How to turn receipt photos into a PDF

Expense systems want a document, not a camera roll. One PDF with all the receipts in it is usually what gets approved without questions.

Turn photos into a PDF
Whichever tool you use here, the file stays on your device. How that works

Step by step

  1. 1Photograph each receipt flat, in good light, with the total clearly visible.
  2. 2Crop each one to the receipt itself.
  3. 3Add them in the order they appear on your claim.
  4. 4Convert to one PDF and check every total is readable before submitting.

The total is the only part that must be perfect

Whoever approves your claim is checking the amount, the date and the merchant. If those three are crisp, a slightly creased or curled receipt is not a problem. If the total is blurred, the claim comes back.

Receipts on till paper are the hardest thing to photograph, because they curl and reflect. Flattening one under a book for a minute, or holding it flat, makes far more difference than any adjustment afterwards.

Keep the order matching your claim. An approver working through a list of items should find receipt three on page three, and anything else adds friction to something you want approved quickly.

Questions

Should each receipt be its own page?

Usually yes. It makes checking straightforward. Several small receipts on one page is acceptable if all the totals are legible.

Do faded receipts work?

Raise the contrast before converting. Till receipts fade quickly, so photograph them early.

Are my receipts uploaded?

No.