Suggested columns
- Merchant and transaction date
- Currency, subtotal, tax, tip, and total
- Payment method and expense category
- Source filename or Drive link
- Reviewer and approval status
Receipt OCR
Extract receipt data into Google Sheets
Turn receipt photos and PDFs into structured expense rows with merchant, date, tax, total, and category fields.
Photo tips
- Flatten curled thermal paper
- Fill the frame without cutting edges
- Avoid glare and hand shadows
- Use a contrasting background
- Process one receipt per image
A practical receipt workflow
- Capture a clear image. Photograph the full receipt before the thermal print fades.
- Choose Sheets output. Extract structured values rather than paragraph text.
- Verify the total and date. These are the most important fields for expense reporting.
- Add a category. Use consistent categories such as travel, meals, office supplies, or software.
- Keep the source. Save a Drive link or filename for audit and reimbursement review.
For invoices with multiple line items and payment terms, use the invoice OCR workflow instead.