How to Create Expense Reports in Scanner Pro

Turn Receipt Chaos Into Organized Expense Reports

Lost receipts mean lost reimbursements. Paper receipts fade, get damaged, or disappear exactly when you need them for expense reports or tax filing. Scanner Pro's Automated Expense Report feature fixes that. You can scan a receipt, and the app pulls out the vendor name, date, total amount, tax, currency, and expense category automatically, then packages everything into a formatted report in seconds.

It's useful for anyone who tracks spending: freelancers logging deductions, sales teams on weekly expense cycles, travelers documenting trip costs as they go, or small business owners who need clean records for their accountant. And because Scanner Pro backs up receipt data in iCloud for 3–7 years, you'll have the documentation you need if the IRS ever comes calling — no shoebox required.

How to Create an Expense Report

Creating an expense report in Scanner Pro takes less than a minute once you've scanned your receipts.

Step 1: Scan Your Receipts

Before creating a report, you need scanned receipts in Scanner Pro:

• Open Scanner Pro.
• Tap the orange Camera button.
• Point your camera at a receipt.
• Scanner Pro automatically captures and saves it.
• Repeat for all receipts you want to include.

Receipts are saved to your My Scans library. You can scan them as you spend or all at once when preparing your report.

Step 2: Access the Expense Report Feature

• Open Scanner Pro.
• Tap the “three dots” icon in the upper right corner of the screen while in the main view of the app. 
• Select Expense Report from the menu.

Step 3: Select Your Receipts

• The app displays all scanned documents
• Tap each receipt you want to include in the report.
• Selected receipts show a checkmark.
• Tap Continue when you've selected all receipts.

You can select receipts from different dates, vendors, and expense categories. The app will organize everything in the final report.

Step 4: Review Extracted Information

Scanner Pro automatically extracts data from each receipt:

• The app processes each receipt and displays extracted information.
• Check that the vendor name, date, amount, and category are correct.
• Tap Edit to correct any mistakes.
• Make changes to any field that was read incorrectly.
• Tap Continue when everything looks accurate.

The AI works well with clear, standard receipts from major retailers and restaurants. Faded thermal paper, crumpled receipts, or unusual formats may need manual corrections — always review the extracted data before exporting.

Step 5: Choose Your Export Format

• Use the PDF/CSV toggle at the top of the screen.
• Select PDF for a formatted report with receipt images.
• Select CSV for a spreadsheet compatible with accounting software.
• Review the preview of your report.

PDF format: Includes receipt images and a formatted summary table. Good for submitting to managers or clients who want to see the actual receipts.

CSV format: Spreadsheet data only (no images). Opens in Excel, Google Sheets, or imports directly into accounting software.

Step 6: Share Your Expense Report

• Tap the Share button at the bottom.
• Choose how to send the report:
  • Email to your accounting department
  • Save to Files app
  • Upload to cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)
  • AirDrop to your computer
  • Import to your accounting software

The report is ready to submit. If you export as CSV, you can import it into QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, or any accounting platform that accepts spreadsheet data.

What Information Gets Extracted

Scanner Pro's AI reads your receipts and pulls out the data you need for expense tracking and tax documentation.

Automatically Extracted Fields

Vendor Information:

• Business name
• Location (when shown on receipt)

Transaction Details:

• Date of purchase
• Total amount
• Tax amount (itemized separately)
• Currency

Expense Category: 

The app automatically classifies expenses into common categories:

You can edit the category if the automatic classification is wrong. Standard receipt formats from major vendors work best; unusual layouts may be misclassified.

What Gets Saved

Beyond the extracted data, Scanner Pro also saves:

• Full-resolution images of each receipt
• Backup in iCloud for 3-7 years
• Original scanned PDFs

This gives you both structured data for accounting software and visual proof for audits or disputes.

Subscription Requirements

For $4.99/month, you can process up to 50 receipts and generate unlimited reports from them. Please note that unused receipts do not carry over to the next month. To test the feature, you can start a 7-day free trial which includes 15 receipts.

Tips for Better Expense Reports

Getting Clean Receipt Scans

Flatten the receipt before scanning. Wrinkled or folded receipts may scan with distorted text that the AI can't read accurately.

Scan soon after purchase. Thermal paper receipts (the shiny ones from gas stations and grocery stores) fade quickly. Scan within a week for best results.

Good lighting matters. Scanner Pro works in various lighting, but better light means better OCR accuracy and fewer manual corrections.

One receipt per scan. Don't try to scan multiple receipts in a single image. The app expects one receipt per scan for accurate data extraction.

Organizing Receipts

Create a "Receipts" folder. Tap More → New Folder, name it "Receipts" or "Expenses," then open it before scanning. All new scans go directly into that folder.

Name by date or project. If you're tracking expenses for multiple clients or trips, rename receipts immediately: "2025-03-15 Client Lunch" or "NYC Trip - Hotel."

Scan as you spend. Don't wait until the end of the month. Scan receipts right after transactions to avoid the pile-up.

Working with CSV Exports

Open in Excel or Google Sheets first. Check that all data imported correctly before uploading to your accounting software.

Map the columns. Most accounting software lets you map CSV columns to their fields. Scanner Pro uses standard column names (Date, Vendor, Amount, Tax, Category) that match most platforms.

Combine multiple reports if needed. If you generated multiple expense reports during the month, you can combine the CSV files before importing to accounting software.

Accounting Software Integration

Scanner Pro doesn't connect directly to QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, or other accounting platforms. Instead, it exports CSV files that you import manually.

How to Import to Common Platforms

QuickBooks:

• Export expense report as CSV
• In QuickBooks: Banking → File Upload → Select CSV
• Map Scanner Pro columns to QuickBooks fields
• Review and import

Xero:

• Export as CSV
• In Xero: Accounting → Advanced → Import
• Choose "Bank Statements" or "Expenses"
• Map columns and import

Excel/Google Sheets:

• Export as CSV
• Open in your spreadsheet app
• Data is ready for formulas, pivot tables, or further processing

The CSV format ensures compatibility with virtually any financial software, even if Scanner Pro doesn't integrate directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to receipts scanned during my free trial?

They remain in your library. If you don't subscribe after the trial, you keep the scanned images and any reports you generated, but you can't process new receipts for expense reports.

Does this work for international receipts?

Yes. Scanner Pro recognizes multiple currencies and date formats. The currency field is automatically detected and included in the export.

What if I accidentally include the wrong receipt?

During the selection step, tap any receipt again to deselect it. If you've already generated the report, create a new one with the correct receipts selected.

Can I use Expense Reports on iPad?

Yes. The feature is available on both iPhone and iPad running iOS/iPadOS 17.0 or later.

What file format should I use when importing to QuickBooks or Xero?

Export as CSV. Both platforms accept CSV imports and let you map Scanner Pro's column names (Date, Vendor, Amount, Tax, Category) to their own fields during the import step.

Related Scanner Pro Features

Now that you know how to create expense reports, explore these related features:

• Create Folders to organize receipts by month, project, or client
• Cloud Storage to automatically back up all receipts to Dropbox or Google Drive
• Smart Workflows to automate receipt naming and filing
• Export Options to share receipts in multiple formats
• OCR Text Recognition to make all scans searchable

Start Tracking Expenses Today

Scan your first receipt, review the extracted data, and export a formatted report — all in under a minute. Scanner Pro's Expense Report feature handles the admin so you can focus on the work.