Summary
Learn how to review a BPAY invoice that Invoice Automate has matched to a property and creditor.
This article covers:
About BPAY invoices in Invoice Automate
BPAY invoices include a Biller Code and a Customer Reference Number (CRN) (often called a “Reference”). These details identify the bill and where the payment should be applied. BPAY billers may use a single CRN for an account or a different CRN per bill, so it’s important to use the CRN shown on the invoice you’re processing.
Note: If your BPAY reference/CRN is entered incorrectly (or against the wrong creditor/property), your trust accounting software may reject the invoice, or the payment may not reconcile as expected.
Before you start
To process a BPAY invoice successfully, your BPAY creditor must be configured correctly.
In your property management/trust accounting system, confirm the creditor is set up as an authorised BPAY creditor (if your platform requires an authorisation flag)
Confirm the creditor record includes the correct:
Biller Code (BPAY biller identifier)
Reference/CRN (the customer reference used to identify the account or bill)
If your workflow stores BPAY references per property, confirm the correct CRN is saved against the correct property (not just the creditor)
Enable the BPAY validation add-on in Invoice Automate
Tip: Because some BPAY billers change the CRN for each bill, always cross‑check the CRN displayed on the invoice before approval.
Upload and open the invoice to review the auto-filled details
Once the creditor is configured, upload the invoice to start the approval workflow
In Invoice Automate > Go to the Dashboard > Select Invoices that need to be approved
Click the invoice from the list on the left to load it
Use the preview tools as needed:
Full screen (for easier reading)
Zoom in/Zoom out
Scroll and pan the invoice to confirm key fields
In the right‑hand panel, review the pre-filled, such as:
Property address and assigned property manager
Description (editable)
Tips:
Hover your mouse icon over the values and click to edit them
Use consistent descriptions for reporting and owner communications (especially for recurring bills like council/water)
Owner details (these typically prefill once the property is selected)
Review any owner communication options shown under Owner details
Enabling Notify the owner that the bill is received will trigger an automated email. Leave it unticked if you don’t want to send owner communications for that invoice
Creditor details (ensure the creditor is correct for this invoice)
Payment details including Due date, Amount(s), and BPAY Biller Code (where applicable)
Note: All changes are automatically saved, and a confirmation message will appear at the top of the screen.
Validate BPAY reference details
This is the key BPAY‑specific check: ensure the BPAY details on the invoice match what your trust accounting system expects.
Locate the BPAY section on the invoice (shown as Biller Code)
Confirm the Biller Code matches what’s stored for that creditor (and property, if applicable)
If the biller uses variable CRNs, confirm the CRN on this invoice matches the CRN being used for this bill (not an older bill)
Approve the BPAY invoice
Once you’ve confirmed details (especially BPAY Biller Code and Reference/CRN), approve the invoice.
Choose one of the approval actions at the bottom of the screen:
Approve - approves the invoice and returns you to the dashboard
Approve & Next - approves the current invoice and opens the next invoice in the queue
If your workflow requires escalation, you may also see an option like:
Send for PM approval
Note: After approval, the invoice is sent back to or synced with your connected trust accounting platform for processing.
What’s next?
Learn how to customise your invoice descriptions by accessing the description library located in the Settings tab. This allows you to create tailored descriptions that enhance your invoicing process.