1. Watch Your Lighting

Shadows are the #1 enemy of AI transcription.

• The Fix: Avoid overhead lights that cast a shadow of your hand or phone over the receipt. Try to snap photos in bright, even lighting. If you're in a dark area, turn on your phone's flash.

2. Keep it Flat and Straight

A crumpled or curled receipt distorts the text, making it hard for the AI to "read" the lines.

• The Fix: Flatten the receipt on a dark, high-contrast surface (like a countertop or a truck dashboard). Avoid holding the receipt in the air, which leads to "waves" in the paper.

3. Check the Focus

If the image is blurry, the AI has to guess the numbers—which leads to errors in the Math Checker.

• The Fix: Tap your phone screen to focus the camera before snapping the photo. Ensure the entire receipt is within the frame and the text looks sharp on your screen.

4. Handle Long Receipts in Sections

Extra-long receipts from big-box stores can become unreadable if you try to fit the whole thing into one tiny photo.

• The Fix: If a receipt is longer than 12 inches, take multiple "overlapping" photos or use the "Long Document" mode if your phone supports it. For PDFs, the AI can handle multiple pages automatically.

5. Avoid "Handwritten" Overlap

If you’ve scribbled notes or "Job Name" across the actual price or vendor name, the AI might get confused.

• The Fix: If you need to write notes on your receipts, try to write them in the margins or the white space at the bottom so you don't obscure the transaction data.

6. Dealing with Faded Ink

Thermal receipts (like those from Home Depot) fade quickly in the heat of a truck.

• The Fix: If the ink is very faint, the AI may struggle. In these cases, it is best to enter the transaction manually or try to adjust the contrast of the photo before uploading.

What to do if the AI fails:

If a receipt simply won't process after 2 or 3 attempts:

1. Manual Entry: You can always skip the AI and enter the transaction details manually into the Expense Tracker.
2. Report an Issue: Use the "Feedback" button within the Receipts Inbox to send us the image. This helps our engineers train the AI to handle those specific types of receipts better in the future.