When I used checks for everything the check number was how I found receipts, but now I write maybe 20 checks a year so that system no longer works. We have several different accounts that I need to keep track of:  business checking, fuel account, credit card, savings, cash, and Bob's shop account.  When looking for a receipt it is a lot easier to know which account the money was taken from.
 
When a receipt is created, lets say we buy fuel I use the odometer as the check number when I enter the receipt in my Quicken file.  When I spend cash such as paying a toll or other small item on the receipt I start the year out with C - for cash and then 001 - so C001 and then add on from their.  I also write on the receipt what category I used and with tolls it is simply named tolls.  I have several categories for the truck, maintenance, truck wash, truck supplies, taxes, and on and on...
 
When we use the credit card that receipt will be D001, when I use business it is B001, and when Bob purchases a tool from his account it is BC001.  Writing the category where the receipt was entered helps me keep track when I scan the receipt into the computer.
 
Before the receipts are filed away each receipt for the business is scanned into folders that match my Quicken files.  The scan also has a naming system so that I can quickly find a receipt in each folder;  Maintenance -  0102 TA 015 means that we bought a repair item on January 2nd at TA and the receipt is 015 in my Quicken files.
 
At the end of the month I take each category of receipts and staple them together and when we go home they are filed in their respective folders.  At the end of the year it is very easy for me to come up with totals of everything we have spent in each.
 
I buy clear plastic boxes for each year of receipts for taxes and file away the folders holding the receipts.  The folders keep the receipts in order and easy to find.  I label the box with the year of the taxes and store them in our basement.

In my file box you might notice a white notebook...  On the first of each month I print out our statements from banks, from TA/Petro on fuel purchased, from Comdate on fuel purchased, and each month a profit and loss statement.  All of these copies are filed in the notebook, some are left at home when we get home and others like the P & L stays with me so I can refer back to it if needed.  The notebook has a list of everything that I need to do on the first of the month including giving Squeaky the cat his flea medicine.

Another page I added to my fuel spreadsheet is a log file.  I keep track of the days Bob and I are away from home and each month total up those days and then also keep a running total for the year.  We use OmniTracks so I also save a monthly report to a file on my computer of our logs.  I do not print out the logs as the files are large but they are available if I do need to print them at a later date. 

My fuel has one more page where I keep track of all of our loads.  Which agent gave us the load, how much it weighs, pickup date and city, delivery date and city, what type of freight, column for if the freight needs a lift gate or services,  pay per loaded mile, pay per all miles, fuel surcharge,  and then verify when we get our settlement that the totals match up.

I break out our fuel per month tracking when we fuel, where we fill, cost of fuel per mile, odometer, gallons, and what our fuel costs with fuel discounts.  I also track how much the fuel tax is for the state fuel is purchased in to help me remember what fuel tax is in each state.  In the fuel spread sheet I keep a running total of all fuel purchased and miles so I know lifetime fuel mileage of the truck. 


Odometer numbered receipt



How I scan my receipts and title them.

Comments (5)

Linda Caffee

Bob and Linda started their driver careers after their children left home for college in 2000. Bob started as a driver for a large motor carrier with Linda as a rider. They decided to enter the Expedite industry as team drivers in 2005 and purchased their first Freightliner. Both, Bob and Linda have had their Class A licenses since the early 80's starting out driving in the oil field and hauling grain as fill in drivers where Bob worked as a diesel mechanic. Linda worked at the local country courthouse in data processing.

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Yvonne I do use spread sheets and we have the Comdata app on Bob's phone so he can easily see our balance. I use the Comdata info from the Landstar pages to keep up with what we do and also to print off Comdata's reconciliation sheet at the end of the month. I use an Excel Spreadsheet to keep track of loads, days away from home or logs, and fuel.

January 13, 2016 10:20:08 AM

Awesome organization Linda! Hubby and I are leased to Landstar Ranger. I have had several migraines trying to get our system where it needs to be. Are you willing to share info about how to get Comdata Fuel activity? Also do you use an excel spreadsheet? Thanks in advance!

January 13, 2016 10:09:19 AM

Not having what you need when you need it is very frustrating for sure. You can't be too prepared or organized.
A little bit of work each day makes a mole hill our of a mountain if nothing is done for months at a time.

January 13, 2016 8:21:07 AM

Craig it really is not that hard once you start doing it. Keeping track of receipts is easy and my process has evolved over many years after searching for that ONE receipt and know I do have it somewhere. What is really frustrating is to need that ONE receipt and know it is a at home. That is when I really started scanning in earnest and now if I need a receipt I can print it and all is good. Finding the receipt is what started me on my journey to simplify that project and I know I am not done making it even simpler.

January 13, 2016 4:13:31 AM

Linda,
That sounds like quite a system and a full time job, but it does provide you with up to date information about your business and truck performance. You should teach courses on your filing system in your spare time.

January 12, 2016 8:22:48 AM