GUIDE

What the checks mean

Pulsify checks every invoice before anyone approves it. Problems show next to the field they affect, and the invoice's status tells you how serious they are. This page covers every check and what to do about it.

8 min read · Updated October 2026 · Screenshots use example data

Reading the status

Every invoice in your queue shows a status. On hold, Returned and Failed replace Ready, Check and Needs fix when they apply.

StatusWhat it meansCan you approve?
ReadyNo serious problems. There may still be minor warnings inside.Yes
CheckAt least one error worth a look, like changed bank details or a possible duplicate.Yes, after you've checked it
Needs fixSomething Xero or MYOB requires is missing, like the supplier, date, due date or an account on a line.Not until it's fixed
FailedIt was approved, but Xero or MYOB refused it.Fix it, then approve again
On holdSomeone put it on hold from the status menu.Choose Clear on hold when you're ready
ReturnedAn approver sent it back. The status menu shows why.Yes, once it's sorted
AwaitingIt's waiting on another approver, named in the status. A step set to a role shows just Awaiting.Not your turn yet
The invoice queue with Check, Ready and Failed statuses
  1. 1 Check
  2. 2 Ready
  3. 3 Failed

For Returned and Failed, click the status to see why. The menu shows the approver's reason or the message from Xero or MYOB.

The status menu of a returned invoice showing the approver's reason
The status menu of a failed invoice showing the error from Xero

Errors and warnings

Inside an invoice, the header counts problems as errors (red) and warnings (amber), or shows All clear. Errors are the serious ones and turn the invoice to Check, unless it's already Needs fix. Warnings don't change its status. A line with an error or warning is highlighted in amber.

Clearing them. Most checks clear themselves once you fix the field they point to. A few are judgement calls, like a customer name that's spelled differently. Those stay until you click the small flag icon next to the message to dismiss them. The reference below says which is which.

The ones that matter most

Bank details have changed

The BSB or account number on the invoice doesn't match the supplier's details in Xero or MYOB. Changed bank details are one of the most common forms of invoice fraud: a scammer sends a real-looking invoice with their own account on it.

What to do: call the supplier on a number you already have, not one from the invoice or email, and ask them to confirm. If the change is genuine, update the supplier in Xero or MYOB. If not, reject the invoice.

An invoice where the BSB and account number differ from the supplier's details in the accounting system
  1. 1 The warning shows the details on file in your accounting system.
  2. 2 The BSB and account number read from this invoice.

Possible duplicate

Another invoice has the same invoice number and the same supplier, date or ABN. Pulsify checks invoices already in Pulsify and bills keyed straight into Xero or MYOB. The banner links to the match so you can compare.

What to do: if it's the same invoice, archive or reject this copy. If it's genuinely different, approve it. Pulsify asks Possible duplicate: approve anyway? first.

A duplicate warning banner linking to the matching invoice in Xero
The Possible duplicate: approve anyway? confirmation

Supplier not found

Pulsify couldn't match the supplier to a contact in Xero or MYOB. The invoice is marked Needs fix. Open the supplier list and pick the right contact. For a new supplier, click Create new supplier. Pulsify creates them in Xero or MYOB for you, with their ABN and, if you like, their bank details.

The supplier dropdown open with a Create new supplier option
The Create Vendor dialog with name, ABN and bank detail fields

ABN problems

Pulsify checks each supplier's ABN with the Australian Business Register. An invalid ABN is an error. A supplier charging GST without being registered for it is a warning. You can't claim that GST back, so ask for a corrected invoice.

An ABN is invalid warning on the supplier's tax ID
A warning that the supplier's ABN is not registered for GST but the invoice includes tax

Sender not verified

A red band across the invoice means the email that brought it failed the checks that prove who sent it. It may be spoofed. Treat it like changed bank details and confirm with the supplier before you approve. Files you upload yourself never show this.

A warning that Pulsify could not verify the email came from the sender it claims

Every check, A to Z

Messages appear exactly as written here. Text in curly brackets is filled in with the supplier, number or amount.

Supplier and ABN

For suppliers outside Australia, ABN in the Vendor messages reads NZBN, VAT ID or Tax ID instead.

“Couldn't find vendor {name}, please select a match”

Error

The supplier on the invoice doesn't match a contact in Xero or MYOB. The invoice is marked Needs fix. What to do: Pick the right supplier from the list, or click Create new supplier.

