Shared folder invoice automation for accounting firms
Accounting firms often already have a simple way to collect client documents: a shared folder. Lift keeps that habit in place and automates the preparation step after the document arrives.
The folder is only the start
Lift helps accounting firms turn client documents in shared folders into review-ready accounting output. This page matters when clients already use folders, but your team still opens each PDF or image to identify the supplier, VAT, account treatment, attachment and final destination.
This page is about the intake model, not a single accounting destination. A firm may use the same folder habit for one client that needs Xero drafts, another that needs Business Central-ready output, and another that still depends on a structured import file. The folder identifies where the document came from; the client route tells Lift how to prepare it.
How the Lift folder workflow works
- Client or team drops documents into the agreed intake folder.
- Lift monitors that approved folder for new files.
- Lift extracts and interprets the document.
- Lift prepares the accounting output based on the client's context.
- Successful files are moved to the agreed processed route.
- Duplicates, unsupported files or unclear documents move to the agreed exception route.
What Lift can prepare
- Xero draft bills where Xero is the destination
- Business Central-ready output for the agreed review path
- Structured Excel import files for desktop or legacy accounting systems
- Review notes and exception flags where manual confirmation is needed
Where the destination is a desktop or legacy accounting system, the same folder model can feed a structured Excel import workflow instead of forcing an immediate system change.
Why this works for clients
Clients do not need to learn a new portal or change how they send documents. They can keep placing supplier invoices, receipts, credit notes and statements into the agreed folder. The process feels like a folder, while the accounting team receives prepared output for the chosen accounting route. For the broader document scope, see the page on documents Lift can process.
Why this works for accounting firms
- Less manual document preparation
- Fewer files sitting in inboxes or unstructured folders
- Clearer processed/rejected/duplicate states
- Easier rollout across clients
- Accounting review remains under the firm's control
Review and exception handling for folder intake
A folder workflow should not make unclear documents invisible. Lift should show whether a file was prepared, rejected, treated as a duplicate, or flagged because supplier, VAT, currency, totals or account treatment need review. That is what turns a loose shared folder into a controlled accounting workflow.
Shared folders, SharePoint and Google Drive
This page covers the general folder-based intake model: the folder is the input channel, and Lift prepares the accounting output for the agreed destination. The implementation route can be a shared folder, SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or another approved folder source. For Microsoft 365-specific setup details, read about SharePoint invoice automation. For destination-specific draft preparation, read about Xero invoice automation.
Common questions
Does Lift process every file in every folder?
No. Lift works from approved intake locations so the workflow stays controlled and predictable.
Can clients keep using folders?
Yes. The client can keep a simple folder-based document-sharing habit while Lift prepares the accounting output after files arrive.
What happens after a file is processed?
Files move through the agreed processed, rejected or duplicate route so the team can see what happened.
To evaluate the route with real client files, start a shared-folder invoice automation pilot.