The reliable way to handle business travel receipts is to scan each one the day you get it, record the original currency and amount, note what it was for, and export one report when the trip ends. SnapTrack does this on iPhone: on-device OCR reads the merchant, total, date and category, you check the result, the receipt keeps its original currency, and you can add a home-currency rate and export CSV or PDF.
What a claim usually needs
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Date | Must fall within the trip |
| Merchant | Shows what kind of spend it was |
| Amount and original currency | What you actually paid |
| Converted amount and rate used | What you are claiming, and how you got there |
| Category | Travel, lodging, meals, transport |
| Purpose | Client, project or meeting |
| Receipt image | The evidence |
Policies differ between employers and clients. Read yours before you travel, especially limits on meals and what counts as proof for small amounts.
A routine for the trip
- Before you leave: note the trip name, client and dates. Check the expense policy.
- At each purchase: scan the receipt before it goes in your pocket. Check the total and currency, add a few words on the purpose.
- No paper receipt? Add the expense by hand and screenshot the email or app receipt later.
- Each evening: two minutes to confirm nothing is missing: taxi, coffee, hotel deposit.
- On the way home: add exchange rates, review the totals, export.
The free business-trip expense summary builder gives you a one-page summary to go with the export.
Keeping currencies honest
A dinner in Tokyo is 8,400 yen. It is not "about 55 dollars". SnapTrack stores the amount in the currency on the receipt and makes the detected currency visible so you can correct it. When you need a home-currency total, you add the rate.
Which rate to use is a policy question. Common choices are the rate on your card statement, a published rate for the transaction date, or one average rate for the trip. Pick the one your employer or client expects and note it on the report. Exports include both the original and the converted amounts, so whoever checks the claim can see both.
Receipts that cause trouble
- Thermal paper fades within weeks. Scan on the day.
- Hotel folios mix room, tax, meals and minibar. Enter them as separate lines if your policy treats them differently.
- Tips and cash often have no receipt. Record them by hand at the time.
- Short-let and ride-hailing receipts arrive by email. Add the expense on the day so it is not forgotten.
- Receipts in another script. SnapTrack recognises Japanese receipts as well as English ones. Always check the total the scan picked.
After the trip
Filter to the trip dates, check the category totals look right, and export. CSV suits a finance team or a spreadsheet; PDF suits a client who wants one document. Keep the originals for as long as your tax authority or employer requires.
What SnapTrack does not do
- Not an expense-approval system. There are no team accounts, approvers or company policies.
- No automatic bank feed. You can import a CSV exported from your bank or Wallet with Plus, but it does not connect to your bank.
- Exchange rates are yours to enter. SnapTrack keeps the original currency and converts with the rate you give it.
- iPhone only. In English and Japanese.
- Not tax advice. It keeps records. What you can claim is a question for your accountant.
Free and Plus
SnapTrack is free to download with a limited number of free logs, so you can test it on real receipts. SnapTrack Plus removes the limit and adds bank and Wallet CSV import, more detailed analytics and exports. The App Store shows the current price. Receipt scanning runs on the iPhone; receipts are not uploaded for processing.
Common questions
Are my receipts uploaded?
No. Scanning is processed on the iPhone.
Does it convert currency automatically?
It keeps the original currency and converts using the rate you enter.
Can I add an expense without a receipt?
Yes. Manual entry is built in.
What can I export?
CSV and PDF, with original and converted amounts.
Does it read Japanese receipts?
Yes. English and Japanese are supported.
SnapTrack keeps expense records. It does not give tax or accounting advice. Check what you can claim with an accountant or your tax authority.
Scan the next receipt while it is still in your hand: Get SnapTrack.