Looking for ideas on who to use for scanning receipts - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

Nikole · Senior Member

Looking for ideas on who to use for scanning receipts

Leger · Master Book-keeper

Hi Nicole

I would suggest the Fugitsu Scansnap IX1500, although at £500 it isn't cheap.

Cheshire · Master Book-keeper

Seconded

Nikole · Senior Member

Hi John I've just had a look at Fugitsu and it looks like just the one scanner. Am I right? I've probably not explained myself. What they need is something that each employee can have on their phone or another device where they can scan their own receipts and then upload to maybe a drive. So they can then export into Sage. Or even some app or software that would send the uploaded receipt straight to Sage. I've seen Sage do something like I've mentioned but it seems to be for the one user.

Cheshire · Master Book-keeper

Client uses one, cannot recall the name.

-- Edited by Cheshire on Saturday 16th of November 2019 11:41:53 AM

Leger · Master Book-keeper

Ah right, yes I did misunderstand you.

-- Edited by Leger on Friday 15th of November 2019 10:18:37 PM

johnhemming · Senior Member

Nikole wrote:
What they need is something that each employee can have on their phone or another device where they can scan their own receipts and then upload to maybe a drive. So they can then export into Sage. Or even some app or software that would send the uploaded receipt straight to Sage. I've seen Sage do something like I've mentioned but it seems to be for the one user.

The steps for handling receipts are basically

a) Taking a photo - that can be done with a scanner or a phone

b) Analysing it into text - there are lots of systems for this and it can be uploaded and then analysed

c) Trying to work out using AI or something what it is and posting the data into an accounting system. (Sage or whatever).

I know a, and b quite well, but don't know much about c) as I have not seen how well this works in practice.

It is, however, quite easy to get photos taken and them then uploaded to a server.

Cheshire · Master Book-keeper

johnhemming wrote:
Nikole wrote:
What they need is something that each employee can have on their phone or another device where they can scan their own receipts and then upload to maybe a drive. So they can then export into Sage. Or even some app or software that would send the uploaded receipt straight to Sage. I've seen Sage do something like I've mentioned but it seems to be for the one user.
The steps for handling receipts are basically
a) Taking a photo - that can be done with a scanner or a phone
b) Analysing it into text - there are lots of systems for this and it can be uploaded and then analysed
c) Trying to work out using AI or something what it is and posting the data into an accounting system. (Sage or whatever).
I know a, and b quite well, but don't know much about c) as I have not seen how well this works in practice.
It is, however, quite easy to get photos taken and them then uploaded to a server.

Analysis important - need to build in authorisation otherwise stafff take the proverbial.

Cheshire · Master Book-keeper

We are trying to encourage joining in the site with some off topic info, because the site is dying. Use it or lose it. Be good if also you can help others, given the wide knowledge you must have gained over the last few years. www.book-keepers.org.uk/t66053678/friday-fun-151119/

VinceH · Expert

I think what you're referring to Joanne, is a part of John's step c - the trying to work out what it is would include ensuring it's valid.

Nikole · Senior Member

Cheshire wrote:
We are trying to encourage joining in the site with some off topic info, because the site is dying. Use it or lose it. Be good if also you can help others, given the wide knowledge you must have gained over the last few years. www.book-keepers.org.uk/t66053678/friday-fun-151119/

I don't come on here every day. By the time I come on here questions that I could answer have been answered so why clog up responses when already answered.

Cheshire · Master Book-keeper

Nikole wrote:

I don't come on here every day. By the time I come on here questions that I could answer have been answered so why clog up responses when already answered.

perhaps us old nags can stop the responding for a few days and give a few others a chance. wink

Although its not an issue if you clog up responses as its often good to hear from a few folk that thoughts are on the right (or wrong) track. Plus dont forget to wade in on the no topic/daft ones....it all helps. Besides I know you are as nutty as I am, so would be a welcome contributor! biggrin biggrin

-- Edited by Cheshire on Monday 18th of November 2019 08:02:57 PM

Nikole · Senior Member

If you don't mind me droning on and talking rubbish at times then you'll see more of me

Cheshire · Master Book-keeper

Nikole wrote:
If you don't mind me droning on and talking rubbish at times then you'll see more of me

Feel free to drone on no talk as much rubbish as you can. Cannot possibly be more than the rest of us!

johnhemming · Senior Member

Rubbish, in fact, is one of my "special subjects". I have even raised the issue of Rubbish with the United Nations. If you are interested in this you can read about it here:
www.unece.org/environmental-policy/conventions/public-participation/aarhus-convention/tfwg/envppcc/envppcccom/acccc2016142-united-kingdom.html

