When to merge documents — and when not to
What merging is for
Some suppliers send several files that together make up one transaction: the invoice itself, a delivery note, a line-item breakdown, or terms. Nordflow receives each PDF as a separate document. Merging lets you combine them so approvers see the full picture without switching between records.
What the result looks like
After a merge, the main document contains:
- All fields and accounting from the main document (supplier, totals, dates, lines).
- The PDF of the main document on its first pages, followed by the PDFs of the other documents as additional pages.
- A combined audit log showing the history of all documents that were merged.
The non-main documents stop existing as independent records.
Common situations
| Situation | Recommended action |
|---|---|
| Invoice + delivery note from the same supplier arrived as two PDFs | Merge; pick the invoice as the main document |
| A multi-page invoice arrived as one PDF per page | Merge all pages; pick the first page as the main document |
| Invoice + a helpful email printed to PDF | Merge; pick the invoice as the main document |
| Two separate invoices from the same supplier | Do not merge — keep them as separate records |
| A duplicate in Quarantine | Do not merge — reject the duplicate instead |
Who can merge
Merge is available to admins, bookkeepers, and consultants. Regular approvers do not see the Merge button.
Related: Merge documents