FilePDQ

How to organise receipts and invoices for tax

Updated 6 min read

Quick answer

Gather everything as PDFs or photos, sort it into folders by type with dated file names, and pull invoice totals into one spreadsheet. Keep the originals safe.

Organise client documentsFree, no sign-up, and your files never leave your device.

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Step by step

  1. Save emailed invoices as PDFs and photograph paper receipts.
  2. Open Organise client documents, add everything and select Sort into folders. You get a ZIP with a folder per kind of document and an index.
  3. Open Extract invoice fields, add the invoices, select Read invoices and download one spreadsheet of numbers, dates, VAT and totals.
  4. Check the spreadsheet against the folders, then send both to your accountant or keep them for your return.

Tips

  • HMRC asks Self Assessment taxpayers to keep records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline. Check GOV.UK for your situation.
  • Photos of receipts can’t be read yet; they go into a To check folder for you to file by hand.
  • This is organising, not tax advice. Ask an accountant if you are unsure what you can claim.

If something goes wrong

A document went into the wrong folder.

Sorting goes by the words in each document. Move it in the ZIP; the index lists why each file went where it did.