Invoice Upload
Overview
The Vendor Portal Invoice Upload feature allows your vendor partners (e.g. trucking companies, airlines, shipping lines, insurance providers) to upload their invoices directly into Fr8Labs.
This feature is designed to:
Reduce manual email exchanges and PDF chasing
Ensure invoices are matched to the correct Job Number
Prevent unauthorized or unrelated invoice uploads
Streamline the handover from Vendor → Operations → Accounting
Maintain document traceability in the Document Center
The uploaded invoices will appear in your Fr8Labs system with status “Unsaved”, pending internal review.
This document explains:
How vendor invoice uploads work
What controls are built into the system
What your internal team must do after upload
How invoice status flows into accounting
Vendor Portal Invoice Upload Guide
This documentation is written for internal teams of Fr8labs customers. You can share the this Vendor Portal Invoice guide with your vendors to educate them on how to upload invoices in Fr8labs Vendor Portal.
How It Works
High-Level Workflow
Vendor logs into Vendor Portal
Vendor clicks Upload Invoice
Vendor enters a valid Job Number
Vendor fills invoice details and uploads PDF
Invoice is created in Fr8Labs with status Unsaved
Ops/Accounting reviews and completes invoice
Invoice becomes Draft
From Draft onward, invoice behaves like a normal Purchase Invoice
Vendor Side – Invoice Upload Process
Step 1 – Login to Vendor Portal
Vendor logs in via:
Vendor Portal Login Page
Step 2 – Navigate to Invoice Tracking
After login:
Click Invoice Tracking
Click + Upload Invoice
Invoice Tracking Page with Upload Invoice Button
Step 3 – Enter Job Number
A pop-up will appear:
Enter Job Number
Click Continue
Upload Invoice – Enter Job Number Popup
Important System Validation
The Job Number must:
Exist in Fr8Labs
Have at least one Job Estimation line item
That line item must list this vendor as the Buy Partner
If these conditions are not met:
❌ Vendor cannot proceed
This ensures:
Vendors cannot upload invoices indiscriminately
Invoices are tied to valid cost lines
Internal cost control is maintained
Step 4 – Fill in Invoice Details
Once Job Number is validated, the vendor will see the upload form.
Invoice Upload Form
Job Details
The following fields are auto-displayed for reference:
Job No.
Job Date
Shipment Type (e.g. Ocean Export)
Shipment Mode (e.g. CONSOL)
Origin
Destination
These are read-only.
Required Fields
Vendor must complete:
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Vendor Invoice No | Vendor’s official invoice reference |
Invoice Date | Invoice issue date |
Due Date | Payment due date |
Amount Before Tax | Total invoice amount before tax |
Invoice File | PDF upload |
Item Codes | Select matching job estimation item from dropdown list. (Based on Job Estimation) |
Amount Before Tax Field
Currency is auto-defined based on system configuration.
Vendor enters the total invoice amount before tax.
System Validation:
If Invoice Amount Before Tax > Job Estimation Total Before Tax → ❌ Error shown
If Invoice Amount Before Tax < Job Estimation Total Before Tax → ✅ Allowed
Example Error:
Amount Validation Error
This prevents vendors from invoicing beyond approved cost estimation.
Multiple Invoices Option
Vendor may click:
➕ Another Invoice
This allows uploading multiple invoices in a single submission.
Important: All invoices for one job must be submitted together in one submission.
A confirmation message will appear before final submission. “Important: All vendor invoices for this job must be uploaded together in one submission. Please review carefully as we cannot accept partial submissions or post-submission changes.”
Submit Confirmation Popup
Step 5 – Submit
Vendor clicks:
Confirm & Submit
At this stage:
Invoice record is created in Fr8Labs
Status = Unsaved
Invoice PDF is stored in Document Center
Accounting entry is NOT yet created
Internal Team – What Happens Next?
Once vendor submits:
Your Ops / Accounting team must process the invoice.
Where to Find Uploaded Vendor Invoices
Two locations:
Option 1 – From Job
Go to:
Shipment → Open Job → Accounting Tab
Job Accounting Tab Showing Vendor Invoice Unsaved
You will see:
Invoice No
Partner
Status = Unsaved
Option 2 – Accounting List
Go to:
👉 https://user.fr8labs.co/en/accounting/list-accounting-documents
Filter:
Vendor Invoice
Status = Unsaved
Accounting List Page
Step 6 – Review and Complete Invoice
Click into the unsaved invoice.
Vendor Invoice Detail Page
You must:
Verify invoice PDF
Confirm amount
Select Bank Account (if applicable)
Confirm Posting Date
Confirm Due Date
Check cost allocation
Review tax
Critical Step – Click Save
When internal team clicks:
Save Changes
Status changes from:
❌ Unsaved
→ ✅ Draft
⚠ Only after Save does the invoice become a true accounting document.
Before Save:
It is NOT posted
It does NOT hit GL
It is not a formal Purchase Invoice
After Draft Status
Once Draft:
The invoice behaves like any other Purchase Invoice:
You may:
Submit
Post
Make Payment Entry
Allocate Advance
Create Debit Note / Credit Note
Refer to the Accounting Manual for full invoice lifecycle
Status Flow Summary
Stage | Who | Status | Accounting Created? |
|---|---|---|---|
Vendor uploads | Vendor | Unsaved | No |
Internal review | Ops/Accounting | Unsaved | No |
Click Save | Accounting | Draft | Yes |
Submit | Accounting | Submitted | Yes |
Post | Accounting | Posted | Yes |
Controls & Safeguards
1. Job Number Validation
Prevents unrelated invoice uploads.
2. Buy Partner Validation
Vendor must match estimation Buy Partner.
3. Estimation Cap Control
Invoice amount cannot exceed approved estimation.
4. Item Code Restriction
Vendor can only select predefined cost items.
5. Internal Confirmation Required
Accounting must review before invoice becomes valid.
Examples
Example 1 – Underbilling
Job Estimation:
ADM – Admin Fees – SGD 1,000
OAD – Additional Charges – SGD 500
Vendor uploads:
Invoice SGD 1,400
Selects both items
System:
✅ Accepts
Internal team:
Saves invoice
Invoice becomes Draft
Example 2 – Overbilling
Job Estimation:
ADM – SGD 1,000
Vendor uploads:
Invoice SGD 1,200
System:
❌ Error – Amount exceeds estimation
Vendor must revise.
Best Practices & Notes
1. Educate Vendors Clearly
Explain:
They must use correct Job Number
They must upload ALL invoices together
2. Do Not Skip Save Step
If team forgets to click Save:
Invoice remains unusable
Will not appear properly in accounting
FAQ
Q1: Can vendors upload invoices without job estimation?
No. The job must contain at least one estimation line where the vendor is the Buy Partner.
Q2: Can vendors upload multiple invoices separately?
No. All invoices for that job must be uploaded together in one submission.
Q3: Why is invoice status “Unsaved”?
Because accounting has not reviewed and confirmed the invoice yet.
Q4: Does vendor upload create accounting entry automatically?
No. Only after internal Save does it become a Draft Purchase Invoice.
Q5: Can vendor upload amount lower than estimation?
Yes. System allows lower amounts.
Q6: Where is the PDF stored?
In the Fr8Labs Document Center, linked to the invoice record.
Documentation owner: Fr8Labs Customer Success. Formatting reviewed: 21 September 2026; product behaviour not reverified in this formatting pass.