a name that does not belong to the contracted supplier:

• Request the supplier to use the correct legal/registered name on invoices.

Option C — Manual Supplier Assignment

Where no correction is possible:

• Manually assign the supplier in AP.
• Send feedback via SmartPDF Feedback Report to improve extraction rules (if needed).

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6. Prevention

To reduce future mismatches:

• Keep supplier master data up to date with all known name variations.
• Communicate naming requirements to suppliers.
• Ensure AP teams review SmartPDF feedback reports regularly.