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Google Drive inbox for expenses

The Google Drive inbox plugin creates a folder in your Drive. Every PDF or image (JPG/PNG) you save into it becomes an expense draft in SmartBill, and once all details were recognized the expense moves to “pending approval”. You can save into the folder from your computer through Google Drive for desktop, from the browser, or from your phone.

Before you start: the plugin must be enabled for your business (if the card is locked, contact support), and you need a connected Google account with the Drive Inbox feature in Google connections.

Choose the screen you use for SmartBill:

  1. Open Plugins in the side menu and choose Google Drive inbox.
  2. Press Configure and pick the Google account under Google account for the inbox. If the list is empty, press Manage accounts and connect an account with the Drive Inbox feature.
  3. Keep or change the folder name, then press Create and link folder. SmartBill creates the In/Expenses and Out structure and shares the folder with its service account.
  4. Turn on Automatic scanning and press Save settings.
  5. Open the folder in Drive (Open in Drive) and save a file into In/Expenses. Within fifteen minutes it appears under Handled files; to skip the wait, press Scan now.

What happens to a file

Link to section: What happens to a file
  • A successfully imported file moves from In/Expenses to Out/{year}/Expenses. The year comes from the document date that was recognized. This is your proof that SmartBill handled the file.
  • A file that already exists in your expenses is not created twice. It is marked Already exists and moves to Out.
  • A file that failed stays in In/Expenses and shows its error in the list. SmartBill retries up to three times.
  • Files that are not PDF/JPG/PNG, Google Docs, and folders stay where they are and are marked Unsupported.
  • While automatic scanning is off, nothing is imported, even if files are already in the folder.

Review the expense draft as usual: automatic reading can get the vendor, date, or amount wrong. See review an expense and fix details.

When something does not work

Link to section: When something does not work
  • “Folder not linked yet”: open settings and press Create and link folder. If you deleted the folder in Drive, this recreates it.
  • Last error on the connection card: usually the Google account was disconnected or the share with the service account was removed. Press Check and repair link in settings, and if the account was disconnected reconnect it in Google connections.
  • “Drive import is not available right now”: the service is not configured on SmartBill’s side. Contact support.
  • Do not move files into the Out folder yourself; files there are not scanned.

Next steps

Link to section: Next steps

Find plugins and connections · Upload an expense · Get help