AutoScan is Maventa’s recommended scanning solution for receiving PDF invoices. It is a fully automated, email-based service — suppliers send PDF invoices to a dedicated scan email address, and the data is extracted and delivered electronically in minutes, not hours or days. Data extraction is powered by Smartscan machine learning technology with continuously improving accuracy.
Until now, when a PDF sent to an AutoScan address could not be recognised as an invoice, the sender received an error email. There was no way for the receiving company to see what was sent. With this update, AutoScan can forward those non-invoice materials to a return email address you specify — similar to how Scan Network already handles non-invoice material delivery.
How it works
When a PDF sent to your AutoScan email address cannot be processed as an invoice, Maventa forwards it to your return email address. A new email is created with the original PDF as an attachment and the original sender’s email address included in the body for identification.
Non-invoice materials are only forwarded when AutoScan is active for the company. If the service is closed, the sender receives a reply that the email address no longer exists.
As a reminder, AutoScan only accepts PDF attachments. Emails with other attachment types are rejected and not processed further.
Setting up a return email address
You can configure the return email address through the REST API or the Maventa user interface.
REST API: Include the return_email_address parameter when activating or updating AutoScan using PUT /v1/services/autoscan.
Maventa UI: The return email address is a mandatory field when activating AutoScan through the user interface.
The parameter is currently optional in the API, but we highly recommend providing it from the start. From 17 August 2026, the return email address becomes mandatory in the API. AutoScan will be closed for existing users who have not provided a return email address by that date.
Existing AutoScan users are not required to add a return email address immediately. Until one is configured, the previous behaviour — sending an error email to the sender — continues. However, please make sure to add a return email address well before the 17 August deadline to avoid service disruption.
Cost
Each non-invoice email forwarded to the return email address is billed at the same rate as a scanned invoice through AutoScan.
Availability
Return email handling is available in all markets where AutoScan is supported.
For full technical details, see the scanning integration guide.