BrooksCity · Member

Nikole,

If they are on the Sage Business Cloud there is now a direct add-on to Receipt Bank which is the leader in the space when it comes receipts management. The number two solution, Hubdoc was acquired by Xero recently and will be integrated as part of their plans I think. Here is the link to all the add-on available from Sage. https://uk-marketplace.sage.com/en-GB/listing?cat=1483

Other options available as add-ons are AutoEntry, Veryfi or Expensify (another of the major players)

-- Edited by BrooksCity on Thursday 20th of February 2020 08:00:22 PM

see bee · Veteran Member

Sage had something called Sage Capture. I wouldn't be surprised if they shave since withdrawn it form the market, because it was a failure from the start. I am painfully aware that on this site I must watch every word I say about the Almighty Sage, so I will say no more. Same for Sage Business Cloud. We actually had to disable the cloud function because the software couldn't handle it without crashing...

Hubdoc is coming to Xero in March; Receipt Bank is already available there - for an extra fee.

Best of luck!

VinceH · Expert

Why do you feel that you have to watch what you say about "the Almighty Sage"?

I use Sage, as do others (eg Joanne) but we don't worship at the Altar of Sage - in fact, quite the opposite, and if you look you'll see plenty of criticism of them for anything from bugs in their software to bullshit in their marketing. Not to mention their sharp pricing strategies and so on. I swear by the software (never found anything comparable on features) but I have a deep dislike of the company.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

As with what Vince said. Sage gets a rough ride here as well.

i.e. Their Pay per client pricing model and their initial cloud offering was attrocious. I know its been repaced but they had already shot themselves in the foot... In this business where there is a lot of competing software second chances are a luxury seldom afforded software providers.

Don't confuse calling out the cloud for what it is (a means of increasing profits rather than any improvement in software for the end user) with defending all things desktop or putting Sage on any pedestal.

Feel free to make factually correct criticism here. It's an independant site without any link to any software provider or professional body. (And we've given some of those some grief in the past as well!).

Might surprise you but I've got nothing against the cloud. But it should be a matter of choice. Not software companies adopting lies as a marketing tactic to get people to move away from desktop software otherwise you just end up with businesses calling in people such as myself to unwind them from software that did not produce the promised productivity improvement and often actually has an adverse correlation to productivity even beyond the initial six month bedding in / training period.

The thing not to do though is make unfounded claims of superiority of the cloud over the desktop as people such as myself who have used both will disagree with you.

The only way that the cloud will win in the long run is to stop differentiating itself on where the data / software is stored. Don't even mention it. And sell the software on functionality and usability that just happens to exist in the cloud. Rather than selling on the basis that something exists in the cloud and just happens to have functionality.

Lol. Completely off topic but I remember when Intuit tried making it near impossible to buy their desktop sollution thinking that they would force users onto the cloud... People just moved to other software providers!

Shaun.

VinceH · Expert

I did wonder where that comment about Sage came from, but a combination of Shaun's post above and subsequently reading the 'the MOVE' thread shows that two and two were added together to come up with seventy five. In the context of that thread, the "Almighty Sage" comment now feels like a dig - and by someone who has massively misunderstood the points that have been made.

Cheshire · Master Book-keeper

VinceH wrote:
the "Almighty Sage" comment now feels like a dig

Yep!

smithkanye · Newbie

Smart move looking for software to streamline your client's expense management process. I recommend checking out Smart Engines OCR SDK - it's an AI-powered solution that can extract data from various documents, including receipts. This would save your client a ton of time and minimize errors that may occur with manual data entry. The SDK can be integrated into various platforms, including Sage Business Cloud and Sage Professional on https://smartengines.com/, so it's worth looking into. I prefer using this service because it's more accessible than the others and offers a wider range of features.

tikapertiwi · Newbie

Smart move looking for software to streamline your client's expense management process.

No · Veteran Member

tikapertiwi wrote:
Smart move looking for software to streamline your client's expense management process.

bruce123 · Newbie

Hi guys! Nice thread! Thx!

integraoutsourcing · Newbie

To streamline expense management for your client using Sage Business Cloud or Sage Professional, consider software solutions like Expensify, Concur Expense, or Zoho Expense, all known for their seamless Sage integration.

These platforms offer receipt scanning, approval workflows, and real-time synchronization, making expense tracking efficient and reducing manual data entry. Evaluate each option's usability, scalability, and cost to find the best fit, keeping in mind your client's specific needs and the volume of expense receipts to manage.

Lusk · Newbie

Autoentry?