WhatsApp receipt OCR & AI data extraction with Twilio, LlamaParse & Gemini
WhatsApp Receipt OCR & Data Extraction Suite
Categories: Accounting Automation • OCR Processing • AI Data Extraction • Business Tools
This workflow transforms WhatsApp into a fully automated receipt-processing system using advanced OCR, multi-model AI parsing, and structured data storage. By combining LlamaParse, Claude (OpenRouter), Gemini, Google Sheets, and Twilio, it eliminates manual data entry and delivers instant, reliable receipt digitization for any business.
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What This Workflow Does
When a user sends a receipt photo or PDF via WhatsApp, the automation:
Receives the file through Twilio WhatsApp
Uploads and parses it with LlamaParse (high-res OCR + invoice preset)
Extracts structured data using Claude + Gemini + a strict JSON parser
Cleans and normalizes the data (dates, ABN, vendor, tax logic)
Uploads the receipt to Google Drive
Logs the extracted fields into a Google Sheet
Replies to the user on WhatsApp with the extracted details
Asks for confirmation via quick-reply buttons
Updates the Google Sheet based on user validation
The result is a fast, scalable, human-free system for converting raw receipt photos into clean, structured accounting data.
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Key Benefits
No friction for users: receipts are submitted simply by sending a WhatsApp message.
High-accuracy OCR: LlamaParse extracts text, tables, totals, vendors, tax, and ABN with impressive reliability.
Enterprise-grade data validation: complex logic ensures the correct interpretation of GST, included taxes, or unidentified tax amounts.
Multi-model extraction: Claude and Gemini both analyse the OCR output for more reliable result. We have one primary LLM and a secondary one.
Hands-off accounting: every receipt becomes a standardized row in Google Sheets.
Two-way WhatsApp communication: users can confirm or reject extracted data instantly.
Scalable architecture: perfect for businesses handling dozens or thousands of receipts monthly.
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How It Works (Technical Overview)
Twilio → Webhook Trigger
The workflow starts when a WhatsApp message containing a media file hits your Twilio webhook.
Initial Google Sheets Logging
The MessageSid is appended to your tracking sheet to ensure every receipt is traceable.
LlamaParse OCR
The file is sent to LlamaParse with the invoice preset, high-resolution OCR, and table extraction enabled.
The workflow checks job completion before moving further.
LLM Data Extraction
The OCR markdown is analyzed using:
Claude Sonnet 4.5 (via OpenRouter)
Gemini 2.5 Pro
A strict structured JSON output parser
Custom JS cleanup logic
The system extracts:
Vendor
Cost
Tax (with multi-rule Australian GST logic)
Currency
Date (parsed + normalized)
ABN (validated and digit-normalized)
Google Drive Integration
The uploaded receipt is stored, shared, and linked back to the record in Sheets.
Google Sheets Update
Fields are appended/updated following a clean schema:
Vendor
Cost
Tax
Date
Currency
ABN
Public drive link
Status (Confirmed / Not confirmed)
User Response Flow
The user receives a summary of extracted data via WhatsApp.
Buttons allow them to approve or reject accuracy.
The Google Sheet updates accordingly.
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Target Audience
This workflow is ideal for:
Accounting & bookkeeping firms
Outsourced finance departments
Small businesses tracking expenses
Field workers submitting receipts
Automation agencies offering DFY systems
CFOs wanting real-time expense visibility
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Use Cases
Expense reconciliation
Automated bookkeeping
Receipt digitization & compliance
Real-time employee expense submission
Multi-client automation at accounting agencies
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Required Integrations
Twilio WhatsApp (Business API number + webhook)
LlamaParse API
OpenRouter (Claude Sonnet)
Google Gemini API
Google Drive
Google Sheets
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Setup Instructions (High-Level)
Import the n8n workflow.
Connect your Twilio WhatsApp account.
Add API credentials for:
LlamaParse
OpenRouter
Google Gemini
Google Drive
Google Sheets
Create your target Google Sheet.
Configure your WhatsApp webhook URL in Twilio.
Test with a sample receipt.
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Why This System Works
Users send receipts using a tool they already use daily (WhatsApp).
LlamaParse provides state-of-the-art OCR for low-quality receipts.
Using multiple LLMs drastically increases accuracy for vendor, ABN, and tax extraction.
Advanced normalization logic ensures data is clean and accounting-ready.
Google Sheets enables reliable storage, reporting, and future integrations.
End-to-end automation replaces hours of manual work with instant processing.
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Watch My Complete Build Process
Want to see exactly how I built this entire AI design system from scratch? I walk through the complete development process on my YouTube channel
By Gabriela Macovei