How to capture and save image files to your FreeAgent account using the FreeAgent mobile app

This article explains how to use the ‘Capture for later’ functionality on the FreeAgent mobile app to capture and store images of receipts or bills in the ‘Files’ area of your FreeAgent account. It also explains how to attach those image files to a bank transaction, out-of-pocket expense or bill in your FreeAgent account.

'Capture for later' is available in the FreeAgent mobile app on iOS devices that run on the iOS 15 operating system or newer and Android devices running the Android 7.0 (Nougat) operating system or newer.

FreeAgent’s ‘Auto Extract’ functionality automatically extracts the date and amount from files that are added using ‘Capture for later’. These files will then automatically be assigned to ‘Money Out’ bank transactions that are marked ‘For Approval’ and have a matching date and value. Find out more about how FreeAgent automatically assigns receipts to bank transactions.

You can also convert a file captured using ‘Capture for later’ into an out-of-pocket expense.

Please note that any changes you make using the FreeAgent mobile app will be reflected in the desktop version of FreeAgent.

How to capture and save image files to FreeAgent

Open the FreeAgent mobile app on your iOS or Android device and log in using your FreeAgent login details if prompted. If you’ve accessed the app recently, you may be logged in automatically.

Tap the three-lined 'hamburger' icon at the top-left of the FreeAgent mobile app and select ‘Files’.

Tap the ‘+’ at the top-right of the screen and select 'Camera' from the 'Upload from...' drop-down menu.

The camera on your device will open automatically within the FreeAgent mobile app. If you haven’t used FreeAgent to access the camera before, you will be prompted to give FreeAgent permission to access your camera and photos. Select 'Continue to camera'.

Next, take a photo of the receipt or bill that you want to capture.

To successfully capture an image file, consider the following when taking a photo of a receipt or bill:

• To avoid fading, take the photo as soon as the document is available.
• Flatten and smooth out the document to remove creases.
• Check the image is in focus on your device before taking the photo.
• To avoid glare, turn the flash on your device off.
• Take the photo with the document against a dark background.
• Align the edges of the document with the screen and angle your phone to take the photo straight on.
• Take photos of longer or two-sided receipts or bills in sections by selecting the ‘Long receipt’ option in the bottom-right of the camera screen.

Review the image and select ‘Done’.

Next, you will then be prompted to add a file name; you should choose something that will make the file easy to identify. If you don’t choose to name the file, it will automatically populate the name of the file on your device, which will likely be hard to identify at a later date. Once you’re happy with the file name, select ‘Save to Files’.

If you are a level 7 or 8 user, you will see the option to mark a file as private by selecting the toggle to the right-hand side of ‘Make private’. This means that only you, or you and your accountant, will be able to see or edit that image in your ‘Files’ area. Once you’ve added a ‘File name’, select ‘Save to Files’.

The image will then be saved to the ‘Files’ area in FreeAgent and the date and value will be automatically extracted. If there is a ‘Money Out’ bank transaction marked ‘For Approval’ with a matching date and value, the attachment will also automatically be assigned to that bank transaction.

Once the bank transaction is approved, or the file is converted into an out-of-pocket expense, the attachment will be removed from the ‘Files’ area and exist only on the bank transaction or out-of-pocket expense.

Please note that it can take up to 24 hours for FreeAgent to automatically assign a receipt to a bank transaction if the receipt is uploaded before the bank transaction has been imported into FreeAgent.

Select ‘Capture another’ to capture another receipt or bill or tap ‘I’m done for now’ to return to the home screen.

How to view or edit the name of an image file after capturing it

To view or edit the name of an image or change its privacy settings, tap the three-lined 'hamburger' icon at the top-left of the FreeAgent mobile app and select ‘Files’.

Select the image file you would like to edit from the list.

Select the three dots in the top-right and choose ‘Edit’ from the menu to edit the file name.

Tap ‘Save’ to complete the process.

How to attach an image file to an out-of-pocket expense, bill or bank transaction using the FreeAgent mobile app

Once you have saved an image file to your ‘Files’ area, you can attach it to an out-of-pocket expense, bill or to a bank transaction that has been explained or is currently unexplained.

Attaching a file to an out-of-pocket expense or bill

Tap the three-lined 'hamburger' icon at the top-left of the FreeAgent mobile app and select either ‘Expenses’ or ‘Bills’.

Select the out-of-pocket expense or bill you would like to add the image file to from the list. Next, select ‘Choose attachment’.

Select ‘FreeAgent files’ from the menu.

Select the file that you’d like to attach to the out-of-pocket expense or bill from the list.

Next, check the preview of the image file, which will be displayed automatically, and then select ‘Attach’ in the top-right corner.

Tap ‘Continue and attach’ to complete the process of attaching the image file to the out-of-pocket expense or bill. Please note that attaching an image file to an out-of-pocket expense or bill will remove it from the ‘Files’ area of your FreeAgent account. Any file that is marked as ‘private’ will be visible to others on your account once you’ve attached it to an out-of-pocket expense or bill.

Next, select ‘Save’ in the top-right corner to return to the ‘Expenses’ or ‘Bills’ areas.

Please note that if you remove an image file once you have attached it to an out-of-pocket expense or bill, or you delete the out-of-pocket expense or bill from FreeAgent, the image file will be permanently deleted from FreeAgent. It will not be restored to the ‘Files’ area of your FreeAgent account.

Attaching a file to a bank transaction

Tap the three-lined 'hamburger' icon at the top-left of the FreeAgent mobile app and select 'Banking'.

Next, select the relevant bank account from the list.

Select the bank transaction you would like to add the image file to from the list. Next, select ‘Add Attachment’.

Select ‘FreeAgent files’ from the menu.

Select the file you would like to attach to the bank transaction from the list.

Next, check the preview of the image file and select ‘Attach’ in the top-right corner.

Tap ‘Continue and attach’ to complete the process of attaching the image file to the bank transaction. Please note that attaching an image file to a transaction will remove it from the ‘Files’ area. Any file that is marked as ‘private’ will be visible to others on your account once you've attached it to a bank transaction.

Next, select ‘Save’ in the top-right corner to return to the banking area. Alternatively, if the transaction has not yet been explained, check that you are happy with all the details and tap ‘Explain transaction’ at the bottom of the screen to explain the transaction.

Please note that if you remove an image file once you have attached it to a bank transaction, or you delete the bank transaction from FreeAgent, the image file will be permanently deleted from FreeAgent. It will not be restored to the ‘Files’ area of your FreeAgent account.