To photograph a supplier bill for a Tally entry, lay the bill flat in good light, fit the whole page in the frame, and take the photo from Import from PDF or photo in Takkada's Purchase register. Then review three screens before anything is saved: the supplier match, the item mapping for every line, and the purchase voucher with its totals. Takkada reads the supplier, invoice number, date, line items, quantities, rates and GST off the photo, and you confirm or correct each one. The entry reaches Tally only after you tap Save Purchase Voucher, and then it goes the same way as any purchase entered in the app. If the photo is blurred or cropped, the app says so and lets you try again or enter the bill yourself. This guide walks through each step, the checks worth making on every bill, and the warnings that mean you should look again before saving. It takes longer to read than to do.
Step 1: Take a photo that reads cleanly
- Lay the bill flat on a table. Folds across a line of figures are the most common cause of a misread.
- Use daylight or a bright tube light, and keep your own shadow off the page.
- Fit the whole page, edge to edge, including the totals at the bottom.
- Hold the phone straight above the bill rather than at an angle.
If the supplier sent a PDF, use Choose a file instead. A PDF made by the supplier's software is usually cleaner than any photo. Files can be PDF, JPG or PNG up to 5 MB, and large photos are shrunk automatically.
Step 2: Start the import
In the Purchase register, tap Import from PDF or photo, then Take a photo. You can also start from Import on the home screen. "Reading your document…" usually takes about ten seconds, and you can leave the screen while it reads.
You will see What we read, a short summary of the document. Tap Yes, continue if it is the right bill. If the photo could not be read, you get Try again or Enter it myself.
Step 3: Match the supplier
On Match Supplier, check the suggested ledger and its confidence label against the GSTIN printed on the bill. Search by name or GSTIN if the suggestion is wrong, or create a new supplier for a first-time vendor.
Step 4: Map every line
On Map Line Items, go down the list and check each line against the bill:
- The stock item it is mapped to. Lines you mapped on an earlier bill from this supplier come back filled in.
- The quantity and unit. A unit that is not one of your Tally units is flagged; fix it in Edit item details.
- The rate and GST. Edit item details lets you change quantity, rate, GST and HSN.
The screen will not continue while a line is unmapped or has no quantity on the bill, and it tells you how many lines need attention.
Step 5: Review the voucher and save
Review Purchase Voucher shows the supplier invoice number and date, purchase ledger, voucher type, voucher number and date, payment due terms, items and any additional charges. Watch for two warnings:
- "These items add up to ₹X. The bill says ₹Y." The lines do not match the bill's printed total. Find the line that differs before saving.
- "A purchase invoice with this supplier reference already exists." A bill with this reference from this supplier is already saved, and the save button stays off.
When everything matches, tap Save Purchase Voucher.
The Import purchase from PDF page shows the screens, and the guide to importing purchase bills into Tally covers the other document types.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What if my photo comes out blurred?
A: The app tells you the photo may be blurred or cropped. Tap Try again with a better photo, or Enter it myself.
Q: Can I leave the screen while it reads?
A: Yes. Reading usually takes about ten seconds, and unfinished imports are listed under Imports so you can pick them up later.
Q: Is a PDF better than a photo?
A: When the supplier sends a PDF from their billing software, it usually reads more cleanly than a photo of the printout.
Q: When does the entry reach Tally?
A: Only after you tap Save Purchase Voucher. It then goes to Tally the same way as any purchase entered in the app.
Try it with one bill
WhatsApp us at https://wa.me/919435977777 and we will walk you through your first imported bill.