Right, let's talk about expenses.
You're pulling in good money as a sole trader - builder, plumber, electrician, landscaper - but keeping track of what you're spending is one of those things that's easy to let slide. Materials, diesel, food on site, tools when they wear out - the costs add up fast, and Revenue will want to see them if they ever come looking.
Nothing was built with the job in mind.
What Counts as a Business Expense
The basics most sole traders can claim: Materials and supplies - timber, plumbing fittings, electrical wire, whatever the job needs. Fully claimable. Vehicle costs - fuel, servicing, insurance on a work vehicle. Keep your fuel receipts. Tools and equipment: some costs qualify as business expenses. Capital equipment may qualify for capital allowances instead of an immediate deduction. Phone and insurance - a portion of your phone bill, your public liability cover.
These can add up over a year. Keep the records, claim only the business portion, and check capital equipment separately.
How Most People Handle It
A biro and a piece of paper is still the go-to for a lot of lads. Others take photos on their phone and plan to sort them later. A lot of sole traders hand everything to their accountant once or twice a year - which works fine, but accountants charge for that time.
The common thread is that receipts go missing, piles build up, and by the time you sit down to deal with it, it's a bigger job than it needed to be.
One Thing Worth Knowing
Revenue accepts electronic copies of receipts and invoices, and you don't need to keep the paper once the copy meets its storage requirements. These include keeping copies complete and unaltered, with a clear audit trail. Check with your accountant before you throw anything out.
That alone changes things. It means the phone already in your pocket is all you need to stay on top of your expenses - if you've got a way to make it quick and easy.
How Graft Fits In
Graft works through WhatsApp. You take a photo of a receipt and send it as a message - the same as sending a photo to anyone. It reads the receipt, pulls out the date, amount, and VAT, and stores it. That's the whole thing.
No app to download, no setup, no learning curve. It doesn't ask you to change anything about how you already work - just use WhatsApp the way you already do.
By the time you need your records - for your accountant, for a VAT return, for Revenue - everything's already there. Graft is free for 14 days, then €19 a month. Card required.
Your receipts and Sheet are saved in your own Google Drive. Graft processes the files you send to create and update your records. See our privacy policy for how Graft and its providers handle that information.