Scanning Workflow

HorseBook's AI scanner reads your horse documents and creates records automatically. This guide covers the three most common scanning workflows: receipts to expenses, registrations to horses, and vet invoices to medical records.

How Scanning Works

Every scan follows the same pattern:

1. Capture — take a photo or select one from your library
2. Classify — AI determines the document type (Coggins, receipt, registration, etc.)
3. Extract — AI reads the document and pulls out type-specific fields
4. Review — you see the extracted data and can make corrections
5. Save — confirm to create the record

The whole process takes about 10 seconds from capture to review.

Receipt to Expense

This is the most common mobile scanning use case. You're at the feed store, the vet hands you an invoice, or you pick up supplies — snap a photo and the expense is logged before you leave the parking lot.

On iOS

1. Tap the Scan tab
2. Point your camera at the receipt and hold steady
3. AI identifies it as a receipt and extracts:
   • Vendor name (e.g., "Tractor Supply Co.")
   • Total amount
   • Date
   • Line items (individual products or services with amounts)
   • Category (auto-suggested based on content — feed, supplies, farrier, etc.)
4. Review the extracted data
5. Assign to a horse if the expense is horse-specific, or leave as a farm-level expense
6. Tap Confirm to save

On Web (Smart Upload)

1. Navigate to Expenses or a horse's profile
2. Click Smart Upload
3. Upload a photo of the receipt
4. Review and adjust the extracted fields
5. Save the expense

Registration to Horse

Scanning a registration paper is the fastest way to add a new horse. AI extracts the full identity and pedigree in one pass.

On iOS

1. Tap the Scan tab
2. Point your camera at the registration paper
3. AI extracts:
   • Registered name
   • Registration number
   • Breed
   • Color
   • Sex
   • Date of birth
   • Sire and dam (pedigree)
4. Review the extracted data — pay attention to the name spelling and registration number
5. Tap Confirm to create the horse

On Web

1. Click Add Horse on the dashboard
2. Choose Smart Upload
3. Upload a photo of the registration paper
4. Review the AI-extracted fields
5. Save to create the horse

Vet Invoice to Medical Record

Scanning a vet invoice creates medical records with provider, service, and cost information already filled in.

On iOS

1. Tap the Scan tab
2. Point your camera at the vet invoice or receipt
3. AI extracts:
   • Veterinarian or clinic name
   • Date of service
   • Services performed (vaccines, dental, deworming, exam, etc.)
   • Cost per service and total
4. Review the extracted records — AI may create multiple records from a single invoice if several services were performed
5. Assign to the correct horse
6. Tap Confirm to save all records

On Web

1. Navigate to a horse's medical section
2. Click Smart Upload
3. Upload a photo of the vet invoice
4. Review and confirm the extracted records

Supported Document Types

AI scanning recognizes and extracts data from:

• Coggins tests (EIA) — lab, test date, results, accession number
• Health certificates (CVIs) — vet info, travel dates, origin, destination
• Registration papers — horse identity, pedigree, breed, registration number
• Vet receipts and invoices — provider, services, costs, dates
• Vaccination records — vaccine type, date administered, next due
• Farrier receipts — service type, cost, date

If AI doesn't recognize the document type, it still saves the file as a general document attachment and extracts what it can.

Tips for Best Results

• Good lighting — natural light or a well-lit room. Avoid harsh shadows across the text.
• Flat surface — lay the document flat on a table. Curled or folded papers are harder to read.
• All text visible — make sure the entire document is in frame, including headers and fine print.
• Steady hold — keep your phone still for a moment so the auto-capture gets a sharp image.
• One document at a time — scan each document separately for the most accurate extraction.
• Clean lens — barn dust on the camera lens can blur text. Give it a quick wipe.