Lifecycle of a document

Every document uploaded into Simon follows the same path, from upload to journal entry. This path is not driven by hand: it is the workflow system that detects the state of each document, spots what is blocking, and triggers the next step as soon as it becomes possible.

The stages of a document

A document advances stage by stage. Each one answers two questions: what is already done, and what remains to be done to move forward?

flowchart LR
    I([Document generated]) --> J[Draft]
    J --> B
    A([Upload]) --> B[Uploaded] --> C[Extracted] --> D[Validated] --> E[Qualified] --> F[Reconciled] --> G[Posted] --> H([Done])

Stage	What is acquired	What remains to be done
Draft	Document generated internally, not confirmed	Validate it or delete it
Uploaded	The file is uploaded into the inbox	Annotate (extract the data)
Extracted	The data is extracted (amounts, dates, third parties…)	Check consistency and business rules
Validated	Amounts, dates and structure are consistent	Qualify (deductibility, VAT)
Qualified	Deduction rate and VAT determined	Reconcile with the bank
Reconciled	The document is linked to a transaction	Post
Posted	The journal entry is recorded	Final check, then year-end closing
Done	The document has completed its path	Nothing, except a later correction

Note

User-facing pages often summarize extraction and validation under the single word “validation”.

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Blocks

At each transition, a block may hold the document back. Simon distinguishes two kinds, depending on whether the data is unusable or simply needs confirming.

A hard block prevents progress until it is lifted — the data is invalid as it stands:

• date outside the open period;
• gross amount inconsistent with net + VAT;
• third party not found and not identifiable;
• unbalanced journal entry.

Attention

As long as a hard block is not resolved — from the agent or the interface — the document does not move.

A soft block is a warning: the document can move forward if you confirm with full knowledge of the facts.

• probable duplicate;
• orientation to be clarified (supplier or customer invoice?);
• partial payment, internal supporting document, unusual amount.

Astuce

Overriding a soft block is an explicit choice, and it is recorded for traceability.

Note

Strictly identical files (same digital fingerprint) do not create a block: they are refused at upload, before entering the workflow. The soft duplicate block, on the other hand, only concerns documents that are merely probably duplicated.

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Why the workflow is automatic

There is no “move to next step” button. As soon as an action changes data, the workflow replays the same cycle: it detects the affected entities (documents, periods), re-evaluates their blocks, updates the stages, and rebuilds the period checklist.

Note

Qualifying a document moves it from the validated state to qualified on its own, as soon as the criteria are met. No manipulation is needed to advance from one stage to the next when the data is sufficient.

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The period checklist

At the level of an accounting period — a month, a financial year — the workflow aggregates the state of all documents into a checklist: how many documents are waiting to be annotated, how many remain to be qualified, how many transactions are not reconciled, which blocks remain.

Astuce

This is the agent’s entry point. Before any diagnosis, it consults this checklist — it is the natural answer to the question “what do I have left to do?”.

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In summary

For a routine document, the typical path comes down to six moments:

1. Upload — you drag in a PDF or ask the agent to process a file.
2. Extraction and validation — a sub-agent reads, segments and extracts the data; Simon checks its consistency.
3. Qualification — the agent proposes a deductibility rate, or applies a known pattern.
4. Reconciliation — the document is linked to a bank transaction.
5. Posting — the journal entry is generated, then submitted for your validation.
6. Lettering — the lines are associated with one another (invoice ↔ payment).

Each step is detailed in the following pages of this section.