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Troubleshooting
Receipt Scanning Issues

Receipt Scanning Issues - OCR Not Working

Overview

Troubleshoot common receipt scanning and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) problems. Learn how to fix blurry images, improve accuracy, and resolve scanning errors.

What You'll Learn

  • Common scanning problems and solutions
  • Improving OCR accuracy
  • Dealing with faded receipts
  • Troubleshooting error messages
  • When to contact support
  • Alternative methods if scanning fails

Common Scanning Issues

Issue 1: "Unable to Read Receipt"

Symptoms:

  • Scanning completes but no data extracted
  • Message: "We couldn't read this receipt"
  • All fields blank or showing "Unknown"

Possible Causes:

  • Receipt image too blurry
  • Receipt too faded
  • Poor lighting in photo
  • Receipt at extreme angle
  • Non-receipt document scanned

Solutions:

1. Retake the photo:

  • Use better lighting (natural daylight best)
  • Hold camera steady (avoid shake)
  • Place receipt on flat surface
  • Ensure entire receipt visible
  • Fill frame with receipt

2. Enhance the image:

  • Use contrasting background (dark surface for thermal receipts)
  • Smooth out wrinkles first
  • Clean any smudges or stains
  • Try different angle if reflective

3. Use manual entry:

  • If receipt unreadable, create expense manually
  • Attach photo for records
  • Enter data from original if available

4. Try desktop upload:

  • Sometimes desktop image processing works better
  • Upload from computer instead of mobile

Issue 2: Blurry or Unclear Images

Symptoms:

  • Photo looks blurry
  • Text not crisp
  • OCR accuracy very low

Solutions:

1. Enable camera focus:

  • Tap receipt area on screen to focus (mobile)
  • Wait for focus confirmation
  • Ensure good lighting

2. Keep steady:

  • Rest phone on stable surface
  • Use both hands
  • Use volume button instead of screen button (less shake)
  • Take multiple photos, choose best one

3. Check camera lens:

  • Clean phone camera lens
  • Remove case if blocking lens
  • Update phone camera app

4. Adjust distance:

  • Not too close (causes blur)
  • Not too far (loses detail)
  • Sweet spot: 6-10 inches away

5. Use flash carefully:

  • Avoid flash on thermal receipts (causes glare)
  • Use for very dim environments only
  • Natural light always better

Issue 3: Wrong Data Extracted

Symptoms:

  • Merchant name incorrect
  • Amount wrong
  • Date doesn't match
  • Tax calculation off

Solutions:

1. Review and correct:

  • All OCR results should be reviewed
  • Click fields to edit
  • System learns from corrections

2. Check confidence scores:

  • Yellow/red warnings indicate uncertainty
  • Always verify flagged fields
  • Low confidence = manual review required

3. Provide feedback:

  • "Report incorrect" button helps improve OCR
  • System learns from corrections
  • Future scans improve

4. Common OCR errors:

Merchant name mistakes:

  • "STAPL3S" → Correct to "STAPLES"
  • "TIM H0RT0NS" → "TIM HORTONS"
  • "WAL*MART" → "WALMART"
  • OCR sometimes confuses letters/numbers

Amount errors:

  • Missing decimal point: 4599 → $45.99
  • Extra zeros: $45.900 → $45.90
  • Tax included vs. excluded confusion

Date errors:

  • US format (MM/DD/YY) vs. Canadian (DD/MM/YY)
  • Year confusion (25 = 2025 or 1925?)
  • Always verify dates make sense

Issue 4: Faded or Old Receipts

Symptoms:

  • Thermal receipt text faded
  • Can't see any text
  • OCR extracts nothing

Solutions:

1. Act fast:

  • Scan receipts immediately after receiving
  • Thermal paper fades quickly (weeks to months)
  • Don't wait until tax time

2. Enhance faded receipts:

  • Dark background: Place on black paper
  • Increase contrast: Use phone camera contrast setting
  • Bright light: Use lots of light
  • Angle light: Side-lighting can help reveal faded text
  • Photo editor: Increase contrast/brightness before uploading

3. Try different devices:

  • Some cameras handle faded receipts better
  • Try desktop scanner if available
  • Use magnifying glass for manual entry

4. Manual entry:

  • If completely unreadable, enter manually
  • Use bank statements to verify amounts
  • Attach faded receipt for records anyway

5. Prevention:

  • Make copies of important receipts immediately
  • Store originals in dark, cool place
  • Consider scanning all receipts day-of-purchase

Issue 5: "Processing Failed" Error

Symptoms:

  • Red error message
  • "Receipt processing failed"
  • Receipt doesn't save

Possible Causes:

  • File too large (>10MB)
  • Unsupported file format
  • Server temporarily down
  • Poor internet connection
  • Corrupted image file

Solutions:

1. Check file size:

iPhone: Settings > Camera > Formats > High Efficiency
Android: Camera settings > Picture size > Medium
Target: 2-5MB per image

2. Compress image:

  • Use image compression tool
  • Reduce resolution (not below 1920px width)
  • Convert HEIC to JPG

3. Check connection:

  • Ensure stable Wi-Fi or cellular
  • Try different network
  • Wait and retry

4. Try different format:

  • Supported: JPG, PNG, PDF, HEIC
  • Convert if using unusual format

5. Restart app:

  • Close and reopen app
  • Clear app cache (mobile)
  • Try again

6. Check service status:

  • Visit status.akiliapps.com
  • See if OCR service is down
  • Wait for resolution

Issue 6: Multiple Receipts Detected

Symptoms:

  • "Multiple receipts detected"
  • OCR confused by multiple items in photo
  • Wrong receipt extracted

