Skip the receipt scanning and hours of manual data entry with the Magic Envelope

Our Magic Envelopes are large 9″x 12″ Tyvek envelopes. Tyvek is a very sturdy and reliable material, so our Magic Envelopes can usually hold hundreds of receipts depending on the receipt size. However, if you find that your receipts do not fit we can send you more envelopes at no charge!

For the most part, documents do not need to be organized in any way before you send them to Shoeboxed. Please make sure that documents are not attached to larger pieces of paper, as we are not able to process this kind of document.

Each receipt should be loose in the envelope. Each individual document should also not be stapled or otherwise attached to other pages, unless the document is part of a multi-page document.

Double-sided documents that contain printed information on both sides will be automatically processed as a single document entry in your account.

All you have to do is put a paper clip on receipts or documents that have multiple pages, and we will scan them as one document with multiple pages. Multi-page documents only count once toward your monthly limit—not once for every page.

Each Magic Envelope has a unique envelope code. Before a Magic Envelope is sent to you, we associate its envelope code with your account, and then we wait for that envelope to come back. When we receive it, we will send you an email letting you know that it is going through processing.

You can also use the envelope code to track at which point in the processing cycle your envelope is in. Simply log in to your account and click on “My Envelopes” on the overview page. From there you will be able to see when your envelope was received, when it has been processed and when we sent new envelopes out to you.

You have two options: (1) Have them shredded at our facility or (2) have them returned to you after we scan them.

Go to “Account info,” under “My mail-in settings,” check the box “Shred and recycle my documents (do not return)” if you want us to shred your documents.

Leave the box unchecked if you would like us to return your documents. All new plans will default to include document return.

If you’re looking to streamline your receipt organization for tax season by digitizing your receipts, you may be wondering—will the IRS accept your receipt scans? Can receipt scans legally support your tax write-offs when filing taxes? 

The quick answer: Receipt scans are 100% legitimate and approved by the IRS. In fact, the IRS has accepted scanned and digitized receipts as valid tax records for tax deductible purposes since 1997. 

However, receipt scans must meet specific requirements to be eligible.  

According to the IRS, digital or scanned receipts must meet the following requirements:

• Digital versions of receipt scans are completely identical to their original versions.
• Each receipt scan must exhibit a high degree of legibility and readability. 
• You must be able to produce hard copies (print-outs) of the scanned receipts in the event of an IRS audit.
• Scanned documents must be stored in a secure place.

If you can ensure your scanned receipts are properly stored and backed up as digital files in a filing system that allows for easy retrieval, and you can reproduce hard copies from the digital versions in a legible, readable format, you may dispose of the original receipts. 

See “Rev. Proc. 97-22 (Recordkeeping – Electronic Storage System),” IRS.gov.

Every account comes with an unlimited number of users. If you would like, we can also make sub-accounts for any members of your staff to keep their receipts separate from your main account.

There are multiple ways for users to scan receipts into their Shoeboxed account.

• Mail your receipts to our processing facility for free with a pre-paid* envelope from us, then we’ll scan them into your Shoeboxed account.
• Download our receipt scanner app from the Apple store or Google Play for quick uploads on the go.
• Forward emails to the designated Shoeboxed address and any receipts sent will appear in your Shoeboxed account.
• Install our custom Gmail plugin to auto-import digital receipts to the Shoeboxed dashboard.
• Upload receipts to your Shoeboxed account from your laptop or desktop using the drag-and-drop method.

Shoeboxed takes both your physical documents and scanned documents into consideration when it comes to security. All incoming paperwork is kept safe in our facility in Durham, NC with 24/7 surveillance and entry control. Digital files and data are additionally protected by SSL encryption, which is the same utilized by banks to protect accounts. We suggest that users review the privacy policy and terms of service before using any receipt scanning software or receipt management tool.

You can try Shoeboxed without any charge for 30 days to test the service. If you then choose to cancel your subscription at any time during the month, you will not be billed. If you opt for an annual plan and decide to cancel within the first 30 days, you will be refunded fully.

Our prices are comparable to the best apps that scan receipts; our Digital Only plan starts at just $4.99 a month (available in-App) and is more affordable than Expensify, Rydoo, Dext Prepare, Neat Receipts, and many other services in the same bracket.

The Startup plan at $29 per month is perfect for independent contractors and small business owners, offering 50 digital and 25 physical documents per month with unlimited users and unlimited storage.

The Professional plan is ideal for professionals and small businesses, with 150 digital and 150 physical documents, unlimited pre-paid* magic envelopes, unlimited document returns, unlimited file storage and Quickbooks Online integration.

The Business plan is great for companies that need to manage a high volume of customers or purchases, with 300 digital and 300 physical documents, unlimited pre-paid* magic envelopes, unlimited document returns, unlimited cloud storage, unlimited users and Quickbooks Online integration. An annual plan is also available at a 20% discount for those who want the best value for a receipt scanner.

Note: Postage is only pre-paid within the US at this time.

Software that can read text that has been captured in an image is referred to as Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This enables us to take the line items from an image and convert them into text. This information can then be used to fill in fields in accounting software or digital filing systems. Before settling on a receipt scanner, make sure it has the OCR feature.