Part 5 of our collection of interactive videos to show how you can manage supplier invoices within the Headlight application.
The Headlight invoice module saves tremendous time for the fleet manager in the approval process of invoices, as wel as for the Accounting department, via ready-to-use input files for the Analytical Accounting.
See part 1 if you need an introduction to Invoice Management with Headlight, or see the overview of all related articles.
Let us know your questions or thoughts via info@headlight.tech.
Automation via workflows (continued)
Headlight | Create consolidated invoice
Headlight can automatically generate consolidated invoices by combining all non-rejected invoices from a given period.
The Create Consolidated Invoice step is part of the automated workflow. It concatenates all invoices within a specified month offset, typically the previous month, into one consolidated document.
This process can be triggered periodically — for example, every month — to keep invoice management running automatically.
Once created, the workflow sends a notification email to the designated accounting contact, confirming that the consolidated invoice is ready.
Headlight | Create Consolidated Invoice — Step-by-Step Guide
Purpose:
Automatically create a consolidated invoice by combining all non-rejected invoices within a defined month offset.
1. Open the workflow
- Go to Procurement > Invoices > Invoice.
- Choose the workflow called “Create Consolidated Invoice Step.”
2. Review the operation
- The action step is designed to create a consolidated invoice as part of the Headlight operation process.
- It will generate a new document labeled “Consolidated Invoice.”
3. Configure the input fields
- Offset: define how many months back to include invoices.
- Default value = 0 (current month).
- You can enter “1” to consolidate invoices from the previous month.
- Only invoices that are not rejected will be included.
4. Execute the process
- The Headlight operation automatically concatenates all eligible invoices into a single file.
- The system can be set up with a periodic trigger (e.g., every month) to run automatically.
- Once complete, a new document is stored under the parameter
consolidated_invoice.
5. Send the notification
- Add a “Send Consolidated Invoice Notification” step.
- This sends an email to the specified accounting contact (e.g., accounting@company.com).
- The email confirms that the consolidated invoice has been created and shared.
6. Automate recurring runs
- Enable scheduled execution so this process repeats monthly without manual input.
- Use a periodic trigger to generate and send invoices on autopilot.
7. Optional customization
- Adjust recipients, subject line, or attached file format in the Notification step settings.
- The workflow can also pass the consolidated report to other modules for further processing or archiving.
Tip:
“Did we mention we can put your invoice management on auto-pilot?”
Indeed — with these steps configured, Headlight takes care of invoice consolidation and delivery automatically.
Headlight | Credit note Trigger
What is a Credit Note Trigger?
The Credit Note Trigger automates the workflow for requesting credit notes directly from invoice lines.
In the Workflow Configurator, open Compose Workflow and create a new process named “Request a credit note.”
Add an Automatic Trigger and select “Invoice Line Credit Note” from the Trigger Library.
This trigger starts a workflow whenever a user requests a credit note for a specific invoice line.
It provides full details about the invoice line, supplier, and requester’s notes, allowing you to manage credit note approvals efficiently.
You can then add a notification message step to inform the supplier about the credit note request.
For example:
Subject: Credit note request – {{company.company_name}}
Message:
Upon review of invoice {{invoice.external_invoice_id}}, an anomaly was found.
We request a credit note for {{supplier_invoice_line_id}}.
Motivation: {{notes}}Kind regards,
Fleet Team {{company.company_name}}
{{company.fleet_manager_email}}
Finally, publish the workflow.
It can now be used to send credit note requests automatically from the Invoice Details screen.
Headlight | Credit Note Trigger — Step-by-Step Guide
Purpose:
Automate the creation and sending of credit note requests directly from invoice lines using an automatic workflow trigger.
1. Open the Workflow Configurator
- Go to Workflows > Workflow Configurator > Compose Workflow.
- Create a new workflow named “Request a Credit Note.”
- This workflow will handle credit note requests automatically whenever a user flags an issue with an invoice line.
2. Add an automatic trigger
- Click “+ Trigger” and choose Type: Automatic trigger.
- From the Trigger Library, select “Invoice Line Credit Note.”
- This trigger starts the workflow whenever a credit note is requested from an invoice line.
Description (from UI):
“Starts a workflow when a user requests a credit note for an invoice line.
This trigger provides information about the invoice line and notes from the requester,
allowing you to manage credit note approval processes.”
3. Configure trigger details
- Select the Invoice Line Credit Note trigger.
- Review the available workflow parameters, which include:
- Invoice: the reference invoice object.
- Notes: comments or motivation added by the requester.
- Supplier Invoice Line ID: the line item for which the credit note is requested.
- Company: the legal entity sending the request.
4. Add a notification message step
- After the trigger, add a step to notify the supplier about the credit note request.
- Configure the Invoice Anomaly Notification step.
- Example message (as seen in the interface):
Subject: Credit note request – {{company.company_name}}
Dear,
Upon review of invoice {{invoice.external_invoice_id}}, we found an anomaly.
We would like to request a credit note for {{supplier_invoice_line_id}}.Motivation: {{notes}}
Kind regards,
Fleet Team {{company.company_name}}
{{company.fleet_manager_email}}
5. Save and publish the workflow
- Click Save or press Ctrl + S to store your workflow configuration.
- Once saved, select Publish so the workflow becomes available to users.
- After publishing, users can trigger this workflow directly from the Invoice Details screen whenever a credit note is needed.
6. Optional: Add an end step
- Add a final confirmation or end step to mark the workflow as complete after the notification is sent.
- This provides clear closure for the workflow run.
Tip:
Once published, the Credit Note Trigger can be used instantly from the invoice details view.
This setup ensures suppliers are notified automatically, saving time and standardizing credit note communications.
Continued in Part 6
