At HBA Encompass, we are a paperless office. This means that all our work is done on computers, eliminating the need for paper documents. So, what happens to the paper documents you bring to us at tax time? We turn them paperless. Here’s how we do it:
If you bring in a big pile of paperwork, or a “bundle of goodness” as we call it, we use a bill app like DEXT or Hubdoc, depending on your situation. We use our phones or tablets to take photos of your receipts. This allows us to create whatever we need, whether it flows through to your Xero account or we download it into a CSV to create work papers.
Alternatively, we’ll scan the documents directly from our printer to DEXT or Hubdoc. If you only have a few items, we generally scan them and create a work paper file by taking snips of those documents and incorporating them into our work papers.
We don’t have filing cabinets, and we don’t keep copies of your paper documents. We will always return them to you. It’s crucial that you promptly collect your paperwork once your tax work is finalised. If something gets damaged in our office, it’s your responsibility, and you need to be able to show the original documents to the ATO if they audit you in four years’ time.
We may have copies, but we don’t want to be responsible for any damage to your paper documents. So, please ensure you retrieve them in a timely manner.
In conclusion, while we handle your paper documents efficiently and securely, it’s essential for you to collect them promptly to avoid any issues with potential audits. Going paperless not only helps us stay organised but also ensures that your documents are processed quickly and accurately. If you have any questions about our paperless process, feel free to reach out to us.