Receipts have a talent for turning up everywhere: email, a bag, a supplier account you only open once a month. If yours are scattered, you are dealing with a scattered delivery system, not a personal failing.
The useful change is to give each document a short route from arrival to review. Think of it as a tray by the front door: a place to put things before deciding where they belong.
Choose one collection point
Use a dedicated inbox, a shared folder or an expense tool. The choice should fit the way you work and who needs access. Forward email attachments there, download portal invoices and photograph paper receipts while the print is still readable.
A photo should show the whole document, including the supplier, date, items, totals and tax details. Keep the original digital document where possible. A cropped amount without its context can be difficult to use later.
Keep the supplier’s invoice and the payment record
A supplier invoice explains what you bought. A bank transaction explains how money moved. They are two parts of the story, not always substitutes for each other. If you only have the payment record, request the missing receipt or invoice rather than guessing the details.
Before claiming a GST credit, check that you meet the eligibility and evidence requirements. Having a document in a folder does not by itself make a cost deductible or a GST credit available.
- Supplier or merchant name and document reference.
- Purchase date, currency, total and tax details where applicable.
- What was purchased and its business purpose.
- Payment status and the transaction it relates to.
- Any private-use portion or question to discuss with your adviser.
Catch duplicates before they become two expenses
The same purchase may arrive as an email receipt, a downloaded invoice and a bank payment. Check the supplier reference, date, currency and amount before recording another expense. A reminder for an unpaid bill is not usually a new purchase.
If you have multiple copies, keep the clearest source and enough context to understand them. For a credit or refund, retain the adjustment document and connect it to the original purchase instead of making the original disappear.
Make names useful to your future self
If you use folders, a pattern such as ‘2026-11-01 — Supply Shop — INV-482 — AUD120.pdf’ can make searches easier. Use the supplier’s real document reference when there is one. Avoid putting unnecessary personal or banking information into filenames.
Give access only to the people who need it, use secure storage and check that you can export or back up your records. A tidy collection is only useful if you can still retrieve a readable document later.
Build a review habit that suits the week
Review new documents alongside your bank records at a regular time. Check extracted values and suggested categories rather than assuming they are correct. If you are unsure, leave a note for your bookkeeper with the source attached.
In Lufu, forwarded purchase documents can become reviewable expense drafts. You decide what is recorded. That small pause between collection and recording helps keep the paperwork useful without letting it take over your day.
A little context: this is general information for Australian businesses, not advice for your individual tax or legal position. Tax details were checked against the linked official guidance on 1 November 2026. For decisions about your circumstances, a registered tax agent or qualified adviser can help.