Safe Handoff

Turn a folder of receipts into an expense spreadsheet

Handoff 2 Drafts for review Reviewed 14 Oct 2026 Set-up: 15 minutes

Who it's for
Sole traders and small teams doing monthly expenses
Outcome
A spreadsheet with date, supplier, amount, VAT if shown, and category for each receipt.
Why Handoff 2
It creates a new spreadsheet for you to check. Nothing is filed or submitted.

Steps

  1. Put copies of the month's receipts (photos or PDFs) in one folder.
  2. Give the agent your expense categories.
  3. Ask for one row per receipt and a list of receipts it could not read.
  4. Check the totals and any unreadable receipts yourself before filing.

Copy-paste prompt

Works with any agent. Replace the [square brackets] with your details.

Read the receipts in [folder]. Create a NEW spreadsheet with one row per receipt: date, supplier, description, total, VAT amount (only if printed on the receipt), category from this list: [categories], and the file name.

If a value is unclear, leave it blank and add the file to an 'Needs checking' list. Do not move, rename or delete any receipt files, and do not submit anything to any accounting system.

Notes for each agent

Only features we found in each provider's official documentation on 14 Oct 2026 are stated as product facts, with the source linked. Product features change; check before relying on them.

Claude Suggested

Claude can only read and write files in folders you have connected, and Cowork asks for your explicit permission before permanently deleting files. In Claude Code, Manual mode asks before file edits.

From official docs Official source 1 Official source 2

ChatGPT

For a first run, give it copies of the files rather than your live folder, and keep the originals untouched.

General guidance, not a verified product claim

Gemini

For a first run, give it copies of the files rather than your live folder, and keep the originals untouched.

General guidance, not a verified product claim

Microsoft Copilot Suggested

At work, Researcher can draw on files you already have access to and cites its sources; it follows your existing Microsoft 365 permissions.

From official docs Official source

Open agents & automations Suggested

OpenClaw's exec approvals can limit which commands run and ask about anything else ('allowlist' or 'ask' modes). Start there rather than 'full'.

From official docs Official source

Common failure, and how to catch it

What goes wrong
Misread amounts (for example a 1 read as 7) or VAT guessed when it is not printed.
How to catch it
Ask for blanks rather than guesses, and compare the total with your bank statement.

Time and cost

Time to set up
15 minutes
Cost
Uses the AI plan you already pay for. Agent features (browsing, connectors, scheduling) may need a paid tier; check your plan before relying on them.

Sources

Reviewed 14 Oct 2026 against the sources above. This playbook has not been tested on every agent listed; it is written to be agent-agnostic.

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