> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://vatextract.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Extract data from your first invoice in under 5 minutes

## Prerequisites

* An VATextract account ([sign up free](https://vatextract.com/sign-up))
* A PDF or image invoice to process

## Step 1: Sign In

Go to [vatextract.com](https://vatextract.com) and sign in with your account.

## Step 2: Upload an Invoice

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Upload">
    Click **Upload** in the dashboard sidebar or drag and drop a file directly.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Your File">
    Choose a PDF or image file. Multi-page PDFs are supported.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for Processing">
    The AI extracts data automatically. This typically takes 5-15 seconds.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  **Tip**: You can also forward invoices to your personal inbox address for automatic processing. Find your address in Settings → Email Forwarding.
</Info>

<Info>
  **Got a backlog?** Use [Bulk Upload](/docs/features/bulk-upload) to process dozens of invoices at once—just upload a ZIP file.
</Info>

## Step 3: Review Extracted Data

Once processing completes, you'll see:

* **Summary fields**: Supplier name, invoice date, total amount, VAT
* **VAT validation status**: Green check for valid, warning for issues
* **Line items**: Each item with description, quantity, unit price, and amount

<Accordion title="What if data is extracted incorrectly?">
  You can manually edit any extracted field. Click on a field to modify it, and your changes are saved automatically.
</Accordion>

## Step 4: Export Your Data

Click the **Export** button to download your data:

| Format        | Best For                                        |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Excel (.xlsx) | Full invoice with line items on separate sheets |
| CSV           | Quick import to other systems                   |
| Airtable      | Direct sync to your Airtable base               |
| Google Sheets | Collaborative spreadsheet access                |

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Bulk Upload" icon="file-zipper" href="/docs/features/bulk-upload">
    Process multiple invoices at once with a ZIP file
  </Card>

  <Card title="VAT Codes" icon="tags" href="/docs/features/vat-codes">
    Automatic VAT code mapping for your accounting software
  </Card>

  <Card title="Email Forwarding" icon="envelope" href="/docs/features/email-forwarding">
    Set up automatic processing from your inbox
  </Card>

  <Card title="VAT Validation" icon="circle-check" href="/docs/features/vat-validation">
    Learn about automatic VAT verification
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Integration" icon="code" href="/docs/api-reference/introduction">
    Automate with our REST API
  </Card>

  <Card title="Airtable Sync" icon="database" href="/docs/integrations/airtable">
    Push invoices to Airtable automatically
  </Card>
</CardGroup>