Just wondered what folks use as best practice for saving ad hoc purchase invoices/receipts to your PC, that are sent to you by clients so you can easily retrieve them in case of a query?
So far Ive not had that many, as I still tend to get a lot of paper ones from clients, but want to push some of them to emailing more of the bits that lurk, or using dropbox or other (not receipt bank!) this way for some of my businesses. Ive tended to save them with a reference number as they arrive, which then matches what I am keying in the software, but there must be a better way.
Still considering the mega scanner purchase - what do folk do when they have such kit for referencing items?
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
For those where I keep invoices on the computer, I have a folder for each one. Within that there is an 'invoices' folder, and within that a 'to be input' folder and a folder for each trading year. I save the invoices out, initially into the 'to be input' folder, and rename them along the lines of
yyyy-mm-dd-suppliername-invoicenumber
Once I've input an invoice, it gets immediately moved into the relevant year folder.
I find this works for me - but these particular clients aren't exactly huge, so finding the invoices later isn't difficult. The method might not scale up very well to something bigger.
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Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
(I only came here looking for fellow apiarists...)
Can always spot us developer types who have our dates in Japanese Industrial Standard format (#1)
Shaun.
#1 yes it is Vince. lol.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I like Dropbox. Like most I've data on the PC, copied over to Dropbox and also on a USB. If I get a receipt in an email I'll send it to print as a pdf and just save in X relevant location. I keep important emails that way too. For small (I do mean small) business it works a treat.
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Johnny - Owner of an overly-active keyboard.
A man who can read, yet doesn't, is in no way wiser than a man who can't.
I toyed with the date in the format you mentioned - I certainly save all regular invoices in that way, but was then pondering on whether to key the actual receipt date or date it appeared on the Bank for the ad hoc ones and those pesky receipts! Generally on the software I use the date that the payment appeared on the bank statement, unless of course it impacts on any vat.
I use a 'not yet keyed' and folder for the completed ones (and per accountingyear) very much as you do Vince as its easy to forget where you are up to.
I do sometimes use the pdf function Johnny - although sometimes I forget. Guess Ive just not got into a habit forming process with them yet!
As most of my clients still give me bits of paper and the odd few things via email I then just print them off, just easier sometimes. But Ive just got a newbie who was talking of putting everything in dropbox, but now wants to email everything to me. Will see how we go - volume doesnt appear to be high. He keeps only scanned versions so my copies will just be backups of his once Ive used them for keying the data properly.
Probably just over-thinking it for in the event Im ever asked for a copy of something, which has probably happened about twice!
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
At the moment I'm printing them off and adding them to the client paperwork. I have one client who puts everything in dropbox, and iI copy it all to my comp, although I leave it in his format. Will change that this next year though I think
Like the yymmdd format and it's one I will adopt
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
