A useful record system lets you trace each total back to an invoice, receipt or journey. Choose a routine you can maintain after a shift, then review it before the reporting deadline.
A weekly record routine
- Download statements and fee invoices from every platform. Store them by period and operator.
- Save receipts with the date, amount, supplier and business reason. Photograph fading paper receipts clearly, and keep a dated usage review for a phone or other mixed-use equipment.
- Review mileage logs for private journeys and duplicates from running several apps.
- Match bank transactions to statements; flag missing weeks and transfers between your own accounts.
- Check categories and mark uncertain expenses for review instead of assuming every receipt is deductible.
Do not let the bank feed decide your turnover
A net payout may already have platform charges deducted. Recording that net amount and deducting the same charges again is a common reconciliation error. Use the income and fees guide to work back to the underlying records.
Keep vehicle methods separate
The mileage method and actual vehicle costs are alternatives subject to eligibility and previous claims. Recording fuel invoices or home and public charging sessions is useful evidence; it does not mean you can add them to a flat-mileage deduction. Read the expense guide before calculating the return.
Our free spreadsheet tracker helps organise records. It is not itself MTD submission software. If MTD applies, check the digital-record and software requirements in the MTD guide. For a review of disputed categories, use expense deductions support.
If a receipt or a whole statement period is missing, work through our missing-records recovery log before adding an unsupported figure to your totals. It separates recovered evidence from questions that still need an answer.
Sources checked 8 October 2026: Records · Expenses · Making Tax Digital.
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