You make an online purchase, receive the confirmation email, and forward it to your bookkeeper. A few days later, you pick up supplies from Home Depot, toss the receipt in your truck, and tell yourself you'll send it over later. Meanwhile, your employees are making purchases of their own, and those receipts are scattered across different inboxes, phones, and glove compartments.
Sound familiar?
Collecting business receipts is one of those small administrative tasks that can quickly become a headache. And while keeping documentation is important for accurate bookkeeping and tax preparation, it shouldn't require you to spend hours searching through emails or tracking down missing paperwork.
The good news? A few simple changes can make the entire process easier.
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1. Create One Email Address for All Your Business Receipts
One of the easiest ways to improve your receipt collection process is to create a dedicated email address just for business purchases.
Something as simple as receipts@yourbusiness.com.
Instead of using your personal email or having invoices scattered across multiple employee inboxes, you can use this address whenever you make an online purchase, pay a vendor, or sign up for a business subscription. Think software subscriptions, office supplies, and even vendors can most likely set up an accounts payable email address associated with your account.
Now, instead of forwarding each individual receipt to your bookkeeper, you can set up that email address to automatically deliver copies to the people who need them.
For example, if you're using Google Workspace, you can configure a Google Group or other email routing setup to deliver incoming receipts to both you and your bookkeeper.
This is one of the reasons we love using Google Workspace for business. It gives you professional email addresses, Google Drive storage, and tools that can help you build a more organized back office without adding unnecessary software.
Explore Google Workspace — get 10% off your first 12 months!
2. What About Paper Receipts?
Not every business purchase comes with an emailed receipt.
Maybe you're a contractor picking up materials, a restaurant owner purchasing last-minute supplies, or a business owner filling up a company vehicle. Physical receipts are still very much part of running a business, but that doesn't mean they need to pile up in your truck, purse, or desk drawer.
Instead, make it a habit to take a picture of the receipt as soon as you make the purchase.
From there, you have a few simple options. You can email the photo to your dedicated business receipt address, upload it to a shared Google Drive folder, or submit it directly through your bookkeeper's client portal.
At Oak and Ledger, we provide our clients with a secure portal where they can upload receipts, invoices, statements, and other financial documents. It's a simple way to keep everything organized without having to search through endless email threads.
And for my fellow bookkeepers reading this...
Whether you're managing the books for multiple clients or handling the accounting for a single company, you know how much time can go into chasing receipts, requesting documents, and following up on unanswered questions.
That's why I highly recommend looking into Double.
It's the platform we use at Oak and Ledger to manage requests, collect documentation, and keep communication organized in one place. And while it's a great tool for bookkeeping firms, it's just as useful for in-house bookkeepers and accounting teams who need an easier way to collect information from employees, managers, and other departments.
Instead of digging through email threads or constantly reminding people to send over missing documents, you can keep requests organized and see what's still outstanding.
Because whether you're managing the books for one business or twenty, spending less time chasing paperwork means more time focusing on the numbers that matter.
Explore Double for Bookkeepers and Accounting Teams
3. Use the Google Drive App to Save Receipts From Your Phone
Another option we love is using Google Drive to organize business receipts. If you're already using Google Workspace, you have access to Google Drive as part of your business tools. And even if you aren't, Google Drive is available with a free Google account.
You can create a folder specifically for business receipts, share it with the appropriate people, and upload photos or scanned documents directly from your phone.
This works especially well for business owners who are constantly on the go.
How to Upload Receipt Photos to Google Drive
From your iPhone:
Open the Google Drive app.
Navigate to your business receipts folder.
Tap the + button and select the option to upload a file.
Choose the receipt photo from your camera roll.
Confirm the upload to your selected folder.
From an Android:
Open the Google Drive app.
Navigate to your business receipts folder.
Tap + New, then Upload.
Select the receipt photo from your phone.
Upload it to the folder.
You can also use the Scan feature within Google Drive to photograph a paper receipt and save it as a PDF. This is especially helpful when you want a cleaner digital copy instead of a regular photo. The exact menu options may vary depending on your device and app version.
A Simple Folder Setup
You don't need an elaborate filing system. Something like this works perfectly:
Business Receipts
2026
January
February
March
And so on...
You can also organize folders by employee, location, vendor, or business if that makes more sense for your operations.
Just make sure your bookkeeper knows where to find everything and has the appropriate access. If you're using a shared folder, keep access limited to the people who actually need those documents.
One small habit we recommend? Upload the receipt as soon as you make the purchase. It takes a few seconds and saves you from trying to remember what happened three weeks later.
Need Help Setting This Up?
At Oak and Ledger, we believe good bookkeeping starts with good systems.
That doesn't mean you need complicated software or a completely automated business. Sometimes, it simply means finding practical ways to make everyday financial tasks a little easier.
If you'd like help setting up a dedicated receipt email address, organizing your Google Drive folders, or creating a better receipt collection process for your team, we can help.
We offer workflow setup and consultation services in addition to ongoing bookkeeping support.
And if you're tired of managing the books altogether? We can help with that, too.
Less time chasing receipts. More time running your business.