> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.alk.work/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Expense Receipt Digitization

> Capture, extract, and categorize employee expenses from receipts, then check them against expense policy

## Overview

Expense Receipt Digitization is a workflow that captures employee expenses from photos, scans, or PDFs; extracts merchant, amounts, tax, and payment method; and auto-categorizes transactions against an expense policy.

It supports end-to-end expense intake — receipt capture, field extraction, totals validation, categorization, and policy compliance checks — in one streamlined workflow.

**What you get:** a structured table of extracted expense fields you can review, edit, and export.

<Tip>
  To set up the workflow (creating sessions, uploading documents, running a workflow, and exporting), see [Setting Up a Workflow](/workflows/setting-up-a-workflow) for a comprehensive guide. This page focuses on what's specific to **Expense Receipt Digitization**.
</Tip>

## When to use Expense Receipt Digitization

Use this workflow when you need to process employee receipts quickly and consistently, including:

* Extracting expense details from receipts in varied formats (photo, scan, PDF)
* Identifying the merchant/vendor and transaction date
* Capturing itemized totals (subtotal, tax, tip) and verifying the total
* Capturing payment method (cash/card/transfer) where available
* Categorizing expenses (meals, travel, lodging, office supplies, etc.)
* Flagging potential policy issues for review (missing VAT, out-of-policy categories, missing required fields)

## Step-by-step usage

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the workflow">
    Navigate to **Workflows** > **Template gallery** and select **Expense Receipt Digitization**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload receipts">
    Upload the receipt images/scans or PDFs (one receipt per file is ideal).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload supporting documents (optional)">
    Upload supporting documents (e.g., travel approval, invoice, vendor quote) if required by policy.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run extraction">
    Click **Run** to begin extraction and categorization.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review extracted fields">
    Review extracted fields and edit anything that is incorrect (especially totals and category).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export">
    Export results (CSV or Excel) for reimbursement workflows and reporting.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Inputs

* **Required:** access to [alk.wamiri.com](http://alk.wamiri.com)
* **Required:** stable internet connection
* **Required documents:** receipts (photo/scan/PDF)
* **Optional:** invoices, approvals, travel documentation, project codes/cost center references

## What's specific to Expense Receipt Digitization

1. **Totals should reconcile.** If subtotal, tax, and tip are available, confirm that they add up to the total; otherwise flag for review.
2. **Categorization is policy-driven.** Use clear category names that align with your expense policy and accounting chart of accounts.
3. **Policy compliance is a first-pass check.** This workflow can flag likely violations (e.g., missing tax invoice, restricted category, incomplete receipt), but final approval remains with Finance.

## Standard fields (default columns)

| Field                 | Description                                                                                                  | Field Type    | Task Type      |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------- | -------------- |
| **Employee Name**     | Name of the employee submitting the expense.                                                                 | Text          | Extraction     |
| **Merchant Name**     | Merchant/vendor name as shown on the receipt.                                                                | Text          | Extraction     |
| **Transaction Date**  | Date of the purchase/transaction.                                                                            | Date          | Extraction     |
| **Payment Method**    | Payment method used (e.g., cash, debit card, credit card, transfer).                                         | Select        | Extraction     |
| **Subtotal**          | Subtotal amount before tax and tip (if listed).                                                              | Number        | Extraction     |
| **Tax**               | Tax/VAT amount (if listed).                                                                                  | Number        | Extraction     |
| **Tip**               | Tip/gratuity amount (if applicable).                                                                         | Number        | Extraction     |
| **Total**             | Total amount charged on the receipt.                                                                         | Number        | Extraction     |
| **Category**          | Expense category aligned to policy (e.g., Meals, Travel, Lodging, Office Supplies).                          | Select        | Classification |
| **Policy Compliance** | Pass/fail/needs review with brief notes (e.g., missing VAT invoice, exceeds threshold, restricted category). | Status/Select | Assessment     |

## Customising expense receipt columns

You can tailor columns to match your finance workflow.

* Add columns for currency, exchange rate, cost center, project code, receipt number, VAT registration number, approver, and reimbursement status.
* Rename columns to be explicit (for example, "Total (₦)" or "Tax/VAT (₦)").
* Keep column names clear and unambiguous to improve extraction quality.

## Important notes

* Always validate critical amounts against the receipt image/PDF, especially when the receipt is blurry or itemized.
* If a field is consistently wrong, simplify the column name or add a short instruction to the column prompt.
* Where policy requires it, ensure receipts include merchant name, date, and total amount.

## Related articles

* [Setting Up a Workflow](/workflows/setting-up-a-workflow)
* [How To Add Custom Columns](/workflows/setting-up-a-workflow#how-to-add-custom-columns)

## Need help?

If you run into issues, contact the Wamiri support team at [support@wamiri.com](mailto:support@wamiri.com). Include:

* What you were trying to do
* What happened instead
* Any error messages
* Steps to reproduce
* Screenshots or recordings (if available)