Most expense report systems accept a single attached document more gracefully than a dozen separate receipt photos, and a combined, clearly ordered PDF is also simply easier for whoever reviews the report to work through than a scattered folder of individual images.
Steps to combine your receipts
- Photograph or scan each receipt clearly, with good lighting and the full receipt visible in frame.
- Convert any image-only receipts to PDF with Image to PDF, if your expense system specifically requires a PDF rather than accepting images directly.
- Combine all the individual receipt files into one ordered document with Merge PDF.
- Review the combined file to confirm every receipt is legible and in a sensible order before submitting.
Deciding on a sensible order
Ordering receipts chronologically, by the date of purchase, is generally the most useful sequence for a reviewer trying to reconcile the report against a trip itinerary or project timeline, though ordering by expense category can make more sense for a report organised that way instead. Whichever order you choose, stay consistent throughout the same report.
Keeping receipts legible in the photo or scan
Thermal receipt paper in particular can fade quickly and photograph poorly under certain lighting, so check each photo immediately after taking it rather than only discovering a blurry or washed-out receipt once you're back at your desk trying to assemble the full report.
Matching receipts to your expense report line items
If your expense system requires each line item to reference a specific page or receipt, note the page number of each receipt within your combined PDF as you build it, rather than trying to match them up after the fact once several similar-looking receipts are combined into one document.
Handling a receipt that's printed on both sides
For a receipt with content on both sides — a return policy or additional details on the back, for instance — capture both sides as separate images and include both in the combined file, in sequence, so nothing relevant to the expense is missed.
Submitting promptly rather than letting receipts pile up
Combining and submitting receipts soon after a trip or purchase, rather than letting a backlog accumulate, makes the whole process considerably less daunting and reduces the risk of a receipt being lost, damaged, or faded beyond legibility before you get around to processing it.
Keeping a personal copy after submission
Keep your own copy of the combined receipts PDF after submitting the expense report, in case a question comes up later about a specific line item or the report needs to be resubmitted for any reason.
What to do with a digital receipt that never needed scanning
Many receipts today arrive as an email confirmation or a PDF attachment rather than a physical paper slip, and these don't need photographing or scanning at all — simply save the existing PDF or convert the email confirmation directly. Mixing digital-native receipts with scanned physical ones in the same combined expense report file works perfectly well, as long as every receipt, regardless of its original source, ends up clearly legible and in the same consistent order within the final document.
Keeping expense reports separate by project or trip
If you handle expenses across more than one active project or business trip at the same time, resist the temptation to combine everything into one large ongoing receipts file. A separate combined PDF per report, submitted and closed out promptly, is considerably easier for both you and whoever reviews expense reports to work with than one continuously growing file covering multiple unrelated trips or projects at once.
Handling a receipt that's difficult to read even after a careful photo
Occasionally a receipt is simply hard to read no matter how carefully it's captured — extremely faded thermal paper, a torn corner with a missing total. In this case, note the key details (vendor, amount, date) as text directly in your expense report submission alongside the best photo you can manage, so the reviewer has a legible fallback even if the receipt image itself is marginal.
Reviewing the finished expense report once more before sending
Before submitting, page through the entire combined PDF one final time from start to finish, confirming the total number of receipts matches what you expected and that nothing got duplicated or left out during the merge step. This final check takes only a minute but catches an easily-made mistake before it becomes a reviewer's problem instead of yours.
Handling currency differences for international trips
If a trip involved expenses in more than one currency, note the currency clearly alongside each relevant receipt within your combined document or in your report's own line items, since a reviewer working through a mixed-currency expense report needs this context to reconcile totals correctly against whatever currency your report is ultimately submitted in.
Frequently asked questions
Should receipts be ordered by date or by category?
Either works, depending on how your expense report itself is organised; chronological order is a reasonable default if there's no specific requirement.
What if a receipt has print on both sides?
Capture both sides as separate images and include both in the combined PDF, in sequence.
Do I need to convert images to PDF before combining them?
Only if your expense system specifically requires a PDF; otherwise combining the images directly, or converting first, both work.
How do I keep faded thermal receipts legible?
Photograph or scan them as soon as possible after purchase, since thermal paper fades over time, and check the result is clearly legible immediately.
Should I keep a copy after submitting the report?
Yes, keep your own copy in case a question comes up later or the report needs resubmitting.
Can I combine receipts from more than one trip in one file?
You can, but a separate combined file per report or per trip is generally clearer for both you and whoever reviews it.
Are these tools free to use?
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark, and files are removed from the server automatically about an hour after processing.