ReadSoft — Invoice and AP Automation Software

ReadSoft, now part of Tungsten Automation, was a Swedish-founded document automation provider specializing in invoice processing and accounts payable (AP) automation. Founded in 1991 in Linköping, Sweden, it became one of the most widely deployed on-premise invoice capture platforms in European enterprise finance before Lexmark acquired it in 2014, merged it with Kofax in 2017, and rebranded the combined entity as Tungsten Automation in 2024.

What is ReadSoft

ReadSoft software processed invoices by capturing documents from email, scan, EDI, and supplier portals, extracting header and line-item data using OCR with machine learning, validating that data against ERP master records in real time, and routing approved records through configurable approval workflows. The platform covered SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft Dynamics environments and supported PEPPOL connectivity for European e-invoicing compliance.

That product line is now in end-of-life. Tungsten Automation confirmed that standard support ended December 31, 2025. Organizations still running ReadSoft face loss of vendor support, no further security patches, risk of ERP integration failures as ERP vendors release updates, and increasing internal maintenance burden with no upgrade path on the legacy platform.

How ReadSoft processed documents

ReadSoft combined OCR with machine learning for header and line-item extraction. Alex Lindsey, Senior Solution Architect at RPI Consultants, described the core function: "ReadSoft Online is a cloud-based subscription service that is to be used for automating your invoice processing. It has an advanced OCR engine to extract invoice data off of your invoice documents, validate that against your host accounting system, and then push that invoice record into your accounting system to be paid."

The on-premise product, ReadSoft INVOICES, handled PDF and paper invoices in SAP environments. The cloud product, AP Essentials (formerly ReadSoft Online), extended that capability without local infrastructure. Both products performed three-way matching against purchase orders and goods receipts, with role-based approval routing and audit trails.

A Research.com review rated Tungsten ReadSoft Invoices 3.15 out of 5 stars, citing an outdated user interface and inconsistent OCR accuracy on non-standard invoice layouts. That rating reflects the platform's position as a mature, stable tool that prioritized reliability over modernization, which made it vulnerable to AI-native competitors as the market shifted toward zero-shot extraction and vision-language models.

ReadSoft use cases

Accounts payable automation

Finance departments used ReadSoft to automate high-volume invoice intake across multiple channels. The platform extracted vendor information, invoice numbers, line items, tax amounts, and payment terms, then validated each field against ERP master data before routing through approval workflows. SAP environments were the primary deployment target for the on-premise product.

European e-invoicing compliance

ReadSoft's Invoice Portal provided PEPPOL connectivity covering most of Europe, with interconnection to Scandinavian exchanges. Organizations with multinational AP operations used this to meet local compliance requirements and automate invoice exchange with trading partners without manual intervention.

Migration paths for ReadSoft customers

Tungsten Automation has structured the migration around two successor platforms, differentiated by invoice volume and ERP environment.

Tungsten Automation's guidance is direct: "ReadSoft customers [should] upgrade to supported versions or transition to their newer platforms to ensure continued security, governance and support." Organizations that have not yet migrated are running unsupported software with no security update path.

The bifurcation between TotalAgility and InvoiceAgility signals Tungsten's intent to consolidate its AP automation portfolio around two modern platforms rather than maintain a third legacy track. ReadSoft's installed base, while substantial, is no longer a strategic growth vector for Tungsten.

Technical specifications

ReadSoft competitors and alternatives

ReadSoft competed against AI-native platforms including ABBYY and Rossum in the intelligent document processing market. Unlike cloud-only competitors, ReadSoft maintained both cloud and on-premise deployment options, which gave it an advantage in regulated industries where Hyland also competed. That hybrid positioning is now moot given the end-of-life status.

For organizations evaluating alternatives to ReadSoft, the relevant comparison set depends on ERP environment and invoice volume. Tungsten's own TotalAgility and InvoiceAgility are the vendor-recommended paths. Independent alternatives in the AP automation space include ABBYY Vantage, Rossum, and Kofax products now consolidated under the Tungsten brand.

Company information

ReadSoft was founded in 1991 by two university students in Linköping, Sweden. Lexmark acquired the company in 2014. Kofax merged with the ReadSoft product line in 2017. The combined entity rebranded as Tungsten Automation in 2024. ReadSoft software now operates as a legacy product line within Tungsten Automation Corporation, with standard support ended as of December 31, 2025.

Industries served: financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, public sector.

Resources

• Tungsten Automation Website
• Tungsten AP Solutions
• ReadSoft end-of-life guidance via Viseo Australia
• ReadSoft Invoices product overview via Dynatos