Faded thermal paper, creases and bad light are the usual culprits. A few seconds of care at the counter saves a correction later.
7 August 2026 · 4 min read
Receipt reading is very good but not magic — it can only read what the photo shows. Nearly every failure traces back to the photograph rather than the software.
Flatten the receipt, put it on a contrasting surface, get even light with no shadow across it, and include the whole thing including the total and VAT lines. Shoot straight down rather than at an angle.
Till receipts fade fast, especially in a hot van. Photograph them the day you get them — a receipt that has lived in the footwell for three weeks may be genuinely unreadable, by software or human.
A very long receipt photographed from far enough away to fit becomes too small to read. Photograph the top portion with the supplier and date, and the section with the total and VAT.
Tell GraftG the correct figure and it amends the entry. Worth checking on larger purchases where an error would actually matter to your return.
Digital copies are fine for HMRC, but for significant purchases — tools, equipment — hanging onto the original until the return is filed costs nothing and occasionally saves trouble.
Almost always photo quality — a crease through the total, shadow, glare, or faded thermal print. Retake the photo flat and well lit, or simply tell GraftG the correct amount and it will amend the record.
HMRC accepts digital copies, so generally no. For high-value purchases it is still sensible to keep the paper until your return for that year is filed.
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