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

# Vendor Portal Connections

> Connect a vendor's billing portal so Smartbills retrieves invoices automatically

## Overview

Rather than waiting for a vendor to email an invoice, Smartbills can sign in to that vendor's billing portal and collect invoices itself. Connect the account once, set a schedule, and bills arrive without anyone forwarding anything.

Connections live on each vendor's detail page. Finance Admins and Administrators can manage them.

## How a connection works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect the account">
    You supply the credentials the portal needs. Each vendor declares its own required fields, so the form matches what that specific portal asks for rather than a generic username and password.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Smartbills runs a retrieval">
    A run signs in, locates invoices, and downloads them. Runs happen on a schedule you set, or on demand.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invoices become bills">
    Retrieved documents are read and turned into draft bills, ready for your normal approval and payment process.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Credential handling

<Warning>
  Credentials are handled by a secure third-party connector and are never stored by Smartbills. Treat any spreadsheet you use to import them as sensitive, and delete it once the import is done.
</Warning>

Each connection has an owner, which you can reassign. Some portals also support token-based linking instead of stored credentials, which avoids holding a password at all where the vendor offers it.

## Connect a vendor

Open the vendor and choose to add a connection. The form is generated from that vendor's credential schema, so fill in whatever it asks for. Portals commonly need a login URL and an account identifier in addition to the username and password.

## Runs

Each connection keeps a history of runs. Opening a run shows what happened, which bills it produced, and **screenshots** captured during the session.

The screenshots matter. When a run fails, they show you what the portal actually displayed, which is usually enough to diagnose a changed password, a terms-of-service prompt, or an unexpected verification step without contacting support.

### Responding to a run in progress

A run can pause and ask for something only you can supply, such as a one-time verification code. Runs accept interactions while they are open, so you can answer the prompt and let the run continue rather than starting over.

A run that is stuck or no longer needed can be cancelled.

## Scheduling

Each connection carries its own schedule that controls how often Smartbills checks for new invoices. Set it to match the vendor's billing cycle. Checking a monthly invoice daily adds load without adding value.

## Connecting accounts during import

Vendor import accepts credentials alongside the vendor record, so you can onboard a list of vendors and connect their portals in one pass.

Add these columns to your spreadsheet:

| Column          | Purpose                                       |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| `Username`      | Portal username                               |
| `Password`      | Portal password                               |
| `LoginUrl`      | Where to sign in                              |
| `AccountId`     | Account identifier, where the portal uses one |
| `field:<name>`  | Any additional value the portal requires      |
| `secret:<name>` | An additional value that should be vaulted    |

Import accepts CSV, XLSX, and XLSM. Download the template from the import dialog rather than building the header row by hand.

### Reading the import result

Import reports each row separately, and the outcomes are worth understanding before you run it on a large list:

* **Created**: a new vendor was added.
* **Already existed**: the row matched a vendor you already had, by website or name. The existing vendor was reused and **its details were left untouched**. Import will not overwrite existing records.
* **Connected**: the credentials were accepted and the account is live.
* **Login rejected**: the vendor was created but its credentials failed. Connect it from its own page.
* **Login skipped**: that vendor already had a connection.

<Note>
  Because matching is by website or name, a vendor you have under a slightly different name will be created a second time rather than matched. Review the created list after a large import and merge any duplicates.
</Note>

## Disconnecting

Removing a connection stops future runs and discards the stored credentials. Bills already retrieved are unaffected.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Manage vendors" icon="building" href="/guides/web-app/vendors/manage-vendors">
    Edit, merge, and import vendor records
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bills" icon="receipt" href="/guides/web-app/bills/overview">
    What happens to retrieved invoices
  </Card>
</CardGroup>