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Overview

Smartbills makes it easy to upload receipts and documents for expense tracking. If you are experiencing upload failures, processing delays, or OCR inaccuracies, this guide provides solutions for the most common issues.

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File Requirements

Before troubleshooting, verify your file meets the requirements:
Unsupported formats include Word documents (.docx), Excel files (.xlsx), GIF images, and SVG files. Convert these to PDF before uploading.

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Common Upload Issues

Error: “File exceeds the maximum size limit”Solutions:For images (max 10 MB):
  • Reduce image resolution before uploading
  • Use the mobile app camera to capture a new, optimized photo
  • Compress the image using a free tool (e.g., TinyPNG, ImageOptim)
  • Convert HEIC to JPG which typically produces smaller files
For PDFs (max 25 MB):
  • Compress the PDF using a free tool (e.g., SmallPDF, Adobe Acrobat)
  • If the PDF contains scanned images, reduce the scan resolution
  • Split multi-page PDFs into smaller files
The Smartbills mobile app automatically optimizes photos taken with the built-in scanner, keeping them within size limits while maintaining OCR quality.
Error: “Unsupported file format”Solutions:
  • Verify the file extension matches a supported format: JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP, or PDF
  • If you have a Word or Excel document, export it as PDF first
  • If you have a screenshot in an unsupported format, save it as PNG or JPG
  • Rename files if the extension is incorrect (e.g., a JPG file saved with a .tmp extension)
  • Some email-forwarded attachments may lose their extension, re-save the file with the correct extension
Symptoms: The progress bar stops moving, or the upload appears to hang indefinitely.Solutions:
  1. Check your internet connection: test by loading another website or switching between WiFi and cellular data
  2. Wait a moment: large files may take longer on slower connections
  3. Refresh the page (web) or pull to refresh (mobile) and retry
  4. Close and reopen the app on mobile
  5. Try uploading a single file: if you are batch uploading, upload one at a time to isolate the issue
  6. Disable VPN or proxy: some network configurations interfere with file uploads
  7. Try a different browser or use the mobile app instead
Message: “This receipt appears to already exist”Smartbills automatically detects duplicate receipts to prevent the same expense from being recorded twice.If this is a false positive:
  1. Click Upload Anyway to override the duplicate check
  2. The expense will be flagged for review but will be uploaded
If it is genuinely a duplicate: Find the existing expense in your expense list. Use the search bar or filter by date and amount.
Duplicate detection compares file hashes and OCR-extracted data (merchant name, amount, date). Very similar but distinct receipts may occasionally trigger a false positive.
Symptoms: The file uploads successfully but remains stuck in a “Processing” state for more than 5 minutes.Solutions:
  1. Wait: processing time varies depending on document complexity and server load. Most receipts process within 30 seconds, but complex PDFs may take longer
  2. Refresh the page or pull to refresh on mobile
  3. Check the processing queue: go to your expense list and look for the processing indicator
  4. Verify the file is not corrupted: try opening the file on your device. If it won’t open, the file may be damaged
  5. Re-upload the file: delete the stuck expense and upload the original file again

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OCR and Data Extraction Issues

Symptoms: The merchant name, amount, date, or other fields are incorrect or missing after OCR processing.Common causes and solutions:
You can always manually edit any field extracted by OCR. Tap or click on the expense to update the merchant, amount, date, category, or other details.
If OCR detects the wrong currency:
  1. Open the expense
  2. Click or tap the Currency field
  3. Select the correct currency from the dropdown
  4. Save the expense
OCR uses visual cues (currency symbols, merchant location) to determine the currency. Receipts with ambiguous symbols (e.g., ”$” could be USD, CAD, or AUD) may need manual correction.
If only some pages of a multi-page PDF are processed:
  1. Ensure the PDF does not exceed 50 pages
  2. Verify the PDF is not password-protected or encrypted
  3. Check that the PDF is not a scanned image with very low resolution
  4. Try splitting the PDF into smaller documents and uploading individually

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Platform-Specific Issues

Drag-and-drop not working:
  • Safari may block drag-and-drop in some configurations. Use the Browse button instead
  • Ensure your browser window is focused (click on it first)
  • Disable browser extensions that may interfere with drag events
File picker not opening:
  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Disable pop-up blockers for app.smartbills.io
  • Try a different browser
Slow uploads on web:
  • Check your internet upload speed (test at speedtest.net)
  • Close other tabs and applications consuming bandwidth
  • Try a wired connection instead of WiFi

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Tips for Best Upload Results

1

Use good lighting

Natural or bright artificial light without shadows produces the best results for receipt scanning.
2

Place receipt on a flat surface

A smooth, dark-colored surface provides the best contrast for the scanner.
3

Capture the full receipt

Ensure all edges of the receipt are visible in the frame, including the merchant name and total amount.
4

Hold your phone steady

Use both hands and hold your phone parallel to the receipt to avoid blur and distortion.
5

Use the in-app scanner

The Smartbills mobile scanner automatically adjusts perspective, contrast, and resolution for optimal OCR results.

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Still Having Issues?

If you have tried the solutions above and still cannot upload successfully, contact our support team:
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Live Chat: Available in the app (bottom right corner)
  • Include the following in your support request:
    • The file you are trying to upload (if not sensitive)
    • A screenshot of the error message
    • Your device, browser, or app version
    • Your internet connection type (WiFi, cellular, corporate network)

Upload an Expense

Step-by-step upload guide

Scan Receipts (Mobile)

Tips for mobile receipt scanning

Edit an Expense

Manually correct OCR results

Sync Issues

Troubleshoot data sync problems