Receipt OCR Scanning

MakeFlow’s Receipt OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature automatically extracts information from supplier receipts and invoices, saving you time on data entry.

What Is OCR?

OCR technology reads text from images. MakeFlow uses advanced AI to:

• Extract supplier names
• Identify purchased items and descriptions
• Capture amounts and totals
• Detect dates
• Recognize categories
• Extract payment methods

How It Works

Step 1: Take a Photo

Use your phone camera or upload an existing image of:

• Paper receipts
• Printed invoices
• Email invoice screenshots
• PDF invoices

Tips for best results:

• Good lighting, no shadows
• Receipt laid flat
• All text visible and in focus
• Minimal background

Step 2: Upload to MakeFlow

1. Go to Finances → Expenses
2. Click Add Expense
3. Choose Scan Receipt
4. Upload your image

Step 3: Review Extracted Data

MakeFlow shows the extracted information:

• Date
• Supplier name
• Description/items
• Total amount
• Category (based on description)
• Payment method
• Notes

Review carefully: OCR is accurate but not perfect. Verify:

• Numbers are correct (especially decimals)
• Supplier name is right
• Category makes sense
• Currency is correct

Step 4: Add to Inventory (Optional)

If the receipt includes materials:

1. MakeFlow suggests adding them to inventory
2. Review the material details
3. Confirm or adjust quantities and prices
4. Click Add to Inventory

Materials are created based on the receipt description.

Step 5: Save

Click Save Expense to record the expense and optionally add materials to inventory.

What Can Be Scanned?

Supported Receipt Types

• ✅ Printed receipts (thermal paper)
• ✅ Invoices (letter/A4 paper)
• ✅ Email invoices (screenshots)
• ✅ PDF invoices (converted to image)
• ✅ Online order confirmations

Languages Supported

MakeFlow OCR works with receipts in:

• English
• Spanish
• French
• German
• Italian
• Portuguese

Image Formats

• JPG/JPEG
• PNG
• PDF (converted automatically)

OCR Accuracy

High Accuracy (95%+)

• Clear, printed text
• Good lighting
• Standard receipt formats
• Common suppliers

May Need Review

• Handwritten notes
• Faded thermal receipts
• Crumpled or damaged receipts
• Poor lighting or focus
• Complex multi-item invoices

Always verify: Even with high accuracy, double-check numbers and details.

Smart Material Suggestions

When MakeFlow finds materials on a receipt, it:

Checks Existing Inventory

Searches for similar materials using:

• Name matching
• Fuzzy search (catches typos)
• Unit conversions

Suggests Actions

If similar material found:

• “Update stock for [Material Name]”
• Shows suggested quantity and cost
• Pre-fills the form

If no match found:

• “Create new material: [Name]”
• Extracts quantity, unit, cost
• Suggests category

Unit Conversion

Automatically handles:

• kg ↔ g
• L ↔ ml
• lbs ↔ oz
• meters ↔ cm

Example: Receipt shows “Clay 25kg @ €45” Inventory has “Stoneware Clay” in kg MakeFlow suggests updating that material.

Common Use Cases

Regular Supplier Orders

1. Receive monthly clay delivery
2. Scan invoice
3. MakeFlow recognizes materials
4. One click to update inventory

New Material Purchases

1. Buy glaze from new supplier
2. Scan receipt
3. Review extracted details
4. Add as new material

Expense Tracking

1. Purchase studio supplies (not inventory)
2. Scan receipt
3. Save as expense only
4. Track spending by category

Bulk Orders

1. Large order with multiple materials
2. Scan invoice
3. MakeFlow lists all items
4. Review and add to inventory

Tips for Best Results

Photography Tips

• Lighting: Bright, even light. Avoid flash glare.
• Angle: Directly above receipt, perpendicular
• Distance: Close enough to read text clearly
• Focus: Let camera focus before taking photo
• Background: Plain, contrasting color

Receipt Management

• Scan immediately after purchase (before fading)
• Store originals for tax purposes
• Create a “to scan” folder for pending receipts

Review Checklist

Before saving, verify:

• Date is correct
• Supplier name is accurate
• Total amount matches receipt
• Currency is right
• Materials are identified correctly
• Quantities and units make sense

Troubleshooting

Q: OCR can’t read my receipt A: Try:

• Better lighting
• Flatten the receipt
• Clean the camera lens
• Take multiple photos

Q: Numbers are wrong A: Thermal receipts fade quickly. Scan immediately after purchase. If faded, manual entry is best.

Q: Wrong currency detected A: Change the currency in the expense form. MakeFlow uses your studio’s default currency but can be overridden.

Q: Materials not detected A: OCR works best with clear item descriptions. You can manually add materials to the expense afterward.

Q: Duplicate materials created A: MakeFlow tries to match existing materials, but similar names can fool it. Review suggestions before creating new materials.

Privacy & Security

• Receipts are processed securely
• Images are stored encrypted
• Only you can access your receipts
• No data is shared with third parties
• Delete receipts anytime from expense details

Mobile vs. Desktop

Mobile (Recommended for Scanning)

• Use phone camera for quick capture
• Scan on-the-go at supplier
• Upload immediately

Desktop

• Upload existing images/PDFs
• Drag and drop files
• Good for email invoices

Alternatives to OCR

If OCR doesn’t work well:

Manual Entry

• Click Add Expense
• Fill in details manually
• Attach receipt image for reference

Import from Email

Some suppliers send structured data. Copy/paste key details.

Next Steps

• Adding Materials to Inventory
• Tracking Expenses
• Understanding Material Analysis

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Need help? Contact support@makeflow.xyz