If you already create invoices in another tool - such as Word, Excel, Canva, or accounting software - you can upload that file directly to Melio and send it to your customer for payment. Melio reads the file and pre-fills the invoice details for you, so there is no need to re-enter information you have already prepared.
In this article:
- Supported file types
- How to upload an invoice file
- What Melio extracts automatically
- What your customer sees
- Tips and limitations
Looking for information about uploading the bills you need to pay? Learn more about it in this article.
Supported file types
You can upload any invoice saved as a PDF or as an image (JPG or PNG). This includes invoices exported from Word, Excel, Canva, QuickBooks Desktop, or any other tool that can save to one of these formats.
PDFs that contain editable form fields may display blank fields in the invoice preview. To avoid this, save or export your invoice as a standard, non-editable PDF before uploading.
How to upload an invoice file
To upload an invoice file:
1 - Go to Get Paid in your Melio account.
2 - Select an arrow next to the Create invoice button, then select Upload invoice file.
3 - Select the file from your computer, or drag and drop it into the upload area. Supported formats: PDF, JPG, PNG.
4 - Wait for Melio to scan the file. This usually takes a few seconds.
5 - Review the details Melio extracted - such as customer name, invoice number, amount, and due date. Edit any field if needed. Your original file is displayed on the right so you can check it as you go.
6 - If your customer does not already exist in Melio, you can add them directly from this screen.
7 - Select the payment options.
7 - When everything looks correct, select Send invoice to send the payment request to your customer. Or save it as a draft and send a payment request later.
You can send multiple payment requests to your customers at the same time:
1 - From your Invoices tab, select all the invoices you’d like to send.
2 - Select Send invoices.
3 - Confirm the action in the pop-up window.
What Melio extracts automatically
When you upload a file, Melio reads it and tries to populate the following fields:
- Customer name
- Invoice number
- Invoice amount
- Invoice date
- Due date
You can review and edit any of these fields before sending. If Melio cannot read a field clearly, it will leave it blank for you to fill in manually.
Individual line items are not extracted at this time. If your invoice contains multiple line items, the total amount will be captured but the individual lines will not appear in Melio.
What your customer sees
When your customer opens the payment request, they see your original invoice file - the exact PDF or image you uploaded - not a Melio-generated version. This means your branding, layout, and formatting are preserved exactly as you created them.
Your customer pays through the link they received from Melio via email: they can pay by bank transfer or card (depending on the payment options you selected), and you receive the funds to your chosen receiving method.
Tips and limitations
- File size: Keep your file under 20 MB for the fastest upload experience.
- File quality: Make sure the text in your invoice is legible. Blurry or low-resolution scans may reduce the accuracy of the automatic extraction.
- Editable PDFs: Save your invoice as a standard PDF (not a fillable form) before uploading to ensure the preview displays correctly.
- One file at a time: Each upload creates one invoice. To send multiple invoices, repeat the process for each one.
- Editing after sending: You can still edit the invoice from the Get Paid dashboard after sending, as long as your customer has not yet paid it.