Clears when fixed

“Vendor ABN couldn't be verified as no match was found”

Error

No supplier is picked yet. The ABN can't be checked against a contact. What to do: Pick the supplier. The check then runs against their contact.

Clears when fixed

“Vendor ABN does not match. Document: X, System: Y”

Error

The ABN on the invoice is different from the one on the supplier's contact. What to do: Check you picked the right supplier. If the supplier has a new ABN, confirm it with them and update the contact.

Clears when fixed

“Tax ID is missing from the document”

Error

There's no ABN on the invoice. The message may end with the ABN saved on the supplier's contact. What to do: Ask the supplier for a valid tax invoice. Without an ABN you may need to withhold tax.

Clears when fixed

“ABN is invalid”

Error

The ABN is badly formed or the Australian Business Register doesn't show it as active. What to do: Compare it with the document in case it was misread. If the invoice is wrong, ask the supplier for a corrected one.

Clears when fixed

“Vendor ABN isn't recorded in your accounting system, please confirm”

Warning

The invoice has an ABN but the supplier's contact in Xero or MYOB doesn't. What to do: Add the ABN to the contact. Future invoices can then be checked against it.

Clears when fixed

“ABN is not registered for GST, but the document includes tax”

Warning

The supplier charged GST without being registered for it. What to do: Don't claim the GST. Ask the supplier for a corrected invoice.

Clears when fixed

“Unable to validate ABN (ABR API unavailable)”

Warning

The Australian Business Register didn't respond. The ABN couldn't be checked. What to do: Try again later. Any change you save on the invoice runs the check again.

Clears when fixed

A warning that the vendor ABN is not recorded in the accounting system
A warning that the vendor ABN does not match the one in the accounting system
A warning that the ABN could not be validated because the ABR was unavailable

Bank details

“BSB / routing code differs from {supplier}'s details in your accounting system ({BSB})”

Error

The BSB on the invoice isn't the one saved for this supplier. What to do: Call the supplier on a number you already have and confirm before paying.

Clears when fixed

“Account number differs from {supplier}'s details in your accounting system ({account number})”

Error

The account number on the invoice isn't the one saved for this supplier. What to do: As above. Treat it as possible fraud until confirmed.

Clears when fixed

Dates and numbers

“Invoice date is missing”

Error

Pulsify couldn't find a date. The invoice is marked Needs fix. What to do: Type the date in from the document.

Clears when fixed

“Due date is missing”

Error

Pulsify couldn't find a due date. The invoice is marked Needs fix. What to do: Type it in, or work it out from the supplier's payment terms.

Clears when fixed

“Invoice number is missing”

Error

Pulsify couldn't find an invoice number. What to do: Type it in. Without it, duplicate checks can't work.

Clears when fixed

“This document may be a duplicate of an existing document”

Error

Another invoice has the same number and the same supplier, date or ABN. The amount isn't used. What to do: Open the match and compare. Archive or reject the copy, or dismiss the warning if it's genuinely different.

Dismiss with the flag

Invoice number, invoice date and due date all flagged as missing
An invoice header showing Needs fix and 3 errors

Totals, tax and customer

“Line items don't add up to the invoice total, off by $X.”

Note

The lines add up to a different amount from the invoice total. What to do: Look for a missed line, often freight or a surcharge, or a misread quantity. You can't approve until the lines add up.

Clears when fixed

“Extracted tax not found (X%)”

Warning

The tax rate on a line doesn't match any tax code in your accounting software. What to do: Pick the right tax code for the line, then dismiss the warning.

Dismiss with the flag

“Customer on invoice does not match your profile”

Warning

The invoice looks addressed to a different business. What to do: If it's for another company, move or reject it. If it's just a different spelling of your name, dismiss the warning.

Dismiss with the flag

“This account was archived. Pick a different account before approving.”

Note

The account on this line was archived in Xero or MYOB. What to do: Pick an active account. You can't approve until you do.

Clears when fixed

A note under the line items that they do not add up to the invoice total
A line flagged with Extracted tax not found (15%)
A warning that the customer on the invoice does not match your company

Credit notes

Pulsify calls credit notes adjustment notes on screen.

“Adjustment note is missing an original invoice.”

