Merge Receipt and Credit Card Transactions

When a forwarded receipt, travel email, or travel receipt matches a credit card transaction or other travel data already imported into Emburse Enterprise, the system automatically merges them.

What Triggers an Automerge?

The automerge trigger criteria depend on the expense type.

Non-Meal Expenses

Automerge runs for non-meal expenses only when all of the following conditions apply:

  • The transaction dates are within 3 days of each other.
  • The spent currency is the same.
  • The amount spent is the same.
  • The receipt has at least one image.

Meal Expenses

Automerge runs for meal expenses only when all of the following conditions apply:

  • The transaction dates are the same.
  • The spent currency is the same.
  • The receipt amount spent is within 25% of the credit card amount spent.
  • The receipt has at least one image.
  • Both transactions have an expense type in the meal category.

A credit card transaction with a Breakfast expense type and a receipt transaction with a Lunch expense type still merge if all criteria are met.

These conditions apply whether the transactions are in the eWallet or already included in a draft expense report line item.

The system creates one line item per real-world expense. When multiple matching sources are found, they merge into that same line item rather than creating separate line items. If you add matching receipts or transactions later, the system merges them into the same line item.

If a transaction merges into an existing draft line item, the transaction no longer displays as a separate item in the eWallet or Receipt Gallery because the merged line item already includes it.

You can also manually merge transactions of any type. See Manually Merge Transactions, below.

In-App Automerge Notifications

If a transaction automerges in the eWallet or on a draft expense report line item while you are signed in, the app displays an in-app notification with a link to view the merged item.

Notification banner stating automerges occurred in eWallet with a View merged items button

If the merged item is already on a report, the in-app notification contains a link to view the report. 

Notification banner stating automerges occurred in an expense report with a View report button

If automerges occur while you are signed out, those notifications display after you sign back in. Up to three notifications display in the stack at one time.

Email Automerge Notifications

You can also receive daily summary email notifications for automerged transactions.

You receive one summary email per day when there is automerge activity to report, including merges that occur in the eWallet and on draft expense report line items.

Automerge activity summary email showing merge counts and a Log in button to review changes

View Merged Transactions

On the All tab of the eWallet, use the toggle in the upper-right corner to switch between viewing all transactions or just the merged ones.

Merged Items view with toggle set to Merged showing list of combined credit card and receipt entries

The eWallet marks automerged transactions with a distinct indicator so users can quickly tell when the system merged a transaction automatically. 

Expense item labeled Automerged showing airfare receipt with amount and airline details

The eWallet also displays this indicator on related draft expense report line items unless you manually unmerge the transactions.

Expense line item labeled Automerged showing lunch expense with matching amounts and confirmation checkmark

When the system merges transactions directly into a draft line item, the Automerged indicator shows that multiple sources are combined.

Manually Merge Transactions

You can manually merge transactions of any type, amount, or date, subject only to the following restrictions:

  • A credit card transaction may never be merged with another credit card transaction.
  • Real-Time Notifications may only be merged with credit card transactions.
  • An uploaded or emailed hotel folio receipt may never be merged with another hotel folio receipt.
  • A travel data or travel agency transaction may only be merged with another travel data or travel agency transaction if they are from two different data providers.

1. Navigate to the eWallet and select All to view all transactions.

2. Identify the transactions you wish to merge. Select one transaction and drag it onto the other.
eWallet list showing receipt and credit card items aligned for merging with drag handle indicator

3. The system names the merged transaction [Primary Item] + [Secondary Item] + [Tertiary Item], based on the following priorities.

Priority Transaction Type Notes
1 Credit Card / Firm Paid Card / Meeting Card / International Credit Card  
2 Personal Account  
3 Travel Agency / Travel Data If merging Travel Agency and Travel Data, the item with the latest Create Date is the primary item.
4 Offline Items: Emailed Receipts / Uploaded Images  
5 American Express® Pre-Authorization  

4. The eWallet shows the merged transaction in the primary item section (e.g., Credit Card, Travel Agency, Offline) and in the All section. The eWallet removes the other merged items from their original sections.

eWallet filtered to Credit Card showing merged transaction labeled Credit Card + Receipt with amount

5. Select Merged Details to see all items in the set.

Expanded merged transaction displaying individual items under Merged Details including credit card and receipt entries

The merged set uses the primary item icon, date, and amount.

6. Select the vendor or source name to see additional details for each transaction in the set, including attached images.

Split view showing receipt image alongside merged transaction details including merchant, amount, and merge identifiers

7. When you add the merged item to an expense report, the system creates the line item from primary transaction details (e.g., Description, Vendor Name, Amount, Currency, Business Purpose). The line item still displays details from every transaction in the merged set in the Downloaded Details section.

Expense report view showing downloaded credit card and receipt details for a merged transaction with amounts and merchant information

Manually Unmerge Transactions

You may unmerge one or more transactions if the system merged a transaction in error. 

If you already added the merged transaction to an expense report, delete it from the report to make it display in the eWallet. Then follow the steps below to unmerge it.

1. Find the merged transaction in the eWallet and select Merged Details to expand all transactions it contains.

eWallet item with Merged Details option highlighted for a credit card transaction

2. Select the broken link icon on the transaction that you want to unmerge from the group. If the group contains more than two transactions, select each transaction individually to unmerge it from the group.

Expanded merged transaction showing separate credit card and receipt items with unlink option to unmerge

After you remove a transaction from a merge set, you can merge it into a new set.

AmTrav Transactions

Customers who use Emburse’s AmTrav integration for travel data receipt merging can find these transactions in the Offline section of eWallet. Only the following travel types are supported, and only for the U.S.

  • Air
  • Rail
  • Service Fees
  • Prepaid Hotels

For complete details, see the AmTrav Knowledge Base.

 

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