Transaction Drafts¶
Last reviewed: 2026-03-31 · Nnamdi
Status: Complete
Route: /drafts
1. What is it?¶
Transaction Drafts is a holding area for incomplete or AI-created transactions before they are published to the General Ledger. Drafts are created automatically when: (a) a user saves a transaction using "Save as Draft" on any transaction form, (b) the AI Assistant creates a transaction from a conversation or document, (c) a transaction comes in via the mobile app or email channel but needs review before posting. Drafts do not affect the GL, P&L, or Balance Sheet until they are published.
2. How does it work in Finora?¶
2.1 The drafts list (/drafts)¶
Header: - Heading: "Transaction Drafts" - Subtitle: "Manage incomplete and AI-created transactions before publishing"
KPI summary cards: | Card | What it shows | |------|--------------| | Total Drafts | Count of all drafts (all statuses) | | Ready to Publish | Drafts that are complete and can be published immediately | | Needs Attention | Drafts with missing required fields or validation errors | | AI Created | Drafts generated by the AI Assistant (🤖) |
Filters: | Filter | Options | |--------|---------| | Search | Search by customer, supplier, or description | | Transaction Type | All Types / Invoice / Receipt / Expense / Bill / Petty Cash / Fixed Asset / Product | | Source | All Sources / Manual / AI Created / Mobile / Email | | Status | All Statuses / Ready to Publish / Incomplete | | Date From / Date To | Date range filter |
Empty state: "No Drafts Found — You don't have any saved drafts yet. Drafts are created when you save incomplete transactions or use AI to create transactions."
2.2 How drafts are created¶
| Source | How |
|---|---|
| Manual (Save as Draft) | On any transaction form (Invoice, Expense, Bill, etc.), click "Save as Draft" instead of "Create" — saves without posting to GL |
| AI Created | When the AI Assistant builds a transaction from a document, receipt photo, or conversation — lands in Drafts for review |
| Mobile | Transactions initiated on the mobile app but not finalised |
| Transactions received or parsed from email (if enabled) |
2.3 Draft statuses¶
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ready to Publish | All required fields are present — the draft can be published to the GL with one click |
| Incomplete | Required fields are missing — the draft needs editing before it can be published |
2.4 Publishing a draft¶
From the drafts list: 1. Click the draft to open it (navigates to the respective transaction's form/detail page, pre-filled with the draft data) 2. Review and complete any missing fields 3. Click the "Create" / "Publish" button to post the transaction to the GL
Drafts that are "Ready to Publish" may have a quick-publish button directly on the list. "Incomplete" drafts require opening and completing first.
3. Business rules & constraints¶
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Drafts do not post to the GL | No accounting entries are created until the draft is published |
| Drafts do not affect reports | Drafts are excluded from P&L, Balance Sheet, and Tax returns until published |
| Any transaction type can be a draft | Invoice, Receipt, Expense, Bill, Petty Cash, Fixed Asset, Product all support the "Save as Draft" workflow |
| AI drafts require human review | AI-created transactions land in Drafts — a human must review and approve before they post |
| Drafts can be deleted | If a draft is no longer needed, it can be deleted from the list without affecting the GL |
4. Nigerian regulatory context¶
Audit trail for AI-created transactions - FIRS requires that all accounting entries have adequate supporting documentation - AI-created drafts from receipt photos (via OCR Scanner) carry the source image as evidence — verify this is attached before publishing - The human review step before publishing ensures accountability — the person who publishes the draft takes responsibility for its accuracy
Draft management and period-end - At month-end or year-end, any unpublished drafts represent transactions not yet in the accounts - Businesses should review and clear their drafts before generating management accounts or filing tax returns - Unpublished income (e.g. invoice drafts) means revenue is understated; unpublished expenses means costs are understated
5. Common customer questions¶
Q: "I saved a transaction as a draft. Why doesn't it show on my P&L?"
Drafts are not posted to the GL and won't appear in any financial report. You need to open the draft and click "Create" (or "Publish") to record it officially. Find it at
/drafts.
Q: "The AI created a transaction from my receipt. Where is it?"
AI-created transactions land in Drafts for your review before they go into your accounts. Go to
/drafts, find the AI Created draft, review it, and publish it if it's correct.
Q: "I have a lot of old drafts. Can I delete them?"
Yes. Drafts that are no longer needed can be deleted without any GL impact. Regularly clearing old drafts keeps the list clean and prevents confusion at period-end.
Q: "A draft says 'Incomplete' — what's missing?"
Open the draft — required fields will be highlighted with validation errors. Common missing fields: supplier, expense category, or amount. Complete the missing fields and publish.
6. Known edge cases¶
Drafts from the mobile app¶
If a mobile user starts a transaction but doesn't submit it, it may arrive in the web Drafts list as a "Mobile" source draft. The web user needs to review and complete it. Communication between mobile and web team members about draft ownership is recommended.
AI drafts with incorrect data¶
OCR and AI extraction is not always perfect. AI-created drafts should always be reviewed carefully — especially amounts, dates, and supplier/customer matching — before publishing. Publishing an incorrect AI draft creates an incorrect GL entry.
Draft created in a previous accounting period¶
If a draft is published in a later period, the transaction date used in the form is what determines which accounting period it falls into — not the date the draft was created. Ensure the transaction date is set correctly before publishing.
7. Escalation trigger¶
Escalate to Tier 3 (Founder) if: - A published draft posted incorrect GL entries that need to be reversed - AI-created drafts are appearing with systematic errors (wrong accounts, wrong amounts pattern)
Escalate to Tier 2 (Support Lead) if: - A business has a large backlog of old drafts that need bulk review or deletion - Business unsure whether to publish or delete historical drafts from a prior period
8. Last reviewed¶
2026-03-31 — Nnamdi. Verified against production. Drafts list confirmed (empty — no drafts in test business). KPI cards: Total Drafts / Ready to Publish / Needs Attention / AI Created (all zero). Filter options fully captured: Transaction Type (Invoice/Receipt/Expense/Bill/Petty Cash/Fixed Asset/Product), Source (Manual/AI Created/Mobile/Email), Status (Ready to Publish/Incomplete), Date range.