Automate Receipts with a Google Drive Folder

Accounting teams often receive paper receipts from employees, crew members and suppliers. Collecting these documents usually means scanning receipts, sending emails, downloading attachments and manually importing each document into the accounting system before it can be reviewed.

SquidWeb simplifies this process by monitoring a shared Google Drive Folder. As soon as a new receipt is uploaded, Octopodi automatically detects the document, extracts the available information and creates a draft receipt ready for review. This eliminates repetitive manual imports while allowing accountants to focus on verifying the extracted information instead of entering it manually.

Requirements

Before using Drop Folder Receipt Automation, ensure that:

• A shared Google Drive Drop Folder has been configured.
• Users have permission to upload documents to the shared folder.
• Supported receipt documents are uploaded to the Drop Folder.
• Octopodi is configured to process incoming receipt documents.

Uploading Receipts

Receipts can be added to the Drop Folder in several ways:

• Scan a paper receipt directly using the Google Drive mobile app.
• Upload an existing PDF or image from your computer.
• Save supported receipt documents into the shared folder.

Once a document is uploaded, no further action is required.

Automatic Receipt Processing

SquidWeb continuously monitors the configured Drop Folder for new documents.

When a supported receipt is detected, Octopodi automatically:

• Imports the document.
• Extracts the available receipt information.
• Creates a Draft Receipt.
• Notifies office users when processing has finished.

The original receipt remains linked to the generated draft for easy verification.

Reviewing the Draft Receipt

After processing, the Draft Receipt is automatically created inside SquidWeb.

The extracted information is pre-filled using Octopodi, while the original receipt remains available for comparison.

Users can review, edit and validate the information before approving or rejecting the receipt according to their accounting workflow.

Processing Notifications

Throughout the process, SquidWeb keeps users informed through the Notification Center.

Users receive notifications when:

• Receipt processing starts.
• A Draft Receipt has been created.
• Processing finishes successfully.
• Validation is required.
• Processing fails.

This allows accountants to immediately continue working without manually checking the Drop Folder.

Benefits

Using a Google Drive Folder helps accounting teams to:

• Upload receipts from any device.
• Eliminate manual imports.
• Automatically create Draft Receipts.
• Reduce manual data entry.
• Keep the original document linked to the receipt.
• Review receipts before approval.
• Speed up the accounting workflow.

Flexible Workflow

Every organisation manages accounting documents differently.

The Drop Folder workflow can be configured to match your internal accounting process, including document validations, approval steps and additional automations. SquidWeb Support can help tailor the workflow to your specific business requirements.

Video Tutorial

Watch the video below to see how receipts uploaded to a Google Drive Folder are automatically processed by Octopodi and converted into Draft Receipts ready for review.