Accept
Document the change and set a review date.
Use case
Catch small supplier increases before they compound
Small unit-cost increases hide in pack sizes and familiar SKUs. Invoice totals look fine until margin has already slipped for weeks.
Matched item comparison
Source linkedOrganic Sunflower Oil 5L
SKU 15873 · Matched
- Previous unit cost
- $21.60 6 May 2024
- Current unit cost
- $23.40 14 May 2024
- Change
- +$1.80 +8.33%
01
BeforeSomeone opens PDFs when they have time, spots a total that looks high, and guesses which line moved.
02
SignalCostBeacon builds product history from invoices and turns the next change into a short, dated review list.
03
DecisionYou see supplier, SKU, percent move, and source invoice before the increase becomes the new normal.
A repeatable workflow
A practical weekly creep check
A short operational sequence your team can repeat as new invoices arrive.
Workflow steps
- 01
Upload the last 4–6 weeks of invoices from your top suppliers
- 02
Let CostBeacon match recurring products and compare unit costs
- 03
Review the alert queue weekly—start with the biggest movers
- 04
Decide: accept, reprice, substitute, or call the supplier
SignalWhat you may seeWhat to do
Typical creep+2–5% per lineReview weekly
Pack-size changeBreaks comparisonsNormalize units
Missing discountsOff-invoiceVerify the line
Invoice evidence
Every change is proven against your history.
What changes when creep is visible. Open the source invoice whenever a number needs checking.
- Comparable unit-cost history
- Source invoice linked to the change
- Dates and supplier context stay attached
When manual review breaks
When spot-checking invoices stops working
Manual checks break when you have more than a few recurring suppliers or weekly deliveries—creep compounds faster than spreadsheet updates.
What to do next
Choose the move the evidence supports.
Keep the decision small, specific, and easy to revisit when the next invoice arrives.
Private by designWe never share your data.
Built for operatorsFast to learn. Easy to trust.
Real invoice evidenceSee the source behind every change.
Weekly time saverStop manual checks and guesswork.
Start with one invoice
Test the workflow with your own invoice.
Upload one supplier bill and start building the evidence for your next decision.
Drop your first invoice herePDF, image, or photo
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