How to scan receipts into a spreadsheet
- Take a clear photo of each receipt: flat, well lit, filling most of the frame. Then drop the photos here, or tap the box to choose them (several at once is fine).
- Pick the receipt language and the date style (US month/day or UK/EU day/month) so ambiguous dates such as 03/04 are read correctly.
- The text is read on your device and each receipt becomes a row with the merchant, date, total, tax, currency and a suggested category. Rows with a missing date or total are highlighted.
- Check and correct the rows, add receipts by hand with + Add row, then export a CSV for Excel or Google Sheets, or a three-column CSV ready to import into QuickBooks, Xero or similar bookkeeping software.
How the receipt reader works
The photo is converted to high-contrast greyscale and passed to Tesseract, an open-source OCR engine that runs inside your browser. The tool then looks for the merchant name near the top, a date in common formats (2026-10-20, 10/20/2026, 20.10.2026, 20 Oct 2026), the amount on the "Total", "Amount due" or "Balance" line (ignoring subtotals and savings lines) and a tax, VAT or GST line. If no total line is found, the largest amount on the receipt is used. Categories are guessed from merchant keywords and can be changed.
Accuracy depends mostly on the photo. Thermal receipts fade quickly, so scan them soon after purchase. Avoid shadows and creases, hold the phone parallel to the receipt, and crop out the background if you can. Long supermarket receipts are best photographed in two halves. Always check totals before you file expenses or a tax return.
Your photos are never uploaded: the OCR engine is downloaded once and runs locally. Only the table rows are remembered in this browser, so export the CSV regularly for your records.
Is it safe to scan receipts here?
Yes. Recognition happens in your browser and the images are not stored or sent anywhere.
Why is the total wrong?
Blurry or faded print can make digits unreadable, and some receipts label the total unusually. Edit the cell, or retake the photo with better light.
Can I import the CSV into QuickBooks or Xero?
Yes. Use "CSV for QuickBooks / Xero", which has Date, Description and Amount columns with spending as negative amounts, the layout both accept for bank-style imports.
Do I need to keep paper receipts?
Rules differ by country. Many tax authorities accept clear digital copies, but keep the photos as well as this table, and check your local record-keeping rules.