Solutions:

1. Scan one receipt at a time:

  • Only one receipt per photo
  • Crop out other receipts
  • Take separate photos

2. Crop properly:

  • Use in-app crop tool
  • Include only target receipt
  • Exclude background clutter

3. Clear background:

  • Use plain surface
  • No other papers visible
  • No busy patterns

Issue 7: Wrong Language Detected

Symptoms:

  • OCR extracts gibberish
  • French receipt read as English (or vice versa)
  • Special characters missing

Solutions:

1. Set language:

  • Settings > OCR > Language
  • Select: English, French, or Auto-detect
  • Most Canadian receipts work with auto-detect

2. Bilingual receipts:

  • Choose primary language
  • Manual entry for other language sections
  • OCR handles basic bilingual, but accuracy varies

Issue 8: Handwritten Receipts

Symptoms:

  • Handwritten receipt not recognized
  • Very low OCR accuracy (<50%)
  • Lots of errors

Reality:

  • OCR works best on printed receipts
  • Handwritten receipts: 60-80% accuracy at best
  • Always requires manual review

Solutions:

1. Scan anyway:

  • May get merchant name or total
  • Better than nothing
  • Attach for records

2. Manual entry required:

  • Type details manually
  • Use handwritten info
  • Attach scanned image

3. Request printed receipts:

  • Ask merchants for printed receipts
  • Better for scanning and records

Improving OCR Accuracy

Best Practices for Scanning

Before scanning:

  • ✅ Smooth out wrinkles
  • ✅ Clean any smudges
  • ✅ Find good lighting
  • ✅ Choose contrasting background

During scanning:

  • ✅ Hold camera parallel to receipt
  • ✅ Fill frame with receipt
  • ✅ Keep steady (no shake)
  • ✅ Tap to focus
  • ✅ Use grid lines for alignment

After scanning:

  • ✅ Review extracted data
  • ✅ Correct errors immediately
  • ✅ Verify amounts and dates
  • ✅ Check confidence scores

Lighting Tips

Best lighting:

  • Natural daylight (near window)
  • Diffuse overhead light
  • Evenly lit (no shadows)

Avoid:

  • Direct harsh shadows
  • Extreme backlighting
  • Flash on thermal paper
  • Very dim light

Quick fix:

  • Use phone flashlight as external light source
  • Angle light from side, not directly above

Receipt Condition

Best results:

  • Fresh receipts (same day)
  • Clean, unwrinkled
  • Standard thermal or printed
  • Clear, dark text

Challenging:

  • Faded thermal receipts
  • Handwritten receipts
  • Receipts with stains
  • Very old receipts

OCR Features

Professional & Growth Plans

Advanced AI OCR:

  • All basic fields
  • Line items with descriptions
  • Tax breakdown (GST, PST, HST)
  • Payment method
  • Receipt number
  • Accuracy: 95%+ on clear receipts
  • Suggested categorization
  • Higher confidence scores

Upgrade benefit: Significant time savings with better accuracy.

When to Contact Support

Contact support if:

  • Scanning consistently fails (3+ times same receipt)
  • Error messages persist
  • OCR accuracy suddenly drops
  • Specific merchant always fails
  • Account-wide scanning issues
  • Can't upload images at all

What to include:

  1. Screenshot of error message
  2. Receipt image (attach in support ticket)
  3. Device info (iPhone 13, Android, etc.)
  4. Steps taken to troubleshoot
  5. When issue started

Response time:

  • Live chat: Instant (business hours)
  • Email: Within 24 hours
  • Priority support: Professional/Growth plans

Alternative Methods

If Scanning Doesn't Work

Option 1: Manual Entry

  • Create expense manually
  • Enter all details from receipt
  • Attach receipt photo (even if not OCR'd)
  • Still have visual record

Option 2: Email Forwarding

  • Forward receipt emails to receipts@akiliapps.com
  • System extracts PDF/image attachments
  • Processes automatically
  • Works for emailed receipts

Option 3: Desktop Upload

  • Scan receipt with traditional scanner
  • Upload from computer
  • Sometimes better quality than mobile

Option 4: Third-Party Apps

  • Scan with other OCR app
  • Export as text
  • Copy/paste into Akili Apps
  • Attach original image

Tips for Success

  • Scan immediately - Don't let receipts fade
  • Multiple photos - Take 2-3, choose best
  • Review always - Never blindly accept OCR
  • Report errors - Help improve system
  • Keep originals - CRA may require physical receipts
  • Use good light - Single biggest factor in quality
  • Be patient - Manual entry okay if OCR fails

Common Questions

Q: Why does OCR work on my friend's phone but not mine? A: Camera quality, lighting, and technique affect results. Try the troubleshooting steps above.

Q: Can I scan receipts in advance and process later? A: Yes! Photos saved to queue. Process when convenient.

Q: What if the amount is slightly wrong? A: Always verify and correct. OCR is a starting point, not final answer.

Q: Do I need to keep paper receipts after scanning? A: CRA recommends keeping originals for 6 years. Scans supplement, don't replace.

Q: Can I scan receipts from years ago? A: Yes, but faded receipts have low accuracy. Try enhancement tips above.

Q: Why does OCR work better on some merchants? A: Standard receipt formats are easier. Unusual layouts confuse OCR.

Q: Is OCR accuracy improving? A: Yes! We continuously train the AI. Your corrections help improve the system.

Q: Can I turn off OCR and just attach images? A: Yes, disable auto-OCR in settings and manually enter data.

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Need More Help?

Contact support at support@akiliapps.com or use the live chat in the bottom right corner of the app.

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