How to track business expenses on your phone

Record it while the receipt is still in your hand

The useful moment is when you pay, not when you next sit at a laptop. Capture five things:

• What it was — a short description you will still understand in three months.
• How much — the amount you actually paid.
• Who you paid — the vendor, if you care about repeats.
• A category — office, travel, utilities, supplies, marketing, equipment or other.
• How you paid — cash, card, bank transfer or cheque.

You do not need a photo of every receipt if you are not claiming it for tax. If you are, keep the original or a scan in a folder you control, separately from the bookkeeping entry.

Keep categories boring

Too many categories and you will stall on every entry. The seven above cover most small businesses. If you keep wanting a new one, you probably need a better description, not a new bucket.

Be consistent: fuel always under travel, printer paper always under supplies. Consistency matters more than the perfect name, because you will compare months.

Record an expense in Simple Accounting & Invoices

Simple Accounting & Invoices is a free Android app. Expenses stay on your phone. There is no login, and recording one works without internet.

1. Open the Expenses tab and tap the add button.
2. Enter a description and amount (required).
3. Optionally add the vendor, pick a category, set the date and choose the payment method.
4. Save. The expense is treated as paid when you enter it, including any tax you include in the amount.

The Expenses list shows a running total for the filter you have selected. Reports under More → Reports summarise expenses alongside sales.

What this is not

An expense entry is a bookkeeping record. It does not move money or connect to your bank. This edition is not a GST return, e-invoice or complete ledger. Check totals before you rely on them, and ask an accountant about tax treatment.

A weekly habit that works

• Enter expenses the day they happen, or empty your wallet into the app every Friday.
• Use the same category names every time.
• Once a month, scan the list for duplicates and missing fuel or rent.
• Export a backup, because the records live on the device.

Get Simple Accounting & Invoices on Google Play. It is free, with no ads or subscription. For invoices, see how to create and share an invoice from your phone.