Reference Implementation

AP Resolve: Invoice Exception Agent

A reference implementation that shows how agentic workflows complete work safely using evidence, controls, and an audit trail.

  • Turn an "invoice exception" into a completed resolution workflow
  • Evidence-first outputs with citations back to system-of-record data
  • Safe autonomy with approvals, escalation, and logs
Open Demo View Architecture

The Agent Workflow

One diagram that explains the entire loop: from invoice intake through evidence retrieval, validation, approval, and execution with full audit logging.

AP Resolve Agent Flow Diagram

What Makes It "Agentic"?

"Agentic" means it can take a real action in a business process, not just generate text. The agent retrieves evidence from systems of record, validates against policies, proposes specific bounded actions, and upon approval, executes those actions with full traceability.

This demo uses bounded autonomy: the agent proposes actions based on evidence and rules, then executes only after human approval. The unit of value is workflow completion (case resolved), not chat responses.

Key Principles Demonstrated

The foundational patterns that make this agent safe and effective

Unit of Value = Workflow Completion

Success is measured by cases resolved, not chat responses. The agent completes real work.

Least Privilege + Approval Gates

Agent proposes, human decides. No unilateral action on sensitive operations.

Evidence-First

All claims cite sources. Every finding links back to POs, contracts, or policies.

Observability

Structured audit log with hash chain captures every action, decision, and state change.

Escalation Path + Kill Switch

Clear escalation for edge cases. Emergency stop mechanism for immediate halt.

Decision Rules

The explicit logic that governs agent behavior - no black boxes

Escalation Triggers (Hard Blocks)

These conditions always escalate to human review - no approval option

  • Sanctions Violation Vendor on sanctions list → Immediate escalation, compliance review required
  • Vendor Mismatch Invoice vendor ≠ PO vendor → Potential fraud indicator
  • Low Confidence Confidence score < 60% → Insufficient evidence for automated decision
  • High Risk Level Risk = HIGH → Requires senior review regardless of other factors

Confidence Scoring

Agent confidence starts at 90% and adjusts based on evidence

  • No PO Found −40% confidence
  • No Contract Found −20% confidence
  • Receiving Not Confirmed −20% confidence
  • Sanctions Violation Drops to 20% immediately

Risk Level Assignment

Risk level determines review requirements and escalation paths

  • LOW
    Default All checks pass, standard approval workflow
  • MEDIUM
    Amount Exceeds PO Invoice total > PO approved amount
  • MEDIUM
    Currency Mismatch Invoice currency ≠ PO currency
  • HIGH
    Vendor Mismatch / Sanctions Triggers mandatory escalation

7 Validation Checks

Every invoice runs through these checks with evidence citations

  • 1 PO exists in system?
  • 2 Contract exists for vendor?
  • 3 Amount ≤ PO approved amount?
  • 4 Goods/services receipt confirmed?
  • 5 Invoice vendor matches PO vendor?
  • 6 Currency matches PO currency?
  • 7 Vendor not on sanctions list?

Controls You Can Point To in the Demo

A checklist students can map to what they see

What to Watch for During the Walkthrough

  • Where evidence is pulled from

    POs, contracts, and policies retrieved with citations

  • Where the agent refuses or escalates

    Sanctions violations, vendor mismatches, low confidence triggers

  • What gets logged

    Every state change, retrieval, decision with hash chain verification

  • What the "done state" looks like

    Case resolved, ERP updated, evidence logged, audit complete