Invoice Fields Overview
Invoice Fields let administrators define custom data fields collected on invoices in Emburse AP. Each field can have a list of selectable values used during invoice intake, routing, and reporting.
Access and Permissions
Invoice Fields configuration is available to Admin users and users with equivalent permissions granted by the company.
If you do not see Invoice Fields in the navigation, confirm your role and permission setup with your company administrator.
Navigate to Invoice Fields
In Emburse Professional
- In the top-right corner, select the System Configuration gear icon.
- Select Accounts Payable > Invoice Fields.
Invoice Fields Page Layout
The Invoice Fields page in Emburse Professional displays all configured user-defined fields (UDFs). Each field card shows its name, Field Type, Field Visibility, and inline controls for managing values.
Invoice Fields List
The Invoice Fields page lists all configured fields. Select any field row to expand it and view or manage its values.
Page-Level Controls
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| + CREATE NEW UDF | Displays the Create New UDF dialog to add a new user-defined field. |
Field Card Controls
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| + ADD VALUE | Adds a new value to the field's dropdown list. |
| Edit (pencil icon) | Displays the field configuration dialog to update field properties. See Field Configuration Dialog. |
| Import Values | Imports values for the field in bulk. |
| Export Values | Exports the field's current values. |
| Delete (trash icon) | Removes the field and all its configured values. |
| Search values... | Filters the values list within the expanded field card. |
Field Configuration Dialog
The Create New UDF dialog and the Edit (pencil icon) dialog in Emburse Professional include the following fields.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Field name | The display name of the user-defined field. |
| Field Type | The input type for the field (for example, Dropdown or Text). |
| Field Visibility | Who can view the field (for example, Everyone or Admin only). |
| Associated accounting field | The accounting field linked to the user-defined field, when applicable. |
Values Table
The values table for each field shows the following columns. The Mapped Account column is available in Emburse Professional only.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Value | The display label for the dropdown option. |
| Mapped Account | The accounting code or external account linked to this value. Displays "—" when no mapping is set. |
| Actions | Row-level actions: Edit (pencil icon) to update the value; Delete (trash icon) to remove it. |
| Value count | Label below the values table (for example, 4 values) showing the total configured dropdown options; updates when values are added or removed. |
Common Invoice Field Examples
Your company administrator is responsible for adding
The following table shows common user-defined fields with example values and mapped accounts.
| Field Name | Example Values | Example Mapped Accounts |
|---|---|---|
| Business Unit | APAC, Corporate, EMEA, North America, South America | — |
| Cost Center (CC) | CC1000 Corporate, CC1100 Finance, CC1200 IT, CC1300 Sales, CC1400 Marketing, CC1500 Operations | CC1000, CC1100, CC1200, CC1300, CC1400, CC1500 |
| Department | Marketing, Finance, Engineering, Operations | DEPT-100, DEPT-200, DEPT-300, — |
| Invoice Category | Facilities, Freight, IT Services, Legal Services, Maintenance, Marketing, Miscellaneous, Office Supplies, Professional Services | — |
| Payment Type | ACH, Paper Cheque, Wire | — |
| Priority | High, Low, Medium | — |
| Project Code | AP Migration, Q3 Vendor Cleanup, Office Expansion, Client Implementation | — |
Create a User-Defined Field
Use the following steps to create a new user-defined field in Emburse Professional.
- On the Invoice Fields page, select + CREATE NEW UDF.
- Enter a name for the user-defined field.
- Select the appropriate Field Type.
- Select the field visibility.
- If applicable, specify the associated accounting field.
- Select Create.
The new user-defined field is added to the Invoice Fields page.
Add Values to a User-Defined Field
Use the following steps to add values to an existing user-defined field in Emburse Professional.
- Locate the user-defined field.
- Select + Add Value.
- Enter a value.
- If applicable, enter the corresponding mapped accounting value.
- To add another value, select + Add New Field Item.
- Repeat as needed.
- Select Save.
The values are added to the selected user-defined field.
Bulk Add Values
Use the following steps to create multiple values at one time for a user-defined field in Emburse Professional.
- Select + Add Value for the user-defined field.
- Select Bulk Add.
- Enter one value per line.
- If accounting field mapping is enabled, enter the value and mapped accounting value separated by a comma.
- Select Save.
The system creates each value and adds it to the user-defined field.
Manage User-Defined Fields
Depending on your permissions, you can:
- Edit a user-defined field.
- Edit a field value.
- Delete a user-defined field.
- Delete a field value.
Import Values
Use the following steps to import values into a user-defined field in Emburse Professional.
- Navigate to the Invoice Fields page.
- Locate the user-defined field that you want to update.
- Select the Import Values action for the field.
- In the Update Your Items dialog, select Choose a File.
- Browse to the CSV file and select Open.
- Review the imported values displayed in the preview.
Validate the Import
Use the following steps to validate the import before applying changes to a user-defined field in Emburse Professional.
- Review the validation results.
- Correct any rows identified with validation errors in the source CSV file.
- Upload the corrected file again, if necessary.
- When all values are valid, select Apply Changes.
The imported values are added to the selected user-defined field.
Download the Import Template
Use the following steps to download a template for the import file in Emburse Professional.
- In the Update Your Items dialog, select Download Template.
- Populate the template with your values.
- Save the file as a CSV before importing it.
Export Values
Use the following steps to export values from a user-defined field in Emburse Professional.
- Navigate to the Invoice Fields page.
- Locate the user-defined field whose values you want to export.
- Select the Export Values action for the field.
The system downloads a CSV file containing the values for the selected user-defined field.
Related Topics
For AP configuration settings, see System Configuration Overview. A dedicated UDF Best Practices topic is not yet published.