Receipt Scanning

Automatically extract expense data from receipt images and PDF invoices using AI-powered OCR.

INFO

Receipt scanning is available on every plan, with a monthly cap on the number of scans: 3 on Free, 30 on Starter, and 200 on Pro. The cap resets on the first of each calendar month.

Overview

Instead of manually entering every expense, take a photo of a receipt or upload a PDF and let MyCompanyDesk extract the details automatically.

Supported formats

• Images — JPEG, PNG, WebP
• PDF — PDF invoices and receipts
• Maximum file size — 50MB

How to scan a receipt

1. Go to Expenses > Scan Receipt
2. Upload your receipt file (drag and drop or click to browse). The scanner takes one file at a time.
3. Optionally open the advanced options and choose the extraction mode:
   • Single: extract one expense from the receipt
   • Multiple: extract multiple line items from the same receipt (the default)
4. Wait for processing (a few seconds)
5. Review the extracted data:
   • Date
   • Amount
   • Supplier name
   • Description / items
6. Edit any fields that need correction
7. Click Confirm to create the expense(s)

Extraction modes

Single mode

Best for simple receipts with one total:

• Restaurant bills
• Gas station receipts
• Single-item purchases

Extracts: date, total amount, supplier, description.

Multiple mode

Best for itemized receipts or invoices:

• Office supply orders with multiple items
• Supplier invoices with line items
• Shopping lists

Extracts: individual line items with descriptions and amounts.

Advanced settings

The scanner has an advanced options panel:

• Instructions: add free-text context to help the AI (e.g., "This is a Dutch receipt from Albert Heijn")
• Extraction mode: single expense or multiple line items (default: multiple)
• Category: limit extraction to one expense category, or leave it on any category
• Filter tags: keyword tags; only items matching the tags are extracted
• Price range: a minimum and maximum amount; items outside the range are skipped
• Attach receipt: whether the original file is attached to the created expense (on by default)

Tips for best results

• Good lighting — Take photos in well-lit conditions
• Flat surface — Place the receipt on a flat surface
• Full receipt — Make sure the entire receipt is in frame
• Clear text — Ensure text is legible and not blurry
• One receipt per scan — Scan receipts individually for best accuracy

After scanning

Once confirmed, the expense is created with:

• All extracted data pre-filled
• The original receipt attached as a file
• Category suggestions (if AI suggestions are enabled)

You can edit the expense afterward like any manually created expense.

Scanning several receipts

The uploader takes one file at a time. To process several receipts, scan them one after another; each scan counts once towards your monthly cap. For a receipt or invoice that contains multiple items, use the Multiple extraction mode to create several expenses from a single scan.

Tips

• Scan receipts as soon as you receive them — don't let them pile up
• Check the extracted amount carefully, especially for receipts with multiple currencies
• Enable AI suggestions for automatic categorization after scanning
• Keep the original receipt file attached for tax audit purposes