At a glance
Accounts payable invoices can be created in Circula via email forwarding or manual upload.
Circula checks whether an accounts payable invoice with the same invoice number and the same supplier already exists.
If a possible duplicate accounts payable invoice is detected, accountants see a warning.
The warning does not block the process. Accountants can still control, approve, or process the accounts payable invoice.
📌 Overview
If the same accounts payable invoice is accidentally created more than once in Circula, it could potentially be controlled, booked, or paid twice. Duplicate detection helps accountants identify possible duplicate accounts payable invoices early and check them before further processing.
To do this, Circula compares accounts payable invoices within the same company account. If another accounts payable invoice with the same invoice number and the same supplier is found, both accounts payable invoices are marked as possible duplicates.
📝 Note
Duplicate detection for accounts payable invoices is a separate feature with its own logic. There is no comparison with duplicate warnings from other products, such as Expenses or Travel Expenses.
🛠️ How Circula detects possible duplicates
When is an accounts payable invoice checked?
Circula checks an accounts payable invoice automatically when it is added or edited. This applies regardless of how the accounts payable invoice was created in Circula:
via email forwarding
via manual upload
The accounts payable invoice is compared with all other accounts payable invoices that already exist in the same company account in Circula.
When is a warning shown?
A warning is shown when Circula finds another accounts payable invoice with the following matching details:
the same invoice number
the same supplier
In this case, both accounts payable invoices are marked as possible duplicates.
❗️Important
The warning is not a blocker. Accountants can still control, approve, or process the accounts payable invoice if they are sure it is not a duplicate.
How can accountants check the possible duplicate accounts payable invoice?
When a warning is shown, accountants can go directly to the matching accounts payable invoice and compare both accounts payable invoices.
Check in particular:
whether the invoice number and supplier are actually identical
whether both accounts payable invoices refer to the same invoice
whether one of the accounts payable invoices needs to be corrected or deleted
whether the warning can be ignored
💡 Tip
Compare the affected accounts payable invoices before you continue processing an accounts payable invoice or approve it for payment.
When is the warning removed?
The warning is removed automatically from both affected accounts payable invoices once it is no longer relevant. This can happen, for example, when:
the invoice number is corrected and no longer matches
the supplier is corrected and no longer matches
one of the two accounts payable invoices is deleted
Accountants can also manually hide the warning by clicking “Ignore”.
📝 Note
If the warning is ignored, it disappears from both affected accounts payable invoices and will not appear again for this match. It will only appear again if a new accounts payable invoice is added that also matches.
❓ FAQs
Does the warning prevent an accounts payable invoice from being controlled, approved, or paid?
No. The warning does not block the process. Accountants can continue if they are sure it is not a duplicate.
Will the warning come back if it was shown by mistake or ignored?
If the warning was ignored by clicking “Ignore”, it disappears from both affected accounts payable invoices and will not appear again for this match.
It is also removed automatically if the invoice number or supplier is corrected, or if one of the two accounts payable invoices is deleted.
Who sees the warning?
Only accountants see this warning.
Does the detection work the same way for accounts payable invoices created by email and manually uploaded accounts payable invoices?
Yes. The underlying comparison is the same.
Is this the same duplicate detection as for Expenses?
No. Duplicate detection for accounts payable invoices is a separate feature with its own logic. Duplicates are not checked across products.
Do you still have questions?
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