> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.liftai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Dispute an invoice charge

> When and how to open a dispute with a vendor over an incorrect charge on an invoice.

When the AI invoice review (or your own check) turns up a charge that doesn't match the contract, you can open a dispute to challenge it with the vendor. This is the first step in the dispute funnel: open the dispute here, then [draft and send the dispute email](/disputes/draft-and-send-dispute-email), and [track the vendor's response](/disputes/track-vendor-response).

<Note>
  **The Dispute Agent is in beta.** We're still refining how it drafts emails and reads vendor replies, so behavior may change. We'd love your feedback — send it to us through the **Support** button in the sidebar. In the app, the Dispute tab is marked **Beta**.
</Note>

## Who can dispute, and when

Disputes are a consultant workflow. You open and manage them from the invoice's **Dispute** tab.

<Note>
  The dispute agent is rolling out gradually and isn't turned on for every account yet. If you don't see the **Dispute** tab on your invoices, your account doesn't have it yet — select **Request Support** at the bottom of the sidebar to ask for access. See [Get help and contact support](/getting-started/get-help#contact-support).
</Note>

<Warning>
  A dispute can only be **initiated before the invoice is approved**. Once an invoice is approved, it can no longer be disputed — the Dispute tab shows "Disputes Not Available" with the message that disputes must be initiated before an invoice is approved. A dispute you opened earlier and resolved stays viewable in **read-only** form even after the invoice is approved.
</Warning>

Open the dispute before you approve the invoice. If you've already approved it and later find a problem, you can't start a dispute against it.

## Open a dispute

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the invoice and go to the Dispute tab">
    Select the invoice, then choose the **Dispute** tab. The tab is available on invoices that have not yet been approved.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the summary and the AI suggestion">
    With no dispute open yet, the tab shows a **Review Summary** (invoice number, property, vendor, and the proposed amount) alongside an agent suggestion banner. The banner is often driven by the [AI invoice review](/invoices/ai-invoice-review) findings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start the dispute">
    Use the suggested action in the banner to open the dispute. Opening it generates a draft email for you in the next step.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You don't have to compose anything from scratch. Opening a dispute moves straight into a pre-filled, AI-drafted email — see [Draft and send a dispute email](/disputes/draft-and-send-dispute-email).
</Tip>

## The dispute lifecycle

A dispute moves through a small set of states:

* **Active** — the dispute is open and you're preparing or reviewing communication with the vendor.
* **Awaiting vendor** — you've sent an email and the panel is monitoring for a reply. Active and awaiting-vendor flip back and forth as messages go out and replies come in.
* **Resolved** — the dispute is closed with an outcome (for example, a credit was issued or an adjusted invoice was received). See [Resolve a dispute](/disputes/resolve-a-dispute).
* **Withdrawn** — you chose to drop the dispute without a vendor-side resolution. See [Withdraw or reopen a dispute](/disputes/withdraw-or-reopen-dispute).

When a dispute needs attention, the **Dispute** tab shows a red dot so you can find it quickly. The dot appears for any active dispute, and for an awaiting-vendor dispute that's gone 10 or more days since the last contact. When a vendor has replied to an active dispute, the dispute header also shows an **Action Needed** chip so you know the response is waiting on your review.

## Next steps

* [Draft and send a dispute email](/disputes/draft-and-send-dispute-email) — the next step after opening a dispute.
* [Track and categorize a vendor's response](/disputes/track-vendor-response) — what happens after you send.
* [Resolve a dispute](/disputes/resolve-a-dispute) — closing out with an outcome.
* [AI invoice review](/invoices/ai-invoice-review) — where dispute suggestions usually originate.