Process invoices from Gmail into Google Sheets with Slack approval

Reads invoice emails, pulls the key details with AI, logs them in a sheet, and lets you approve or reject from Slack.

How the work actually flows

It branches. Exactly one path is taken.

Pattern: Exclusive Choice (4) · Simple Merge (5)

flowchart TD trig>"new invoice email arrives"]:::trig s0["read PDF attachment text"]:::task s1["AI extracts invoice details"]:::task s2[("log invoice to sheet")]:::store s3["send Slack approval request"]:::svc trig --> s0 s0 --> s1 s1 --> s2 s2 --> s3 gx{"× approve or reject invoice"}:::gate s3 --> gx p00["mark approved in sheet"]:::task gx -->|"Approve"| p00 p10["mark rejected in sheet"]:::task gx -->|"Reject"| p10 jn{"○ update sheet status"}:::gate p00 --> jn p10 --> jn jn --> out out[/"invoice logged with approval status"/]:::out pay{{"faster processing with clear audit trail"}}:::pay out --> pay classDef task fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#34b8f0,color:#2c2a29 classDef svc fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#7c8795,color:#2c2a29 classDef mi fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29,stroke-width:2px classDef human fill:#fff,stroke:#0079a8,color:#0079a8 classDef store fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29 classDef trig fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigtime fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigdata fill:#8ad4f5,stroke:#0079a8,color:#06314c,font-weight:bold classDef gate fill:#fff,stroke:#e8a23d,color:#6b4708,font-weight:bold classDef out fill:#1f9d6b,stroke:#167a53,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef pay fill:#06314c,stroke:#021f33,color:#fff
Starts itA stepAn outside serviceA record or sheetOne path onlyPaths rejoinResultPayoff
Build size
Advanced

A larger build with multiple systems, AI reasoning, and custom rules.

Business functions
AI Agents & Autonomous SystemsEmail AutomationMessaging & NotificationsDocument Processing & OCRImage & Media ProcessingSpreadsheet & Database OpsAPI & Webhook IntegrationFinance & Accounting
Connects
GmailOpenAIGoogle SheetsSlack

The problem it solves

Invoices land in your inbox and someone has to open each one, read the PDF, and type the numbers into a spreadsheet by hand. Approvals get stuck in email threads, and it is easy to lose track of what has been paid or is still pending.

Who it fits

Small business owners, finance teams, or freelancers who process vendor invoices by hand.

How it works

  1. A new invoice email arrives in Gmail
  2. The system pulls the PDF attachment and reads its text
  3. AI extracts the invoice number, date, company, amount, and due date
  4. The details are logged in Google Sheets with a pending status
  5. A Slack message lets someone approve or reject it, which updates the sheet automatically
What you get

Invoices approved with a tap in Slack

Every vendor invoice gets logged automatically and waits in Slack for your yes or no.

What you get

A running log of every invoice in Google Sheets, with an approval trail recorded in Slack.

What you need

A Gmail account, an OpenAI API key, a Google Sheets account, and a Slack workspace.

We can build this. But should you?

The hard question is not how to build it. It is whether this is the right thing to build first.

That is what a Fractional Chief AI Officer figures out with you, before anyone writes a line of code.

Let's Talk Strategy

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