Receipt scanning

How to scan a receipt

MileLedger's document scanner uses your phone camera and on-device Vision OCR to capture a receipt. It extracts the merchant name and total amount automatically. Always review the results before saving.

Uploading receipt images from your photo library

If you already have a photo of your receipt in your phone Photos library or Files app, you can attach it directly to an expense without re-scanning.

Supported receipt formats

MileLedger accepts JPEG images and PDF documents as receipt attachments. Both single-page and multi-page PDFs are supported.

What information is extracted from a receipt

MileLedger uses Apple's on-device Vision framework to read receipts. It extracts the merchant name and the total amount only. All other fields — line items, tax, tip, subtotal, category — must be entered manually.

Reviewing scanned receipt information

After a scan, MileLedger pre-fills the Merchant and Amount fields from OCR. You should always review these before saving to ensure accuracy.

Correcting receipt details after scanning

If the OCR extracted an incorrect merchant name or amount, you can correct either field directly in the expense editor — before or after saving.

Saving scanned receipts

When you scan a receipt and save an expense, the image is stored as an attachment on the expense. You can view, zoom, and share it any time from the expense detail screen.

Receipt scanning limitations

MileLedger's on-device OCR is designed for speed and privacy, which means it has deliberate limitations. Understanding these helps you set the right expectations and work around them.

Tips for improving scan accuracy

The quality of OCR extraction depends heavily on the quality of the input image. Follow these tips to get the most accurate merchant name and amount readings.

Troubleshooting receipt scanning

If your receipt scan produces blank or incorrect results, the steps below cover the most common causes and how to resolve them.