> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.smartbills.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Submit your first expense in 5 minutes

## Welcome!

This guide walks you through submitting your first expense on Smartbills. In just a few minutes you will create your account, upload a receipt, and submit an expense report for approval.

<Note>
  **All you need is a receipt**: a photo, a PDF, or a scanned image. Smartbills handles the rest.
</Note>

## Step 1: Create Your Account

Head to [app.smartbills.io](https://auth.smartbills.io/sign-up) and sign up with your work email. You can also sign in with Google or Microsoft SSO if your company has it enabled.

<Check>
  Once you verify your email you will land on the Smartbills dashboard.
</Check>

## Step 2: Set Up Your Business

If you are the first person from your company on Smartbills, you will be prompted to create a business profile:

1. Enter your **company name**
2. Choose your **default currency** (e.g. USD, CAD, EUR)
3. Set your **timezone**

<Tip>
  If your company already uses Smartbills, ask your admin to send you an invite link instead. You will be added to the existing business automatically.
</Tip>

## Step 3: Upload Your First Receipt

Navigate to **Expenses** in the sidebar and click **Upload**. You can:

* **Drag and drop** a receipt image or PDF onto the upload area
* **Use your camera** on mobile to snap a photo directly
* **Forward an email** receipt to your personal Smartbills inbox

Smartbills will automatically extract the merchant name, date, total amount, currency, and tax using AI-powered receipt scanning.

<Check>
  Your receipt should appear in Expenses with extracted details filled in. Review them and make any corrections if needed.
</Check>

## Step 4: Create an Expense Report

Now group your expense into a report:

1. Go to **Expense Reports** in the sidebar
2. Click **New Report**
3. Give the report a title (e.g. "Client lunch - April 2026")
4. Add the expense you just uploaded
5. Choose a **category** and add any notes for your approver

## Step 5: Submit for Approval

Review the report summary to make sure everything looks correct, then click **Submit**.

Your report will be routed to the appropriate approver based on your company's approval workflow. You can track its status at any time from the **Expense Reports** page.

<Check>
  Your first expense report is submitted! You will receive a notification when your manager approves it.
</Check>

## What's Next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Manage Your Expenses" icon="wallet" href="/guides/web-app/expenses/overview">
    Learn how to organize, search, and manage all your receipts and expenses in Expenses
  </Card>

  <Card title="Expense Reports" icon="file-invoice" href="/guides/concepts/expense-reports">
    Understand report statuses, approval workflows, and reimbursement tracking
  </Card>

  <Card title="Invite Your Team" icon="user-plus" href="/guides/web-app/team/invite-members">
    Add team members and set up roles so everyone can submit and approve expenses
  </Card>

  <Card title="For Developers: API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/introduction">
    Automate expense workflows and build custom integrations with the Smartbills API
  </Card>
</CardGroup>