Working Online Biz - SA - Electronic logging can increase the money owed to you

With interest rates on the rise and economic storm clouds on the horizon, we'll all have to keep a hawkish eye on our finance. Every year, South Africans lose large sums of money on business mileage left unclaimed, which at these times is a luxury most can't afford. Mobile Tripsheet (www.tripsheet.co.za) is a handy new innovation that enables you to do just that: claim back on tax.

Keeping mileage logbooks is the old and usually unreliable way to record expenses. But when you're constantly on the move, it's difficult to be disciplined about entering your expenses into a logbook, especially when you have to do it manually. Finding a pen that works and then something to lean on when you do remember to log in your mileage is inconvenient, if a little tedious.

Mobile Tripsheet is software that offers a user-friendly solution to expense recording. In fact, it ensures that keeping an accurate log of your expenses is as easy as picking up your cellphone to send a sms. Except that with TripSheet you don't incur the expenses of SMSs

And since your expenses logbook is on your cellphone, you'll carry it everywhere you go. So there are no excuses for missing a log entry. National Sales Manager, John Ramsey points out, "The electronic logbook is not only easy to use, but will enable the user to distinguish between the mileage they travel privately (like holidays and trips to the supermarket) and business."

With disciplined entries, you're likely to increase the amount you'll be able to claim in tax since the information can be edited and printed in logbook format to support your tax return.

Since 1994, SARS has undertaken to keep up with a changing society by listening to its customers and keeping up with technological advancements. It wouldn't be a surprise then to see SARS working with the likes of Mobile Gateway Solutions, a company dedicated to the advancement of IT solutions like Mobile Tripsheet.

Not only has SARS improved its tax collection through adopting e-filing, reducing the hassles of tax returns, it has also been recognised as the best run government department in South Africa. SARS's openness to improving its services means that Mobile Tripsheet could be a way forward for tax returns in future. Ramsay adds, "We intend discussing with SARS the direct integration of Mobile Tripsheet into the tax return process." If it is approved, Mobile Tripsheet can only help SARS to maintain its edge.

Registering for Mobile Tripsheet is also a no-fuss affair. By going to the website, anyone will be able to register as a user and benefit by ensuring that their business mileage is recorded. The age of the paper logbook is over and in its place, a user-friendly solution has been found to ensure we (not SARS) keep our cash.