Field Receipts

Field Receipts capture expense receipts from job sites for quick entry and tracking. Upload receipt photos, categorize expenses by cost code, and track approval and payment status.

What Is a Field Receipt?

A Field Receipt records purchases made on the job site, typically by field staff using company credit cards or petty cash. Unlike standard purchase orders that go through a formal ordering process, field receipts capture expenses after they've occurred.

Common uses:

• Job site material purchases
• Emergency supplies
• Small tool purchases
• Subcontractor payments
• Miscellaneous project expenses

Accessing Field Receipts

Field Receipt Inbox

Navigate to the Field Receipt Inbox to see all receipts across projects:

1. Main navigation → Field Receipts (or Field Receipt Inbox)
2. View, filter, and manage all uploaded receipts

Project-Specific View

View receipts for a single project:

1. Open the project
2. Click the Field Receipts tab (if available)
3. See only receipts associated with that project

Uploading Receipts

Quick Upload

1. Click Upload Receipt button
2. Select a receipt file (supported: JPEG, PNG, GIF, PDF, HEIC)
3. Select the project
4. Receipt is uploaded and appears in the inbox

Tip: The system can automatically extract information from receipt images, including vendor name, date, and amounts.

Uploading with Details (Admins)

Users with the Manage PO permission can enter details immediately:

1. Click Upload Receipt
2. Select file and project
3. Receipt form opens automatically
4. Fill in details (see Fields below)
5. Choose a save option:
   • Save - Keep form open for more editing
   • Save & Close - Return to inbox

Automatic Receipt Scanning (OCR)

Readybuild can automatically extract information from uploaded receipt images using optical character recognition (OCR). This feature helps speed up data entry by reading the receipt and pre-filling form fields.

How It Works

1. Upload a receipt - Upload an image file (JPEG, PNG, GIF, HEIC) or PDF
2. Save the receipt - OCR processing starts automatically after saving
3. Wait for processing - A status indicator shows the current progress
4. Review and edit - Once complete, verify the extracted data and make any corrections

OCR Status Indicators

After saving a receipt with an uploaded file, you'll see a status indicator:

Status	Description
Save to start OCR	Receipt file uploaded but not yet saved - save to begin processing
OCR pending...	Receipt is queued for processing
Processing receipt...	OCR is actively extracting data from the image
OCR failed	Processing could not complete - enter data manually

When processing completes successfully, you'll see a confirmation message and the form fields will be populated.

What Gets Extracted

OCR attempts to extract the following information from receipt images:

• Title - Merchant or vendor name from the receipt
• Purchase Date - Transaction date shown on the receipt
• Line Items - Individual items including name, cost, and quantity

Auto-Population Rules

To preserve any data you've already entered, OCR only fills in empty fields:

• Title - Only populated if the title field is blank
• Purchase Date - Only populated if you haven't changed the date from today
• Line Items - Only populated if no line items exist yet

If you've already entered information in a field, OCR will not overwrite it.

Tips for Best Results

• Clear images - Use well-lit, in-focus photos
• Flat receipts - Smooth out wrinkles before photographing
• Full capture - Include the entire receipt in the frame
• Standard receipts - Printed register receipts work best

note

OCR is designed to assist with data entry, not replace it. Always review the extracted information for accuracy before saving. If OCR fails, you can still enter all information manually.

Receipt Fields

Required Fields

Field	Description
Title	Name or description of the receipt
Purchase Date	Date the expense occurred
Project	Project this expense belongs to
Sub/Vendor	Who provided the goods/services
Receipt File	The uploaded receipt image/document

Line Items

Each receipt has one or more line items representing individual expenses:

Field	Description
Item Name	Description of the item purchased
Cost Code	Category for job costing (required)
Unit Cost	Price per unit
Quantity	Number of units
Unit of Measure	Unit type (each, square foot, etc.)
Builder Cost	Calculated: Quantity × Unit Cost

Optional Fields

Field	Description
Description	Additional notes about the receipt
Tags	Custom tags for categorization
QB Payment Account	QuickBooks account for sync (if QB is enabled)
Attachments	Additional supporting documents

Receipt Status

Receipts progress through two statuses:

Status	Description
New	Just uploaded, awaiting review
Approved	Reviewed and approved by manager

Changing Status

1. Open the receipt
2. Select a new status from the dropdown
3. Save the receipt

Status changes trigger QuickBooks sync if the integration is enabled.

Filtering Receipts

Use filters to find specific receipts:

Filter	Options
Status	New, Approved
Vendor	Select from vendors
Project	Select from projects
Purchase Date	Date range
Upload Date	Date range
Amount	Amount range
Cost Codes	Select cost codes
Tags	Select tags

Filters persist between sessions for convenience.

Tags

Organize receipts with custom tags:

Using Tags

1. Open a receipt
2. Click the Tags field
3. Select existing tags or create new ones
4. Save the receipt

Managing Tags

Users with proper permissions can:

• Create tags - Type a new tag name and press Enter
• Edit tags - Modify tag names and colors
• Delete tags - Remove tags (only if not in use)

Tags are color-coded for easy visual identification in the receipt list.

Exporting Receipts

Export filtered receipts to CSV for external analysis:

1. Apply desired filters
2. Click Export to CSV
3. File downloads with receipt details

The export includes:

• Receipt header information
• Line items expanded to separate rows
• Tags and cost codes
• All financial data

QuickBooks Integration

If QuickBooks Online is connected:

Payment Account

Select a QB payment account (bank or credit card) to record how the expense was paid.

Automatic Sync

When receipts are approved, they automatically sync to QuickBooks as expenses (not bills). This is because field receipts represent expenses that have already been paid, typically with company credit cards or petty cash.

Sync Status

The QB Sync column shows when each receipt was last synced to QuickBooks.

Permissions

Basic Users

• Can upload receipts
• See their own uploaded receipts
• Cannot change status or approve

Users with Manage PO Permission

• Full access to all receipt functions
• Can approve and change status
• Can manage tags
• Can export data

Job Costing Integration

Field receipts feed directly into Job Costing:

• Each line item's cost code allocates the expense to project cost categories
• Approved receipts appear in the Job Costing "Field Receipts" section
• Receipt totals roll up into project cost tracking

Ensure cost codes are accurately assigned to maintain accurate job costing data.

Best Practices

1. Upload receipts promptly - Don't let receipts pile up
2. Assign cost codes - Every line item should have a cost code for job costing
3. Use tags - Create tags for common expense categories
4. Review regularly - Process new receipts weekly
5. Keep originals - Maintain physical receipts for accounting records

Troubleshooting

OCR Not Starting

If OCR doesn't begin after uploading a receipt:

• Ensure you've saved the receipt after uploading the file
• Check that the file is a supported format (JPEG, PNG, GIF, HEIC, or PDF)
• Try uploading a different image of the same receipt

OCR Failed

If OCR processing fails:

• The receipt image may be too blurry, dark, or damaged
• Handwritten receipts are not supported - printed receipts work best
• Try taking a clearer photo with better lighting
• You can still enter all information manually

OCR Results Incorrect

If extracted data doesn't match the receipt:

• This is normal - OCR is an automated process that can make errors
• Simply correct any inaccurate fields before saving
• OCR works best with standard printed receipts from major retailers

OCR Not Extracting All Fields

If some fields aren't populated:

• Not all receipts contain the same information
• Fields that were already filled in are intentionally skipped
• Some receipt formats may not be fully recognized
• Enter any missing information manually

Related Topics

• Purchase Orders - Formal vendor ordering
• Job Costing - Project cost tracking
• Client Invoicing - Invoice and payment processing