Set up bill intake

Set up how bills enter the system and how they are structured from the start. This helps ensure invoices are captured consistently and processed correctly.

Required user role: Technical admin
Required permissions:Payer administrator

Connect a bill collection email

Create an email inbox to receive invoices. Tipalti uploads invoices sent to this email to Bills as Pending review.

Explore other options for collecting invoices.

Set up the email inbox

1. Go to Administration → Bill settings → Bill collection via email.
   
2. Click Add email account.
   If you have multiple entities, select the setup that matches your AP structure:

• General email (no entity): Best for centralized AP teams managing invoices across all entities. All invoices go to one shared inbox.
  • Bills are created without an entity (this is expected)
  • Tipalti assigns the entity later during processing when enough details are available, or your AP team can assign it during review
  • Users can only view or manage bills for entities selected in the Set entities setting
• Per-entity email: Best when each entity has its own AP process or when you want more control and accuracy.
  • Select an entity from the dropdown to create a dedicated inbox 
  • Bills are automatically assigned to that entity when received

Connect the mailbox

Choose one option:

Not sure which to select? Choose based on how your company email is set up:

• Select Google or Microsoft email if your organization uses Gmail (Google Workspace) or Outlook or Office 365.
• Select Company email (IMAP) if you use another provider (for example, Yahoo or a custom company email).

Google or Microsoft email

Use this option to connect the mailbox using single sign-on (SSO).

1. For Google email, send these instructions to your IT Admin.
2. Click Sign in with Google or Sign in with Microsoft.
3. Select I’ve verified Tipalti as a trusted app.
   
4. Complete the connection steps. 

Company email (IMAP)

Use this option to connect a company mailbox using IMAP credentials.

1. Enter:
   • Email address
   • Password (use the Eye icon to reveal it)
   • IMAP username
   • IMAP port (default: 993. To change it, contact Tipalti Support)
     
2. Click Sign in to connect the mailbox.

After setup

Share the mailbox email address with payees so they can send invoices.

Each email can include multiple attachments, and each attachment creates a separate bill.

File requirements

Learn about invoice attachment guidelines.

Define bill custom fields

Custom fields appear on bill headers and bill lines, and support bill coding, approvals, reporting, and ERP sync.

Finance teams use custom fields to improve coding accuracy, standardize invoice processing, enforce approvals and controls, and enable more flexible reporting.

Where to apply custom fields

Apply fields at the bill level when a single value applies to the entire bill, or at the bill line level when values differ by line item.

To apply fields to purchase orders, select PO or PO line. For PO-backed bills, some field behavior may differ, such as whether a field is editable or required during approval.

Field categories and approval behavior

Custom field behavior during approval depends on the selected category.

Other (default)
Fields are not editable by approvers and are optional during approval.

Coding
Behavior depends on the field type:

• List fields are editable and required during approval
• Free text and date fields are not editable and are optional for non-PO bills

For PO-matched bills, coding fields must be completed during approval.

Taxation
Fields are not editable and are optional during approval.

Value types

Conditional logic

Custom fields do not support conditional logic.

You cannot configure rules such as:

• If field A = value X, then field B shows filtered values

All configured values remain visible.

List limitations

• ID: max 100 characters, letters/numbers/spaces only
• Display name: max 100 characters

Deleting a list value can remove it from existing records. To preserve history, disable values in your ERP or manage via APIs.

Manage values and integrations

Custom field values can be managed through:

• ERP sync or integrations
• Integration templates (Custom field values file)
• APIs

If values are managed through your ERP or integration, update them in the source system to avoid sync conflicts.

Where values are set

For bills, custom field values can be set through the UI, CSV imports, or APIs.

Additional considerations

• Changes to custom fields can affect approvals, integrations, and reporting
• Keep values consistent to maintain routing and reporting accuracy

Set bill field defaults

Set account-wide defaults for currency and tax handling.

Set USD as the default currency

When enabled:

• New bills default to USD
• Bills without a detected currency are set to USD
• You can override detected currency from invoice scans

This setting is available for USD only and applies to the entire account.

1. Go to Administration → Bill settings → Bill field settings.
   
2. Select Set USD as the default currency.
3. (Optional) Select Override the currency captured from the invoice scan.
   
4. Click Save.

Allow tax amount editing

Allow AP to enter a tax amount that differs from calculated tax codes.

Enable this option when:

• Invoice tax does not match available tax codes
• Adjustments are required

1. Go to Administration → Bill settings → Bill field settings.
2. Select Can enter tax amounts that don't match the selected tax codes.
   
3. Click Save.

When USD is selected automatically

• When creating a bill manually
• When no currency is detected during scanning
• When override is enabled, even if a different currency is detected

Result

• Invoices are received automatically
• Bills follow a consistent structure
• Default settings reduce manual work and errors

Common questions

Bill collection email

Bill custom fields

Default currency and tax