How to scan receipts into searchable text

Paper receipts fade, curl, and end up in coat pockets. The ones that matter tend to be needed months later: a hardware store receipt for a warranty claim, a client lunch for an expense report, a stack of supplies for a tax return. By then the thermal print may be half gone and the photo you took is somewhere between pictures of the dog and a parking sign.

This guide covers how people usually digitize receipts, where those methods get awkward, and how to photograph receipts into Fabric so the printed text on each one is searchable, along with the receipts that arrive by email.

How people usually digitize receipts

A shoebox or envelope is still the most common system. It needs no setup and works fine until someone asks for one specific receipt, at which point every slip has to be unfolded and read. Thermal paper also fades, so the shoebox can lose information while it sits there.

Taking a photo with the phone camera is the obvious upgrade. The image is safe, but it lands in the camera roll with everything else. Some photo apps can pick out text in images, though finding one receipt still means scrolling through results from menus, signs, and screenshots.

Scanner apps turn a receipt into a cropped PDF, which looks tidier. The files often get generic names with a date and a number, so the PDF is clean and still hard to find without opening each one. Expense apps go further and read the totals for you; they suit people who submit reimbursements, and tend to be built around that workflow rather than general record keeping.

Some people type each receipt into a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet is easy to total, but it takes time for every purchase, and the original receipt still needs to be kept somewhere in case anyone asks to see it.

Step 1: Photograph receipts into Fabric

Take a photo of the receipt with your phone, then open the share sheet and choose Fabric. The Fabric mobile app on iOS and Android accepts photos and files from any app this way. Flatten the receipt and photograph it in good light so the small print is legible.

If you’d rather not share each photo, turn on automatic camera roll backup in the mobile app. You can sync all photos or only specific folders, so a dedicated receipts album on your phone can feed straight into Fabric. Screenshots of order confirmations on iOS and Android can be imported automatically as well.

For a handwritten receipt, such as one from a market stall or a tradesperson, the handwriting scanner turns the photo into a structured note and keeps the original image alongside it. The scanner is on every plan, including free.

Receipts you’ve already scanned to PDF or saved on a computer can come in too. Drag them into Fabric, paste them, or click Upload a file, which handles large numbers of files at once.

Step 2: Forward the receipts that arrive by email

Online orders, ride shares, and subscriptions send receipts by email. Forward the message or the attached PDF to your Fabric email address and it’s saved next to your photographed ones. Fabric only accepts mail from your verified account address, and you can approve extra senders, which helps if a partner or bookkeeper sends receipts too. More on this in how to save email bills and receipts automatically.

Add a comment or tags when you save, if it helps. A tag like “client: Harlow” or “home office” is useful when the receipt itself doesn’t say what the purchase was for.

Step 3: Search the text on your receipts

Fabric reads the text inside images, screenshots, and PDFs, including photographed text. Click Search or press Cmd+F (Mac) / Ctrl+F (Windows) and type a store name, an item, or a description like “printer ink from last spring”. Fabric search matches by meaning and by keyword.

Put a value in quotes for an exact match. This is the quickest way to find a receipt by order number, the last four digits of a card, or a precise amount. Filters narrow results by tag, location in your files, or kind of item, so a search can stay inside your receipts folder.

Fabric also writes a short summary of each item and extracts attributes such as content type, and it suggests tags. Smart collections you set up fill themselves from that content, so a collection for receipts can pick up new ones as they arrive. How to find a receipt when you need it for expenses goes further into search.

Step 4: Ask questions and share with your accountant

Open the folder holding your receipts and open the AI assistant. It limits itself to that folder, so you can ask which receipts came from a particular supplier, or for a list of equipment purchases from the second quarter. Answers cite the receipts they drew from, so check each one before relying on a figure.

When it’s time to hand them over, share the folder with your accountant as a viewer. People outside Fabric can open a shared link without signing up. Roles and permissions covers the viewer, commenter, editor, and admin levels. For the full routine, see how to get your receipts ready for your accountant.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a photo of a receipt searchable?

Save the photo to Fabric from your phone’s share sheet, by camera roll backup, or by upload. Fabric search reads text inside images, including photographed text.

Can I search receipts by amount or order number?

Yes. Put the number in quotes when you search for an exact match on the text printed on the receipt.

What’s the best way to scan receipts with my phone?

Lay the receipt flat in good light and photograph it, then send it to Fabric. How to scan paper documents with your phone has more tips for clear captures.

Can Fabric read handwritten receipts?

The handwriting scanner turns a photo of handwriting into a structured note and saves the original photo alongside. It’s available on the free plan.

Can I save email receipts in the same place?

Yes. Forward them to your Fabric email address and they’re saved with your photographed receipts.

Do I need a paid plan to save receipts in Fabric?

No. Photo and file uploads, the handwriting scanner, and search are on the free plan, which has storage and file size caps. Connections to other apps need a paid plan.

Can I upload receipts I’ve already scanned as PDFs?

Yes. Drag them in or use Upload a file. Text inside PDFs is searchable, and results open at the right page.

How do I give my accountant access to my receipts?

Share the receipts folder with them as a viewer. They can open the shared link without creating a Fabric account.