Scan Receipts from Your Photos App in One Tap
The free ExpenseBot Apple Shortcut adds a Scan Receipts option to your iOS Share Sheet. Select receipt photos in the Photos app, tap Share → Scan Receipts, and they go straight to your Google Sheet. No browser, no upload page.
You need a free ExpenseBot account to get your personal Upload URL · 60-day trial · No credit card
Before
- Take photo of receipt
- Open browser
- Navigate to expensebot.ai
- Tap Upload
- Pick the photo again
After (with Shortcut)
- Take photo of receipt
- Tap Share → Scan Receipts
- ✓ Done. Row appears in your sheet in ~2 min.
Why Use Apple Shortcuts Instead of a Receipt Scanner App?
Every dedicated receipt scanner app asks you to download something, grant camera permissions, and learn a new interface. The Apple Shortcuts approach skips all of that — it runs inside the Photos app you're already using.
- No App Store download. Apple Shortcuts is pre-installed on every iPhone running iOS 13+. Zero storage used, zero battery drain from a background process.
- Works from the Share Sheet. You never leave the Photos app. Select photos, tap Share, tap Scan Receipts. That's the entire flow.
- Siri voice activation. "Hey Siri, Scan Receipts" — hands-free at the gas station, in the car, or at the restaurant table.
- Batch scanning. Select 10, 20, or 50 photos at once. The Shortcut loops through every one and sends them all to your Google Sheet.
- Privacy by design. Photos travel directly from your iPhone to your ExpenseBot account over HTTPS and land in your Google Drive — not a vendor's server. Only you can access the spreadsheet.
4-Step Setup (~5 minutes)
Do this once. Every scan after takes under 10 seconds.
Create a free ExpenseBot account
Sign in at expensebot.ai with Google. This creates your Google Sheet and generates your personal Shortcut URL. 60-day free trial, no credit card.
Copy your personal Shortcut URL
Inside ExpenseBot, go to Settings → Integrations → iPhone Shortcut and tap Copy URL. This URL is unique to your account — keep it private. It's what wires the Shortcut to your spreadsheet.
Your URL looks like: https://expensebot.ai/api/shortcut/upload?token=…
Install the Shortcut
Tap the button below on your iPhone. The Shortcut opens in the Shortcuts app — tap Add Shortcut. The first time you run it, it will ask for your Upload URL — paste the one you copied in Step 2.
Install "Scan Receipts" Shortcut →Works on iPhone (iOS 14+) and Mac (macOS Monterey+). Syncs across your Apple devices via iCloud.
Scan from the Photos app
Open Photos → tap Select → tap your receipt photos → tap Share → tap Scan Receipts. That's it. A notification confirms the upload. Check your Google Sheet in 1–3 minutes.
Tip: you can also say "Hey Siri, Scan Receipts" to trigger it hands-free.
Works on Mac Too
Install the Shortcut once on your iPhone and it syncs via iCloud to every Apple device on the same account — including your Mac running macOS Monterey or later.
- Finder Share menu. Right-click any receipt image in Finder → Share → Scan Receipts. Same flow as the iPhone Share Sheet.
- Shortcuts app. Open the Shortcuts app on Mac, run Scan Receipts, and select receipt PDFs or images saved anywhere on your Desktop or Downloads folder.
- Receipt PDFs. Drag a PDF invoice or receipt scan into the Shortcut and it extracts the data the same way it handles photos — no conversion needed.
Tip: Combine the Mac Shortcut with ExpenseBot's Gmail auto-scan for full coverage — physical receipts via the Shortcut, email receipts via Gmail. Everything lands in the same Google Sheet.
What AI Extracts from Each Photo
Merchant name
Cleaned up (CVS #4192 → CVS Pharmacy)
Amount + currency
USD, CAD, EUR, GBP, 20+ more
Purchase date
Even partially cut-off or weird formats
Tax separated
Sales tax, GST/HST, VAT, QST
Category
IRS Schedule C or CRA T2125 defaults, or your custom tags
Photo link
Each row links back to the original in your Google Drive
Who Uses the Shortcut — and When
Freelancers
Scanning a lunch receipt at the table before the client even finishes their coffee. Taps Share, done, back to the conversation.
