What to check when invoice lines do not add up
Compare the original invoice, captured summary and individual line values before changing a total. Then check tax treatment, allocations and supported rounding corrections.
Start with the original invoice
Confirm that all pages belong to the same invoice and that continuation pages are present. Find the supplier’s net, tax and total amounts. Check whether the lines are before or after tax, and whether delivery, discounts or other charges sit outside the main table.
A PDF with several invoices needs correct document grouping before any accounting check. Automatic PDF splitting covers the source-document step.
Compare one level at a time
| Check | What it can reveal |
|---|---|
| Invoice identity and pages | A missing continuation page or wrong document boundary |
| Printed summary and captured summary | A source total or tax amount read incorrectly |
| Printed lines and captured rows | Missing, repeated or incorrect line values |
| Quantities and units | A pack size or quantity error |
| Selected tax treatment | A correct source value producing a different coded result |
| Allocations and edits | A manual change that no longer matches the intended amount |
Keep source corrections and accounting decisions separate. A line can be captured correctly while a selected tax code changes the coded sum.
Use a small example to isolate the problem
An invoice with net lines of £80, £240 and £15 totals £335. If the captured net lines total £320, look first for the £15 delivery line or another source difference. If the net lines match but tax differs, inspect the tax treatment before changing the net amount.
Bill Split replaces captured lines with the allocation you define. Review its output as an allocation, then compare its total with the intended amount. Compare Bill Split with document splitting.
Use a supported correction for rounding
Establish that the difference is rounding from the source and coding first. Current product guidance describes adjustment lines for Xero and non-US QuickBooks Online, with separate tax-only handling. Use the correction route available for the connected accounting software and leave a reason the next reviewer can understand.
Check the validation setting
With Validate totals enabled, documented line-item and tax-summary mismatches can block export. The Invoice Total indicator has a different informational role. A balanced set of rows still needs a source and accounting review.
Inspect the corrected result
Compare the source, invoice summary and coded rows again. During setup or a problem investigation, open the resulting accounting record and confirm the amount, detail and organisation. For a recurring cause, review the saved rule or source preparation that created it.
