On 07/04/2017 19:51, Graeme wrote:
In message ,
Murmansk writes
I'm planning to become self-employed as a handyman and looking for
some basic/cheap/free software I can use to keep records and submit my
tax return.

I have been self employed for 15 years, and found spreadsheets perfectly
OK to keep my accounts, although do employ an accountant to give my
figures a quick once over, then transfer the totals to my tax return,
which he does online.

Strongly suggest you keep every scrap of paper, and keep everything
labelled and filed. What is familiar today will cause headaches if
needed 5 or 6 years later. I don't use anything sophisticated - just
plastic and manilla envelopes, but all are carefully labelled and filed,
'just in case'.


Very good advice. Keep everything, and be meticulous in your filing,
both paper and computer.

In addition to this, it's a good idea to make an electronic record of
all paperwork, as well as keeping the paper version. Obviously this only
applies to incoming documents, since all outgoing ones will be computer
generated anyway. Since this is only to be used in case of emergency the
effortless way to do it is to simply photograph each document and file
them all by weekly date. In other words just dump your camera contents
onto the computer every Friday night.

It's also vital to back up all computer files. Don't trust one back-up;
have several. For instance back up to a removable drive that you keep
somewhere well away from the desk machine, and/or to a laptop or USB
stick ditto. Also back up to Dropbox.

As regards a filing system on the computer you will obviously do one to
suit yourself, but as an example mine has the following folders for each
trading year, each with sub-folders:

Accounts (sub-folders for inputs and outputs)
Communications, customer (sub-folders for each major customer, plus
'others')
Communications, supplier, (sub-folders for each major supplier, plus
'others')
Communications other
Labels
Leaflets etc (end user)
Leaflets etc (landlords)
System plans
System photographs
Technical information
Vehicles
Video and audio files
Warranty documents on purchases

Good luck! Don't worry about making a lot of money in the first year.
Concentrate on building up your customer base.

Bill