Docs/Claude Desktop
MCP Server

Claude Desktop Setup

Connect ReceiptConverter to Claude Desktop so Claude can parse any receipt or invoice as a native tool call — no custom code, no API wrangling.

Time to complete: ~2 minutes  ·  Requires: Claude Desktop, Node.js 18+, ReceiptConverter API key
1

Install Node.js (if needed)

Check if you already have it:

node --version  # should print v18.0.0 or higher

If not installed, download it from nodejs.org.

2

Get your API key

Sign in at receiptconverter.com/dashboard, go to API Keys, and generate a new key. Copy it — it starts with sk_live_.

3

Open the Claude Desktop config file

The config file location depends on your OS:

macOS
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

In Claude Desktop, you can also go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config to open this file directly.

4

Add the ReceiptConverter MCP server

Add the receiptconverter block inside mcpServers. Replace the placeholder with your actual API key:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "receiptconverter": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["receiptconverter-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "RECEIPTCONVERTER_API_KEY": "sk_live_your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

If you already have other MCP servers configured, add receiptconverter as another entry inside the existing mcpServers object.

5

Restart Claude Desktop

Fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop. Config changes only take effect on restart. On macOS, make sure to Quit from the menu bar (not just close the window).

6

Verify the tool is connected

Click the hammer icon (🔨) at the bottom of the chat input. You should see convert_receipt and check_usage listed under ReceiptConverter. If you see them, you're live.

Try it

Paste any of these into Claude:

“Parse this receipt for me: https://example.com/lunch.jpg”
“Scan the receipt at [URL] and give me just the total and vendor name”
“How many receipt conversions do I have left this month?”
“Parse this receipt and format the line items as a markdown table”

Not working?

Tool doesn't appear after restart
Make sure JSON syntax in the config file is valid — a missing comma or bracket will silently break it. Paste it into jsonlint.com to check.
"Unauthorized" or "Invalid API key"
Double-check your API key in the config. Make sure there are no extra spaces, and that it starts with sk_live_.
"RECEIPTCONVERTER_API_KEY is not set"
The env block is missing or the key is misspelled. Check the config file matches the example above exactly.
npx not found
Node.js isn't installed or isn't in Claude Desktop's PATH. Install Node.js from nodejs.org, then restart your computer before reopening Claude Desktop.

More issues? See the full troubleshooting guide.