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# Link Invoices to P.O. - Old DPO Design

The **Matching Screen** in DPO allows you to link an invoice item to an item from a Purchase Order. This ensures financial accuracy and helps track spend against approved budgets.

||| **Already using DPO's new design?** [You can find the corresponding article here](https://help.digitalpurchaseorder.com/en/article/link-invoices-to-po-in-dpo-u7kwkf/)

### Steps to Link an Invoice to a P.O. and Send to Approval

**Step 1 → Inbox** – Validate the invoice in the Inbox
**Step 2 → Invoices** – The validated invoice now appears under the Invoices section
**Step 3 → Matching** – Link the invoice to a P.O. or select “No P.O.”
**Step 4 →** **Approval** - Once the matching is complete, the invoice automatically moves to the approval stage with the corresponding status

###### Good to know

* The system automatically suggests the best matching purchase orders based on invoice details. However, these suggestions can always be reviewed and overridden manually if needed
* It is also possible to link multiple invoice items to a single purchase order, especially in cases involving partial deliveries
* Before confirming the match, make sure to carefully review the net amount and the account coding to ensure accuracy
* P.O.s can always be unlinked from the invoice — [follow the instructions here.](https://digital-purchase-order.crisp.help/en/article/send-remove-unlink-approvals-1pzium7/)

###### The system uses AI to suggest the best matches based on:
* Supplier
* Net amount
* Description
* (If already provided) the P.O. number entered during invoice validation
* Link invoice item to P.O. item

### How to link an invoice to a P.O.

1. Go to **Invoices → Matching Screen** and select the relevant **invoice**.
2. Start the matching process using the **link icon**; matching **P.O. suggestions** will appear on the right.
3. Select the appropriate **P.O.**, confirm the match, and optionally link additional line items.

| If no PO exists, select Match without P.O.
 

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/screenshot-2025-09-12-at-15210_1i2eg9y.png =946xauto)


4. **A linking window (Step 2/2) opens. You can:**
* Adjust the Item Name
* Assign or confirm the Department
* Review or update the Chart of Accounts
* Finalize the link

5. Click “**Link Invoice to Item**” or click “**Link Invoice and Close P.O. Item**” if the invoice fully matches and closes the P.O. line


### ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/screenshot-2025-09-12-at-15223_1xoubra.png =837xauto)


6. The final step is to send the invoice into the approval process. Depending on your settings, this happens in one of two ways:

* With an **automatic approval process,** fully linked invoices are **automatically** transferred into the approval workflow. No further action is required.
* With a **manual approval process,** each invoice must be sent **individually**. Use the filter view to display only fully linked invoices, open the relevant invoice, and click **“Send for approval.”**

7. Once sent, the invoice enters the approval workflow and follows the defined approval chain.


| Invoices can be removed from the approval workflow at any time. [Learn how it works here.](https://help.digitalpurchaseorder.com/en/article/send-remove-unlink-approvals-1pzium7/)



![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/7/e/f/8/7ef8b3dbb012a000/bildschirmfoto-2026-01-05-um-0_k7m34i.png =1023xauto)


**Any Questions?**
Our support team is happy to help:
Email: support@digitalpurchaseorder.com
Phone: +1 888 376 7254
[Or schedule a free demo](https://calendly.com/d/gpk-ppc-rjg) – we look forward to hearing from you