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Overview

Receipt scanning uses your phone’s camera and OCR technology to extract expense details automatically. Point your camera at a receipt, and Divvy will detect the total amount, merchant name, and individual line items.

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How It Works

Receipt scanning leverages CameraX (Android’s modern camera library) with ML-powered text recognition to identify:
  • Total amount
  • Merchant/store name
  • Individual items and prices
  • Tax and tip amounts
Receipt scanning works best with clear, well-lit photos of printed receipts.

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Scanning a Receipt

To scan a receipt:
  1. From the expense creation screen, tap the camera icon
  2. Grant camera permission when prompted (required for first use)
  3. Position your receipt within the on-screen frame
  4. Align the receipt so all text is visible and level
  5. Tap the capture button (large amber circle)
  6. Wait 2-3 seconds while Divvy processes the image

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Visual Guidance

The scanner provides helpful guides:
  • Frame overlay: White corner brackets show the optimal capture area (260dp × 320dp)
  • Auto-detect indicator: “Auto-detect ON” badge shows scanning is active
  • Status text: “Align receipt within frame for best results”

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Scanning Flow

1

Camera Permission

On first use, you’ll be asked to grant camera access. Divvy uses the CAMERA permission to access your device camera.
Manifest.permission.CAMERA
2

Position Receipt

Place the receipt flat on a surface or hold it steady. Make sure:
  • All text is readable
  • The receipt fits within the frame
  • Lighting is adequate
  • There’s no glare or shadows
3

Capture

Tap the amber circular button to capture the image. The camera will freeze and begin processing.
4

Processing

Divvy analyzes the image and extracts:
  • Total amount
  • Merchant description
  • Individual items (if using itemized split)
A progress indicator shows “Scanning receipt… Detecting items and prices”.
5

Review

Once complete, you’ll see:
  • ✓ “Receipt scanned!” confirmation
  • Number of items detected (e.g., “3 items detected”)
  • Total amount extracted (e.g., “$47.83”)
The expense form auto-fills with this data.

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Extracted Data

After scanning, the following fields are populated:
  • Amount: $47.83 (automatically formatted)
  • Description: "Dinner at Maple Bistro" (merchant name from receipt)
  • Items (if itemized split): Individual line items with prices

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Editing Scanned Data

You can review and edit all scanned data before creating the expense:
  • Tap the amount field to adjust the total
  • Tap the description to change the merchant name
  • When using Itemized Split, you can:
    • Edit item names
    • Adjust item prices
    • Add or remove items
    • Assign items to specific people
Always double-check scanned amounts for accuracy. OCR isn’t perfect and may misread damaged or poorly printed receipts.

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Tips for Best Results

  • Use natural light or bright indoor lighting
  • Avoid harsh shadows across the receipt
  • Turn on flash if the receipt is dark or faded
  • Flatten crumpled receipts before scanning
  • Smooth out folds that obscure text
  • Ensure thermal receipts haven’t faded
  • Hold your phone directly above the receipt (birds-eye view)
  • Keep the camera parallel to the receipt surface
  • Avoid tilting or angling the camera
  • Center the receipt within the frame guides
  • Ensure all edges are visible
  • Remove background clutter

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Supported Receipt Formats

Receipt scanning works with:
  • Printed paper receipts (thermal or ink)
  • Restaurant bills
  • Grocery store receipts
  • Retail purchase receipts
  • Itemized invoices
Digital receipts displayed on another screen may not scan reliably due to glare and screen refresh rates.
If you already have a photo of your receipt:
  1. Tap the gallery icon (left of capture button)
  2. Select a receipt image from your photo library
  3. Divvy will process it the same way

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Technical Implementation

Receipt scanning uses:
  • CameraX: Modern Android camera API for preview and capture
  • ProcessCameraProvider: Manages camera lifecycle
  • Back camera: CameraSelector.DEFAULT_BACK_CAMERA
  • Text recognition ML: Extracts structured data from images
Reference: ~/workspace/source/app/src/main/java/com/example/divvy/ui/scanreceipt/Views/ScanReceiptScreen.kt:1

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Troubleshooting

If scanning fails:
  • Ensure camera permission is granted in Settings > Apps > Divvy > Permissions
  • Try scanning in better lighting
  • Manually enter the amount if OCR can’t read the receipt
  • Use the gallery option if live scanning doesn’t work