Which business receipts and documents should you keep?

Keep purchase receipts, vendor invoices, and digital documents for business services and subscriptions. An invoice describes what a vendor sold you. A payment confirmation helps explain when and how you paid. You may need both to understand the transaction.

Include documents for fuel, supplies, tools, advertising, and services. For major equipment, keep a description of what you acquired. A bank transaction can help locate a purchase, but may not explain what it was for.

Make sure a photo shows the full receipt and that a PDF includes readable details. If information is missing, request a more complete copy while the purchase is recent.

• ✓Purchase or service date.
• ✓Vendor that issued the document.
• ✓Description of items or services.
• ✓Amount and details that explain the total.
• ✓Connection to the expense or job.

The document and the record should describe the same purchase. Match the date, vendor, and amount. If a receipt covers several items or includes personal purchases, add enough context to identify each part.

For digital folders, use readable filenames such as “2026-09-08-vendor-supplies.pdf” and group files by period. A filename helps you find the document; the expense description explains its business purpose.

Do not record a second expense just because an invoice is followed by a receipt for its payment. Keep both documents when they add context, and check whether they belong to one transaction.

Luis buys paint and parts for a repair. He photographs the full receipt, checks that it is readable, and describes the job in his expense record. The vendor, date, and total match the document.

A few days later, the vendor emails a copy of the same receipt. Luis recognizes the reference and avoids recording another expense. When he needs to review the materials, he can find the document without scrolling through unrelated phone photos.

His accountant receives a record with context and accessible documentation. That organization supports a review, but does not establish the purchase’s tax treatment on its own.

Review documents before they pile up. Ask your tax professional which retention requirements apply to your records instead of choosing a timeframe by guesswork.

• ✓Collect receipts and invoices for business purchases.
• ✓Capture the entire document and check readability.
• ✓Check the date, vendor, description, and amount.
• ✓Connect the file to the correct expense.
• ✓Identify duplicate copies and mixed personal purchases.
• ✓Make sure you can find and open the files for a review.

The Business plan lets you attach PDF, JPG, and PNG files to expenses, then view and download the documents. This keeps purchase documentation connected to the record that explains it.

Check that a file is readable and belongs to the expense before attaching it. Organized documentation helps with accountant reviews; the software does not determine tax eligibility or replace professional advice.