Feed the same invoice through the tool twice during the demo. The first copy comes from the supplier. The second is forwarded by a department manager with a different filename. Watch what happens after the first bill posts. The result tells you whether duplicate detection gives AP a warning, blocks entry, or relies on another control.
NetSuite’s Bill Capture documentation, for example, describes a duplicate warning on scanned bills after a bill with the same reference number has been created. Check which detection preference is in use and where the warning appears. Ask the vendor to show the behavior on your documents and entry path. Oracle’s Bill Capture prerequisites and duplicate detection.
Ask for a result you can inspect
| Feature on the quote | What to run in the demo | What to inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice capture | A multi-page invoice with a credit line | Source attachment, extracted lines, and total |
| Matching | A bill for more than the warehouse received | The receipt used and the exact line that needs review |
| Approval | A bill for a department whose approver is away | The assigned backup and the record of the decision |
| Accounting connection | A posting interrupted after submission | Existing bill lookup and a retry that leaves one record |
| Payment controls | A posted bill with a payment hold | The bill’s status in the proposed payment run |
Use redacted versions of the invoices your team actually sees. Ask the AP reviewer to correct a field and follow that correction into the saved bill. If the vendor can only show a draft, record what remains to verify in the accounting system.
Put any remaining work in the quote
Ask the vendor to price the duplicate test from the opening. Does the forwarded copy count as another bill? Does the failed attempt count again if someone retries? Put the answers in the quote and name the person who investigates a possible duplicate. Those terms matter when AP receives the same invoice through more than one channel.
Measure the time your team spends on the demo cases in a pilot and include the time to review and repair them. The AP pilot guide covers how to compare the proposed results with AP’s decisions. Use the AP pricing and ROI guide to turn the measurements into a budget comparison.