Handling accounts payable is one of the most time-consuming tasks for any business. Every month, invoices flood into your inbox from different vendors, contractors, and software subscriptions. Each invoice is formatted differently, making it a nightmare to log the data accurately.
Instead of manually opening every email and typing the invoice number, due date, and total amount into a Google Spreadsheet, you can build an automated pipeline using an email parser.
What is an Email Parser?
An email parser is a software tool that automatically scans incoming emails, identifies specific pieces of information (like a price or a name), and extracts that data so it can be moved to another platform—in this case, Google Sheets.
Step 1: Centralize Your Invoices
Before automating, it's best practice to have all your invoices go to a single place. If you don't already, set up a dedicated email address like invoices@yourcompany.com. Ask your vendors to send their bills directly to this address.
If you use Gmail, you can also set up a filter that automatically applies an "Invoices" label to emails containing the word "Invoice" or emails from known vendors.
Step 2: Install an Email Parser for Google Sheets
We'll be using Mail Sheet, a Google Workspace Add-on designed specifically to pull data from Gmail directly into Google Sheets.
Open your Google Sheet where you want the invoices logged, click on Extensions, and open the Mail Sheet sidebar.
Step 3: AI Mode for Variable Formats
Because every vendor sends invoices in a completely different format (some put the total at the top, others at the bottom), traditional rule-based parsing often fails. This is where AI Mode shines.
In the Mail Sheet sidebar, select AI Mode and provide a prompt:
"Extract the Invoice Number, the Vendor Name, the Total Amount Due, and the Due Date. If the due date is not specified, use the date the email was received plus 30 days."
The AI understands the natural language of the email and will find the required fields regardless of the email's layout.
Step 4: Mapping Columns and Skipping Duplicates
In the "Sheets Options" section, select your target sheet (e.g., 'AP Log'). Make sure to check Skip duplicates. This ensures that if a vendor sends a reminder email with the same invoice details, it won't be logged twice in your spreadsheet.
Step 5: Turn on Auto-Run
Click on the Automation tab and enable Auto-Run. You can set it to run daily or hourly. Now, whenever an invoice hits your inbox, it will be automatically processed, parsed, and logged as a new row in your spreadsheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an email parser extract line items and PO numbers, not just the invoice total?
Yes, if you use an AI-based parsing mode rather than a rigid rule-based one. Instead of only pulling the grand total, you can prompt the parser to extract the purchase order number, individual line items, quantities, and unit prices, so your accounts payable sheet holds granular data instead of just a single amount per invoice.
What happens if two vendors send invoices with completely different layouts?
This is exactly the problem AI Mode in Mail Sheet is built to solve. Rather than relying on fixed positions or keywords that only match one template, you describe the fields you want in plain language, and the AI locates the Invoice Number, Vendor Name, Total, and Due Date regardless of where they appear in the email body or attached PDF.
How do I avoid logging the same invoice twice if a vendor resends it?
Enable the Skip Duplicates option in the Sheets Options section before running the parser. It checks incoming invoice data against rows already logged in your AP sheet, so a reminder email with identical invoice details will not create a second entry.
Take Full Control of Your Finances
By automating your invoice parsing, you guarantee that your accounts payable spreadsheet is always up to date. You can easily sum up your upcoming liabilities, never miss a payment, and drastically reduce your bookkeeping hours.
Ready to try it out? Join the Mail Sheet waitlist today.