Most expense systems want one attachment per report, not a dozen photos of crumpled receipts. Once you have a routine, it takes a few minutes. It also spares you the worse version of the job: sorting a shoebox of paper the night before the report is due.
Do It Before the Receipts Fade
Most receipts print on thermal paper, the heat-sensitive kind used at gas stations and grocery stores. It can fade in weeks and may be unreadable within a couple of months. If you wait until the end of a trip or a month, you risk losing totals and dates you'll need. Take the photo the same day, or at least the same week. It's the biggest thing you can do to avoid turning in a faded receipt.
Photograph Each Receipt Clearly
Lay the receipt flat on a plain, dark surface, since thermal paper is light. Shoot straight down, not at an angle. Use daylight or an evenly lit room, because thermal paper reflects glare easily. Take one receipt per photo, so each page of the PDF shows one purchase. That's what a reviewer expects to see.
Name Your Photos in Order
Before you combine anything, put a number at the start of each file name: 01-taxi.jpg, 02-lunch.jpg, 03-hotel.jpg. Most file pickers sort by name, so the photos usually load in the right order, and you won't have to shuffle pages later.
Combine the Photos Into One PDF
With your photos named, our JPG to PDF tool builds them into one multi-page PDF in the order you add them. Each receipt gets its own page, and the file is ready to attach to your report.
If Some Receipts Are Already PDFs
Some expense apps and bank sites let you download a charge as its own PDF. If you end up with receipt photos turned into a PDF plus other standalone PDF receipts, our Merge PDF tool joins them all into one document, wherever each came from.
Step by Step
| Step | Tool |
|---|---|
| Photograph receipts | Phone camera |
| Combine photos into a PDF | JPG to PDF |
| Add any existing PDF receipts | Merge PDF |
What Finance Teams Check
Past having a single file, reviewers care about two things. The date and total on each receipt must be readable, and the pages should be in a sensible order, usually by date. Get both right the first time and the report is approved quickly. Miss one and it bounces back with a request for a clearer copy.
Keep a Copy After You Submit
When a report is approved, it's tempting to delete the photos. But reimbursements are sometimes questioned weeks or months later, by an audit or by whoever prepares your taxes. Keeping the combined PDF saves you from hunting for paper receipts that may be gone by then. It's one small file, so it costs almost nothing to keep.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best way to scan receipts for an expense report?
Photograph each receipt flat on a contrasting surface in even light, one receipt per photo, and do it soon after the purchase, before thermal paper fades. Then combine the photos into one PDF in date order.
Can I combine receipt photos into one PDF?
Yes. A JPG to PDF tool builds several photos into one multi-page PDF, with each receipt on its own page, ready to attach to a report.
Why do thermal receipts fade?
Most receipts print on heat-sensitive thermal paper. The print can fade in a few weeks and may be unreadable within a couple of months, especially in heat or sunlight.
Do finance teams accept photos instead of a PDF?
Many expense systems ask for one PDF attachment per report. Combining your photos first saves a round of emails asking you to resend in the right format.
How long should I keep expense receipts?
It depends on your employer and your country. Ask your finance team, and if you're in the US and claiming expenses on a tax return, check the IRS recordkeeping guidance.
Sources and further reading
- Publication 463: Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses (IRS) See the recordkeeping section on proving business expenses. US taxpayers only.