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Getting Started with Receipt.help

Everything you need to know to start tracking expenses in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Create Your Account
  1. Go to receipt.help/auth/signup
  2. Enter your email address
  3. Click the magic link in your email to sign in (no password needed)
  4. You're in! Your 30-day free trial starts now.
Step 2: Scan Your First Receipt
  1. Click "Add Receipt" or the camera icon
  2. Take a photo of your receipt (or upload an existing photo)
  3. Receipt.help automatically extracts the merchant, date, amount, and items
  4. Choose a category (e.g., "Client Meals", "Office Supplies", "Software")
  5. Add an optional note (e.g., "Meeting with John")
  6. Click "Save"

Tip: Make sure the receipt is flat and well-lit. Receipt.help works best with clear, uncrumpled receipts.

Step 3: Set Up Mileage Tracking
  1. Go to Settings → Mileage
  2. Enable "Automatic Mileage Tracking"
  3. Grant location permissions when prompted
  4. Receipt.help will detect trips automatically in the background
  5. Swipe right on business trips, left on personal trips

Tip: You can also add trips manually if you prefer not to use automatic tracking.

Step 4: Organize Your Expenses

Categories

Receipt.help automatically suggests tax categories. Common ones include: Office Supplies, Client Meals (50% deductible), Software, Travel, Home Office, Marketing.

Tags

Tag expenses by client or project to track profitability or identify reimbursable expenses.

Notes

Add notes like "Client meeting" or "Conference attendance" to help remember context at tax time.

Step 5: Export for Taxes
  1. Go to Reports → Export
  2. Choose your date range (e.g., "This Year" for taxes)
  3. Select format: Excel (.xlsx), CSV, or PDF
  4. Click "Export" to download
  5. Send to your accountant or import into TurboTax/tax software

What's included: All receipts with images, mileage log, totals by category, and a summary perfect for Schedule C (business expenses).

You're All Set! 🎉
You now know the core workflow: Scan receipts → Track mileage → Export for taxes. That's 90% of what you need.

Next steps: