Guide

Short answer: keep every receipt related to your work. A voucher is the only accepted proof that an expense actually occurred and that it relates to your work. As a light entrepreneur, though, you don't need to build a paper archive, since electronic storage is enough — and the Truster app takes care of saving it for you.

#Why receipts and vouchers need to be kept

A voucher confirms two things: that a purchase was made, and that it relates to your work. The Tax Administration can request to see vouchers afterwards, and without a receipt an expense generally won't be approved. Retention periods are set by law and run to several years, so don't throw away a receipt just because the gig is done. You can find up-to-date instructions on retention periods at vero.fi (the Finnish Tax Administration's website).

For a light entrepreneur, receipts also mean money. Expenses directly related to your work can, under certain conditions, be taken into account when your pay is calculated, meaning you pay tax on a smaller amount. Without a voucher, this opportunity goes unused. The conditions and limits for approving expenses are described in the Tax Administration's guidelines, so if anything is unclear, check vero.fi or ask Truster's customer service.

A quick note on terminology: a voucher is the general term for a document that verifies a business transaction, and a receipt is its most common form. An invoice, contract or payslip can also serve as a voucher, depending on the situation. In a light entrepreneur's everyday life, the most important vouchers are purchase receipts for work supplies and invoices sent for completed work. When both are kept in the same service, the entire lifecycle of a gig is documented: what was done, what was invoiced, and what expenses related to the work. This also makes life easier if a client asks about an invoice's contents afterwards, or if you want to check the pricing of an earlier gig for a new quote.

#What counts as a valid voucher

A valid voucher is a document that shows the seller, the date of purchase, what was bought, and how much was paid. In practice, this means a till receipt, an invoice, an online store order confirmation together with a payment receipt, a travel ticket, or a similar document. A receipt received by email is also fine, as long as the details are clearly shown.

A bank statement alone usually isn't enough, since it only shows the payment transaction, not the product or service purchased. The same applies to a plain card terminal payment slip that doesn't itemise the purchase. So always ask for the actual receipt. Thermal-paper cash receipts fade quickly, so it's worth photographing them right at the moment of purchase.

A good rule of thumb is to keep a voucher for everything you buy for work. Typical vouchers for a cleaner are receipts for detergents and equipment; for a photographer, memory cards and props; for a builder, materials and small-tool rentals. If you're unsure whether a receipt is worth keeping, keep it — an unnecessary voucher doesn't hurt anyone, but a missing one can never be recovered afterwards. The same goes for online store order confirmations: save both the confirmation and the payment receipt so the record is complete.

#Electronic storage is enough

You don't need to keep the paper receipt in a drawer if a clear electronic copy of it exists. What matters is that the copy is legible and that all the voucher's details remain unchanged. A good photo or scan does the same job as the original paper.

The biggest benefit of electronic storage is findability. When receipts are kept in one place and linked to the right gigs, you can find them in seconds if you ever need them. Loose paper receipts at the bottom of a wallet get lost, fade, or crumple into illegibility, making it hard to prove an expense afterwards.

Build yourself a simple routine: photograph the receipt right away, write a short description at the same time, and once a month check that all gig-related expenses have been recorded. That way there's no unpleasant surprise waiting at year-end, and no eligible expense goes unused. Your electronic archive travels with you on your phone, so you can check old vouchers even at a client's premises. And if you switch phones, the vouchers won't disappear, since they're saved in the service, not on the device.

#How to scan receipts into the Truster app

Saving a receipt in the Truster app is made as easy as possible. Take a photo of the receipt directly in the app right after the purchase, add a short description of which job the expense relates to, and save it. The receipt stays on your account as an electronic voucher, and you no longer need to carry the paper around.

The best time to scan is right at the moment of purchase. That way the receipt is safely saved, you still remember exactly which gig the purchase relates to, and nothing is left on a to-do list. Going through a pile of receipts at the end of the month is exactly the kind of paperwork light entrepreneurship is meant to avoid.

Write the description so that even an outsider understands the connection to your work — for example, paint and rollers, kitchen renovation for a client. A good description speeds up processing the expense and reduces follow-up questions. If the same purchase serves both work and leisure, say so honestly in the description, since only the share used for work can be taken into account. If anything is unclear, our customer service can advise on how best to record an expense.

#Expenses are taken into account in your pay automatically

Once you've saved a receipt and the expense has been approved, Truster factors it into your payroll calculation automatically. You don't need to do separate calculations or remember deductions yourself — your payslip shows how the expenses were handled. That way, every proper voucher works in your favour.

Keep in mind, though, that not all expenses are approved. The expense must relate directly to the work you're invoicing for, and the assessment follows the Tax Administration's guidelines. For example, ordinary living costs don't count as work expenses. If you're unsure, check the guidelines at vero.fi or ask Truster's customer service before making a purchase, so you avoid surprises.

What if the Tax Administration ever asks about your expenses? A well-kept receipt archive is your best safeguard: every approved expense can be proven with just a few taps. Being asked for vouchers is a normal part of tax oversight, and there's nothing to worry about when things have been done right from the start. That's exactly why this guide's most important tip is simple: photograph the receipt now, not tomorrow.