What this guide covers
This guide is designed for accountants and business owners who need to maintain a clean, chronological record of their spending. You will learn how to use FilePile to automatically organize invoices by month, creating a folder structure that matches standard accounting expectations simply by uploading your PDF files.
Before you begin
You can use the Free, Pro, or Business plan to complete these steps. The Free plan allows you to upload up to 25 invoices per month. Ensure you have your vendor invoices saved as PDF files on your computer. Scanned PDFs are fully supported. You do not need to create folders manually in advance.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these steps to organize invoices by month using the FilePile dashboard.
- Log in at filepile.co/login.
- Open Dashboard from the left dark sidebar.
- Click the Process tab at the top of the Dashboard page.
- Drag PDF files from your computer into the upload zone in the center of the screen. You can also click inside the upload zone to open your file finder and select documents.
- Wait for the files to appear in the processing queue. The system will automatically extract the vendor name, date, and total amount from each PDF.
- Once the processing status shows Completed, click the Browse tab located at the top of the Dashboard.
- Look at the folder structure on the left side of the Browse tab. You will see folders organized by Vendor Name. Click on a specific vendor folder to expand it.
- Inside the vendor folder, you will see subfolders labeled by month and year, such as 2023-10 for October 2023. This is how FilePile helps you organize invoices by month automatically.
- To verify that recurring services are tracked correctly, click the Recurring tab on the Dashboard.
- If you have uploaded at least two invoices for the same vendor product, you will see it listed here with a checkmark indicating the current month has been received.
- To manage payments for these organized invoices, click Business HQ from the left sidebar.
- Click the Vendor Payment Command Center panel.
- Review the Open bills list to see the invoices you have uploaded, sorted by due date.
- For one-off bills in the Upcoming vendor payments list on the main Dashboard, you can optionally click Mark paid to clear them from the view. Do not do this for recurring products, as the upload itself confirms payment status.
- To export your newly organized data, click the Accounting Export Hub panel within Business HQ.
- Select your accounting software, such as QuickBooks or Xero, and click Download CSV.
What you should see
After completing the upload process, the Browse tab should display a clear hierarchy of folders. The top level represents the Vendor, and the second level represents the Month. For example, you might see a folder named Utility Company containing folders for 2023-09, 2023-10, and 2023-11. Inside the monthly folder, you will see the specific PDF file you uploaded. On the Recurring tab, you should see a list of services you pay for regularly. If you uploaded this month's invoice, the current month column should show a green checkmark.
Tips and common issues
- Scanned documents work too: If you receive paper bills, scan them to PDF and upload them. FilePile processes scanned PDFs just as well as digital ones.
- Recurring gaps: If you have a Pro or Business plan, FilePile sends emails when a recurring product is missing an upload. Check your Reminders page at /account/reminders if you think you are missing a bill.
- Free plan limits: The Free plan allows 25 invoices per month. If you need to organize invoices by month for a high volume of vendors, consider upgrading your plan via View plans in the left sidebar.
- No manual setup: You do not need to tell FilePile which vendors are recurring. The system auto-detects this pattern after you upload two invoices for the same product.
- Team access: If you want your accountant to organize invoices for you, go to Team in the left sidebar and invite them with the Accountant role.
Why FilePile
FilePile removes the manual work from document management. By simply dragging and dropping your PDFs, the system creates a professional folder structure that accountants expect. You do not need to spend hours creating folders or renaming files. The automation handles the sorting, allowing you to focus on running your business.
Getting started with FilePile
Ready to streamline your document management? Sign up today at /register.