Uber and rideshare drivers
Scanning gas station receipts in the car immediately after filling up — no app to open, just Share Sheet and done.
Realtors
Scanning client dinner receipts between showings. Fast enough to do in the parking lot without losing track of what came from which client.
Contractors and tradespeople
Scanning Home Depot and supply receipts on-site, often in batches at the end of the day when back at the truck.
For email receipts — online orders, Uber trip summaries, Amazon orders — pair the Shortcut with Gmail auto-scan. Physical receipts come in through the Shortcut; email receipts come in through Gmail. Both land in the same sheet.
Tips for Better Scans
- Lay receipts flat and photograph under even light. Crumpled or backlit receipts reduce accuracy.
- One receipt per photo. The AI processes one receipt per image — don't overlap two on the same shot.
- Full receipt in frame — store name at the top through total at the bottom.
- Scan the same day. The AI uses the photo's creation date as the expense date. Old camera-roll photos will show the original shoot date, which is usually correct.
- Add to home screen for one-tap access: in the Shortcuts app, long-press your Shortcut → Add to Home Screen.
Ready to set it up?
Sign up free to get your personal Upload URL, then install the Shortcut. Takes 5 minutes total.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to download an app to use the Apple Shortcut?
No. Apple Shortcuts is built into every iPhone running iOS 13 or later — nothing to download from the App Store. You install the Shortcut (one tap), then the first time you run it, paste your upload URL once — it remembers it after that. The only thing you need is an ExpenseBot account to get that URL.
Where do I find my Shortcut Upload URL?
Log into ExpenseBot, go to Settings → Integrations → iPhone Shortcut. Your personal upload URL is there — tap to copy. It's unique to your account and wires the Shortcut to your Google Sheet.
Does the Shortcut work on iPhone and Mac?
Yes. Download and install once — the Shortcut syncs to all your Apple devices automatically. On iPhone it appears in the Photos app Share Sheet. On Mac (macOS Monterey+) it runs from the Shortcuts app or the Finder Share menu.
How many receipts can I scan at once?
As many as you select. The Shortcut loops through each photo one at a time and sends them to ExpenseBot. For a batch of 10 photos, allow about 5 minutes for all rows to appear in your Google Sheet.
What does ExpenseBot extract from each receipt photo?
Merchant name, purchase date, subtotal, tax, tip, and total — plus an IRS Schedule C or CRA T2125 category assigned automatically. Each row in your Google Sheet links back to the original photo stored in your Google Drive.
Is my receipt data private?
Yes. Photos are sent directly from your iPhone to your ExpenseBot account over HTTPS, processed by AI, and stored in your own Google Drive. Only you have access to your spreadsheet.
Can I trigger it with Siri?
Yes. Once installed, say 'Hey Siri, Scan Receipts' and the Shortcut runs. Siri will ask you to select photos and then send them to ExpenseBot automatically.
Is the Apple Shortcut free?
Yes. The Shortcut itself is free and runs on Apple's built-in Shortcuts app — no App Store purchase, no subscription. You need a free ExpenseBot account (60-day trial, no credit card) to get your personal Upload URL that wires the Shortcut to your Google Sheet.
Can I scan receipts from screenshots, not just photos?
Yes. The Shortcut processes any image in your Photos library — camera photos, screenshots of online orders, saved images from email confirmations. As long as a receipt is visible in the image, ExpenseBot's AI will extract the data.
Does the Apple Shortcut work offline?
You need an internet connection to send the photo to ExpenseBot for AI processing. But you can take receipt photos offline and run the Shortcut later when you're back on Wi-Fi or cellular — the Shortcut will process everything in your selection at that point.
Scan your first receipt in 5 minutes
Free trial · No credit card · Works on iPhone and Mac