Scanning Receipts

You can photograph or upload a receipt and NP Ledger will read it automatically using AI Vision. The vendor name, amount, date, and expense account are extracted and filled into the Quick Entry form for you. The receipt photo is also attached to the transaction as a source document.

Entering receipt details by hand is tedious and error-prone. Scanning captures the key information in seconds, creates a clean transaction, and keeps the receipt image attached for audit purposes. No more shoeboxes of paper receipts.

• You need a Standard or Professional plan (receipt scanning is not available on Starter)
• Receipt scanning shares a monthly usage quota with Voice Entry:
• Standard: 25 AI entries per month (combined Voice Entry + Receipt Scanning)
• Professional: Unlimited
• Have the receipt handy — either a physical receipt you can photograph or an image file on your device
• Supported image formats: JPEG, PNG, WebP, HEIC (iPhone photos)
• Maximum file size: 10 MB

Scanning from Quick Entry

1. Go to Quick Entry from the sidebar or dashboard.
2. Click "Scan Receipt." On a phone, this opens your camera so you can take a photo. On a desktop, it opens a file picker.
3. Take a photo or select a file. For best results, photograph the receipt straight-on in good lighting. Make sure the vendor name, total amount, and date are visible.
4. Wait a few seconds while NP Ledger extracts the details. You'll see a thumbnail of the receipt and an "Extracting receipt data..." message.
5. Review the pre-filled form. The extracted vendor, amount, date, and expense account appear in the Quick Entry form. Check that everything looks right — AI extraction is accurate but not perfect.
6. Adjust any fields that need correction. You can change the amount, pick a different account, select a fund, or edit the description.
7. Click "Create Transaction" to save. The receipt photo is automatically attached to the transaction.

Tip: You can scan multiple receipts in one session. After creating a transaction, click Scan Another to process the next receipt.

Extracting from an existing photo

If you created a placeholder entry and attached a photo to it, you can extract data from that photo later:

1. Go to Quick Entry while the placeholder is active.
2. Click "Extract from Photo" in the placeholder banner. This uses the photo you already attached — no new upload needed.
3. Review and save as with a normal scan.

The AI reads the receipt image and looks for:

Fields that can't be determined are left blank for you to fill in manually.

• The transaction appears in your transaction list with the correct amount and date
• The receipt photo is attached (visible on the transaction detail page)
• The expense account matches the type of purchase
• The vendor name was captured correctly

• Good lighting matters. Shadows and glare reduce accuracy.
• Shoot straight-on. Angled photos can make text hard to read.
• Include the full receipt. Make sure the total, vendor name, and date are all in frame.
• Use your phone camera when you can. Live photos tend to be sharper than old scanned images.
• One receipt per photo. If you photograph multiple receipts together, only one may be extracted.

• Blurry or angled photo — The AI may miss key fields. Retake the photo straight-on in better lighting.
• Wrong amount extracted — The AI sometimes picks up a subtotal or tax line instead of the total. Always verify the amount before saving.
• Account not matched — If your chart of accounts doesn't have a close match for the receipt category, the field is left blank. Select the account manually.
• Quota reached — If you've used all your AI entries for the month, you'll see a message with an option to upgrade. You can still enter receipt details manually.