Wave · Receipts
How to Fix Wave Receipt Scanning Error
A receipt will not upload, the scan captures the wrong amount, or an uploaded receipt never appears in your transactions.
At QuickFix Bookkeeping, the thing to understand: scanning a receipt does not record an expense. Wave extracts the data, then it sits in Receipts waiting for you to review and approve it. A receipt that "vanished" is almost always sitting unreviewed, not lost.
What Causes This
Not yet reviewed
The receipt uploaded fine but is waiting in the Receipts section for you to approve it into your books.
Poor image quality
A blurred, cropped, or badly lit photo gives the scanner nothing usable to read.
Unsupported file
The file is not a supported format, or it exceeds the size limit.
Processing delay
Scanning is not instant. A receipt uploaded seconds ago has not been processed yet.
How to Fix It
METHOD 1Check the Receipts Section FirstReceipt seems to have vanished
1Go to Purchases, then Receipts. Your uploaded receipt is almost certainly sitting there, processed but not yet approved.
2Scanning only extracts the data. Until you review the vendor, date, amount, and category and approve it, no transaction is created in your books.
3Approve it and it posts as an expense. If the extracted amount is wrong, correct it here before approving rather than fixing the transaction afterward.
METHOD 2Improve the ImageScan reads the wrong amount
1Lay the receipt flat on a plain, contrasting surface. Photograph it straight on, in good even light, with no shadow across the text and the whole receipt in frame.
2Crumpled, faded thermal receipts are the worst case. If the total is unreadable to you, it is unreadable to the scanner. Enter those manually rather than fighting the scan.
3Always check the extracted amount and date before approving. Scanning is an assistant, not an authority.
METHOD 3Fix an Upload That FailsWill not upload at all
1Check the file format and size. A very large photo from a modern phone camera can exceed the limit. Reduce the resolution and retry.
2If uploading from the mobile app, confirm the app has camera and photo permissions, and that you have a working connection. Try uploading the same file from the web app to isolate whether it is an app problem or a file problem.
METHOD 4Wait, Then RefreshNothing appears
1Processing takes time and is not instant, especially with several receipts at once. Wait a few minutes and refresh. If a receipt is still missing after that, re-upload it rather than assuming it will appear.
Receipts Are Your Audit Defence
A receipt attached to a transaction is the difference between a deduction that survives an audit and one that does not. Scan as you go, review weekly, and approve promptly. A backlog of unreviewed receipts is a backlog of expenses missing from your books entirely, which means you are overstating your profit and overpaying tax.
Related Guides
Receipts Piling Up and Expenses Missing?
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