Check a supplier's invoice before you pay it

An invoice read from its image, the VAT number and company checked against official records, and a search for scam warnings.

Steps

At most, per call

Fake invoices copy a real supplier and change one detail. OCR.space reads the invoice, VIES confirms an EU VAT number and the name registered to it, Companies House confirms a UK company and Tavily looks for scam warnings and the supplier's real contact pages.

Before this job

The tools must be available in your connected Agentik catalog. Ask for the missing provider configuration if a tool is unavailable.

Step 1: Read the invoice
Extract each field as printed. Do not correct spelling, because a small change can be the signal.
- OCR.space text from an image or PDFOCR.spaceFree
Step 2: Check the VAT number
Compare the registered name with the name printed on the invoice.
- VIES EU VAT number checkVIESFree
Step 3: Match the company
For a UK supplier, confirm the company is active and that its address matches the invoice.
- Companies House company searchCompanies HouseFree
Step 4: Search for warnings
Look for scam reports and the supplier's own contact page, then keep the link for the phone check.
- Tavily agent searchTavily$0.008

Cost of the example

At most $0.008one run

One invoice read, one VAT check, one company search and one warning search. Further invoices are quoted separately.

Give this to your agent

Use my connected Agentik MCP server for this job: invoice check before payment.

Check this supplier invoice before I pay it. Read the invoice and extract the supplier name, address, VAT number, bank details, amount and due date. Check an EU VAT number against the official register and compare the registered name. For a UK supplier, match the company and its registered office. Search for scam warnings about this supplier and find its real contact page. List every mismatch with the details I gave you and tell me what to confirm by phone before paying.

Use these Agentik tools for the written steps: ocrspace/ocr-image, vies/check-vat, companies-house/search-companies, tavily/search. Inspect their current schemas and availability first. Ask for missing inputs and use identifiers returned by actual earlier results. The page's example identifiers illustrate input shapes. Quote more pages before expanding. Preserve source links, dates and uncertainty.

Before running anything, inspect each tool with inspect_tool, ask me for any input you don’t have instead of inventing it, and tell me the total price. Wait for my go. At the end, tell me what Agentik charged.

4 providers, one connection

What you get

A payment check with each invoice detail verified or flagged.

You provide

A public link to the invoice image or PDF
The supplier details you already hold
The payment amount and due date

Your agent returns

The invoice fields as read
VAT number validity and registered name
The matching company record
Mismatches and warnings to clear before paying

Your evidence briefExample layout

Scope and source dates
Official records and figures
Interpretation and uncertainty
Questions and next steps

Placeholders. Your rows come from your run.

Each provider does one part

No single provider covers this job. Your agent calls each one for its part, from one connection.

Good to know

The invoice link goes to OCR.space, so use a link you are willing to share with that provider.
A valid VAT number does not prove an invoice is genuine. Confirm changed bank details by calling a number you already hold.

When to use something else

For invoice capture, approval flows and purchase order matching at volume, use an accounts payable system. This playbook checks one invoice that needs a closer look.

Questions

What does the example cost?

At most $0.008 for the illustrated calls. The official records are free through Agentik, and the paid calls are the press, maps or email steps.

Does the result cover every source?

No. Public records have publication lags and search results can be incomplete. Keep the collection date, sample size and missing evidence visible.

Does this send messages or change an account?

No. These steps read public records and prepare a brief. Sending a message or changing an account requires a separate instruction.

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