Privacy Policy | Clearline

Clearline ("Clearline," "we," "us," or "our") provides an invoice capture and accounts payable automation platform for businesses. This Privacy Policy applies to clearlinebooks.net and the Clearline dashboard, and describes how we collect, use, share, and protect information in connection with those services (together, the "Service").

If your organization uses Clearline, your employer is typically the "data controller" for the vendor invoices and business records processed through your account, and Clearline acts as a "data processor" or "service provider" on its behalf. Where that distinction matters, it's noted below.

Information we collect

We collect the following categories of information:

Account and contact information. Name, work email, phone number, company name, and role, provided when you register for Clearline, request a demo, or are added to an account by your organization.
Invoices and supporting documents. Vendor invoices, proforma invoices, credit and debit notes, purchase orders, and related attachments submitted to Clearline by email, WhatsApp, or direct upload, including any data extracted from those documents (such as amounts, dates, line items, tax identifiers, and banking details).
Connected accounting system data. When you connect an accounting platform such as Xero, Zoho Books, Odoo, Sage, or QuickBooks, we access the vendor, purchase order, and bill records needed to match, create, and sync invoices, along with the authentication tokens required to maintain that connection.
Approval and workflow activity. Records of who reviewed, approved, rejected, or commented on an invoice, and any messages sent to suppliers through the platform.
Usage and device information. Log data, IP address, browser type, pages viewed, and similar diagnostic information collected automatically when you use the Service.
Communications. Messages you send us through the demo request form, email, or other support channels.

How we use information

We use the information described above to:

Provide, operate, and maintain the Service;
Extract structured data from submitted invoices and documents and route them through your organization's approval workflow;
Detect duplicate invoices, mismatched banking details, and other anomalies that may indicate error or fraud;
Create and sync approved bills into the accounting systems you connect;
Send transactional notifications, such as approval requests, supplier correspondence you authorize, and due date reminders;
Respond to demo requests and support inquiries;
Monitor, secure, and improve the Service, including diagnosing technical issues; and
Meet legal, tax, and compliance obligations.

We do not sell personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

Accounting platforms you connect. Invoice and vendor data is sent to the accounting system(s) your organization authorizes, such as Xero, Zoho Books, Odoo, Sage, or QuickBooks, under the terms of that provider's own privacy policy.
Infrastructure and service providers. We use cloud hosting, database, email delivery, and related infrastructure providers to operate the Service. These providers process data on our behalf and are bound by confidentiality and data protection obligations.
Within your organization. Invoice and workflow data is visible to the members of your organization's Clearline account according to the permissions your administrator sets.
Legal and safety reasons. We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Clearline, our customers, or others.
Business transfers. If Clearline is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy or a policy at least as protective.

Cookies and analytics

The clearlinebooks.net marketing site uses Google Analytics to understand aggregate traffic and improve the site. The Clearline dashboard uses strictly necessary cookies to keep you signed in and to protect your session; these cannot be disabled without affecting core functionality. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

Data retention

We retain account, invoice, and workflow data for as long as your organization maintains an active Clearline account, and for a reasonable period afterward to meet legal, accounting, and dispute-resolution obligations. Your organization's administrator can request deletion of account data as described below, subject to any records we're required to keep.

Data security

We use technical and organizational safeguards, including encryption in transit, access controls, and audit logging of inbound documents and outbound communications, to protect information against unauthorized access, alteration, or loss. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Legal bases for processing

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we rely on the following legal bases under the GDPR:

Contract. To create your account, run the Service, and do what you ask of us. This covers account details and the way we handle invoices for you.
Legitimate interests. To keep the Service secure, prevent fraud and abuse, fix problems, understand how the product is used, and reply to demo requests and business enquiries. We weigh these interests against your rights and stop if your rights come first.
Legal obligation. To keep records required by tax, accounting, and other laws, and to respond to lawful requests.
Consent. Where the law requires it, for example for non-essential cookies and analytics. You can withdraw consent at any time, and that will not affect anything we did before.

For invoices and business records your organization submits, your organization decides why and how that data is used. We handle it only on its instructions. Customers who need a Data Processing Addendum can request one at privacy@clearlinebooks.net.

Your rights

Under the GDPR and similar laws you have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you;
Have inaccurate information corrected;
Have your information deleted, in the cases the law allows;
Restrict or object to certain processing;
Receive your information in a portable format and move it to another provider;
Withdraw consent where we rely on it; and
Complain to your local data protection authority. In the EU that is the authority in the country where you live, work, or believe a problem happened.

If you are an individual whose data was submitted by an organization using Clearline, please contact that organization first, as they control the account. We will help them answer your request. Otherwise write to privacy@clearlinebooks.net and we will reply within one month. We may ask you to confirm who you are before we act on a request.

International data transfers

Clearline and some of our providers operate outside the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom. When personal information leaves those areas, we make sure it stays protected. We use the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses (and the UK equivalent where relevant), or another transfer method the law recognizes, together with the technical and organizational safeguards described in this Policy.

Customers who need the Standard Contractual Clauses in place can request them at privacy@clearlinebooks.net.

Children's privacy

The Service is intended for business use and is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we'll update the date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify account administrators directly.

Contact us

Questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, including data protection requests, can be sent to privacy@clearlinebooks.net. This address is our data protection contact.