OCR scanning
The PLANA OCR module (plana_ocr) extracts data from PDF / image vendor bills and creates draft bills in PLANA automatically. Less typing, fewer errors.
What it does
| Input | Output |
|---|---|
| PDF or image of a vendor invoice | Draft vendor bill in PLANA with vendor, date, total, line items, and (where possible) account / tax assignments |
The OCR runs locally on PLANA infrastructure (no external SaaS) using a combination of layout analysis and pattern matching. Bulgarian invoice formats are tuned for accuracy.
Setup
OCR is an add-on — available on Pro and Enterprise tiers.
Once enabled:
Settings → Inventory → OCR → Activate → confirm.
A new email address bills@<your-workspace>.planapulse.app becomes active. Vendors can email invoices directly to this address.
How it works
Three input paths:
| Path | How |
|---|---|
| Upload | Accounting → Vendor Bills → drop a PDF in the "OCR Inbox" |
Forward (or have the vendor send to) bills@<workspace>.planapulse.app | |
| Mobile | Take a photo in PLANA's mobile-responsive UI |
The OCR processes within ~30 seconds and creates a draft bill. The draft is not auto-posted — you review and post.
Accuracy
OCR is excellent at:
- Vendor name (matched against your contact list)
- Invoice number
- Date
- Total and VAT amount
- Currency
- Line items (description, quantity, unit price)
OCR is less reliable for:
- Hand-written invoices
- Photo-of-a-photo (blurry, angled)
- Non-Bulgarian invoice layouts (still works, just less accurate)
- Custom layouts with unusual structure
For low-confidence extractions, PLANA highlights uncertain fields in yellow on the draft bill; you verify each one.
Vendor mapping
The OCR learns over time:
- The first invoice from vendor X requires manual mapping (which fields map to which PLANA fields)
- After 2–3 invoices from the same vendor with the same layout, the OCR has the pattern memorised
- Future invoices from that vendor auto-fill with high confidence
For consistent monthly vendors (utilities, rent), the manual review shrinks to a few seconds.
Categorisation
OCR can suggest:
- Expense account — based on the line description and your past account assignments for similar items
- Tax rate — based on the invoice's stated tax and the product/vendor's history
- Analytic distribution — based on the vendor's typical cost attribution
These are suggestions — you confirm or override on the draft bill.
Bulgarian-specific tuning
PLANA's OCR is tuned for:
- Bulgarian VAT format (20%, 9%, exempt)
- Cyrillic vendor names
- Bulgarian invoice number patterns (Ф 0000001234, etc.)
- Bulgarian tax ID format (9-digit EIK)
- Local currency (BGN)
Foreign-language invoices (EU vendors in English / German / Italian) also work, with slightly lower accuracy.
Where to read more
- Vendor bills — the records OCR creates
- Payhawk integration — alternative spend-management flow
- VAT and Bulgarian fiscal