Find out where an invoice stands

# Where does this invoice stand?

## Purpose

Answer "where is the invoice from this supplier?" by reading an invoice's three states, which move **independently** of one another:

| State | Field | Values |
|-------|-------|--------|
| Approval | `approvalStatus` | `pending`, `approved`, `rejected` |
| Payment | `paymentStatus` | `unpaid`, `partiallyPaid`, `paid` |
| Accounting export | `exportStatus` | read on the invoice detail |

An invoice can be approved and unpaid, or paid and not yet exported. Do not present these states as a single line of steps.

The skill only reads: the assistant cannot approve, pay or schedule a payment.

## Step 1 — Find the invoice

By invoice number (exact, case-insensitive search):

```json
{ "tool": "get_invoices", "params": { "invoiceNumber": "INV-2026-7734" } }
```

By supplier name or free text:

```json
{ "tool": "get_invoices", "params": { "search": "Accenture", "sortBy": "issueDate" } }
```

- Invoices **waiting for approval are visible** here, unlike in `get_payables`, which only holds an invoice once it is approved.
- Draft and incomplete invoices are never listed. If the invoice cannot be found, it may still be in the invoice inbox: see the dedicated skill (`get_intakes`).
- Credit notes need a separate call with `type: "creditNote"`.
- If several invoices match, list them and ask which one.

## Step 2 — Read the detail

```json
{ "tool": "get_invoice_by_id", "params": { "id": "<invoice id>" } }
```

- **Approval**: `approval.steps`; the step whose `state` is `current` holds the expected approvers (IDs to resolve with `get_users`). `rejected` also covers expired or cancelled invoices.
- **Payment**: `payments`, `amountPaid`, `amountDue`. This tool recomputes payment from recorded payments: it is authoritative, and can differ from the step 1 list.
- **Export**: `exportStatus` and `exportedAt`.
- **Other**: `dueDate`, `purchaseOrders`, `buyer`, `dispute`, `attachments`.

## Step 3 — Overview (when the question is general)

To count without paging:

```json
{ "tool": "get_invoices_summary", "params": { "approvalStatus": ["approved"], "paymentStatus": ["unpaid", "partiallyPaid"] } }
```

Gives the count and amount per currency of approved, unpaid invoices. In this summary, `amountDue` is always 0: do not quote it. Replace the filters with `approvalStatus: ["pending"]` for invoices waiting for approval.

## Standard answer

```
Invoice <no.> — <supplier> — <amount>
Issued on <date>, due on <date>

Approval: approved / pending with <name> / rejected
Payment : unpaid / part-paid (X of Y) / paid on <date>
Export  : exported on <date> / not yet exported

<One plain sentence: what is blocking, or what is left to do>
```

Flag a due date that has passed. Amounts stay in the invoice's own currency.

## Limits to state

- No planned payment date: the MCP does not read scheduled payments for a given invoice.
- The assistant cannot approve, pay or chase by itself.
- A credit note always shows "unpaid": it is not an amount owed.

## Observed result (demo account, 5 October 2026)

22 approved, unpaid invoices in three currencies (15 in EUR, 4 in GBP, 3 in USD), and 2 waiting for approval. On one of the latter (USD 19,513.20), the current approval step expected two approvers.

## Example prompts
- "Where does the May invoice from Accenture stand?"
- "Which invoices are approved and waiting for payment?"
- "Has invoice INV-2026-7734 been paid and exported?"