Warning

The credit note doesn't say which invoice it reduces. What to do: Pick the original invoice if you know it.

Clears when fixed

“Invoice ({number}) not found in your accounting system”

Error

The credit note names an invoice that isn't in Xero or MYOB. What to do: Check the number. The original may not have been entered yet.

Clears when fixed

“Adjustment note total exceeds the original invoice total.”

Error

The credit is bigger than the invoice it's against. What to do: Check both amounts with the supplier before approving.

Dismiss with the flag

A credit note whose original invoice was not found in the accounting system
A credit note missing its original invoice
A credit note whose total is more than the original invoice

Purchase orders

PO checks only run if your company has purchase orders in Xero or MYOB and PO checks are turned on. They don't change an invoice's status. On MYOB a supplier mismatch can also block Approve. Description differences show even with PO checks off. See Match invoices to POs for screenshots of each.

“PO number is missing”

Warning

No PO is linked and none is printed on the invoice. What to do: Pick the PO from the PO # list, or ignore it if this supplier doesn't need one.

Clears when fixed

“PO ({number}) not found in your accounting system”

Warning

The invoice quotes a PO number that isn't in Xero or MYOB. What to do: Check the number with the person who ordered.

Clears when fixed

“Matched {number}, but it belongs to {supplier}, not this bill's supplier.”

Warning

The PO exists but was raised to a different supplier. This shows on MYOB, which won't accept the PO on this bill. If you pick the PO yourself, the message reads "This purchase order belongs to {supplier}, not this bill's supplier." What to do: Pick the right PO or the right supplier.

Clears when fixed

“Matched {number}, but it is closed, so it can't be linked to this bill.”

Warning

The invoice quotes a PO that is closed in Xero or MYOB. What to do: Check whether the PO should be reopened or the supplier quoted the wrong number.

Clears when fixed

“Not on the purchase order. Nothing on this order covers it.”

Warning

A line on the invoice isn't on the linked PO. What to do: Pick its line in the PO line column. If the extra was agreed, you can still approve.

Clears when fixed

“Exceeds PO by {amount}”

Warning

More has been billed than the PO line ordered, counting earlier approved invoices. A line billed for fewer units isn't flagged. What to do: Check what was delivered before approving.

Clears when fixed

“PO price is $X each”

Warning

The price billed is different from the PO price. What to do: Check the price with the supplier or the person who ordered.

Clears when fixed

“Description can't be matched to PO”

Warning

The item on the invoice looks like a different item from the one ordered. What to do: Check it's the right item. Dismiss the warning if it is.

Dismiss with the flag

“Line balances are incomplete: {amount} from earlier approved invoices has no PO-line match.”

Warning

Earlier approved invoices were billed against this PO without being matched to its lines. The line balances may be out. What to do: Check the balances against the PO before approving.

A banner saying one or more line item descriptions differ from matched context

Price lists and email

“Price list: $X each”

Warning

The unit price is different from the supplier's price list. On tax-inclusive bills the message ends "ex tax". What to do: Check the price with the supplier. This one can't be dismissed.

“Not in price list”

Note

This line isn't on the supplier's price list. What to do: Nothing, unless you expected it to be listed.

“We could not verify this email came from the sender it claims to be from.”

Note

The email failed the checks that prove who sent it. It may be spoofed. What to do: Confirm with the supplier on a number you already have.

Only Needs fix problems and the few others the Approve button lists, like line items that don't add up to the total, stop you approving. Everything else is there to help you decide.

Common questions

Can I approve an invoice that has warnings?

Yes, unless it's marked Needs fix. Needs fix means something the accounting software requires is missing, like the supplier or the date. The Approve button lists what to fix first. For a possible duplicate, Pulsify asks you to confirm before it approves.

Where does Pulsify get the bank details it compares against?

From the supplier's contact in Xero or MYOB. Keep those details up to date and the check stays accurate.

What does Failed mean in the queue?

Pulsify tried to send the approved invoice to Xero or MYOB and it was refused, for example because the connection was lost. Open the invoice to see why, fix it and approve again.

Can I turn the PO checks off?

Yes. Go to Settings, General for your company and turn off PO checks. Your POs and PO links are kept, and the warnings come back if you turn it on again.

Stuck on something?

Book a call and we'll set it up with you.

Next: Match invoices to POs → Book a call