How to send expense claims to your accountant (UK guide)

To send expenses to your accountant, collect a clear copy of every receipt, record the date, supplier, amount, VAT and business purpose for each one, group them into a claim for a set period (usually a month or a quarter), and send it in the format your accountant has asked for — often a PDF or a report with the receipts attached.

This guide walks through each step. It explains what your accountant actually needs and how to do it with or without an app.

This is general information, not tax or accounting advice. Your accountant may want things done differently, and their instructions come first.

Why it matters

As a sole trader you pay Income Tax on your profit, so every allowable expense you record lowers the profit you're taxed on. You don't send receipts to HMRC with your tax return, but you must keep proof and records in case HMRC asks to see them.

If you send your accountant a tidy, complete set of expenses, they spend less time chasing you, and you're less likely to miss a claim.

Step 1: Ask your accountant what they want

Before you change anything, ask your accountant three questions:

1. What format? A PDF, a spreadsheet, receipts by email, or access to a system they use.
2. How often? Monthly, quarterly or once a year.
3. What detail? For example, whether they want VAT shown separately, or notes on business purpose.

Write down the answers and stick to them. If you're starting with a new accountant, this is the first conversation to have.

Step 2: Capture every receipt when you get it

Receipts get lost, and thermal till receipts fade. Take a clear photo or keep the PDF as soon as you pay. Common sources include paper till receipts, emailed invoices, and booking confirmations for travel.

Step 3: Record the details on each expense

For each receipt, your accountant usually needs:

• Date of purchase
• Supplier name
• Amount (and currency if not GBP)
• VAT amount or whether VAT is included, when it applies
• A short note on business purpose if it isn't obvious from the receipt

For what you can and can't claim, see our allowable expenses examples and sole trader expenses overview.

Step 4: Group expenses into a claim

Most accountants prefer a batch for a period — for example one month or one quarter — rather than one email per receipt. In InvoFlow Individual you add receipts to a claim, then send or export that claim as a unit.

Step 5: Send in the format they asked for

Attach or upload what they requested: a PDF summary, receipt images, or a link to a read-only view. If they use different software, they may ask you to export from that tool instead — follow their process.

Doing this with InvoFlow Individual

InvoFlow is a web app for UK sole traders. You photograph or upload a receipt (JPG, PNG or PDF); OCR fills supplier, date, amount, tax and category for you to check. You can mark whether VAT applies on the receipt and enter the tax amount when relevant.

When a claim is ready, email your accountant a read-only link (they don't need an InvoFlow account) and optionally attach a PDF or receipt bundle from the same flow. See InvoFlow for sole traders and how receipt scanning works.

InvoFlow does not file your Self Assessment or replace your accountant's advice.

Next steps

• Confirm format and frequency with your accountant before year-end rush.
• Check gov.uk: expenses if you're self-employed for current rules.
• Start with Individual if you want to try the capture-and-send workflow.

Related guides

• UK employee expense management: a practical guide for finance adminsHow UK SMEs run capture, approval, and reimbursement (or export) without email threads and missing VAT receipts.
• How to claim expenses as a sole trader in the UKWhat sole traders can claim as business expenses, what records HMRC expects, and how to keep receipts organised for Self Assessment.
• Receipt to Reimbursement: How to Turn a Receipt Photo into an Approved Expense ClaimLearn how to go from receipt to reimbursement in four simple steps. Snap or upload a receipt, extract the details automatically, and submit a claim your org can approve fast.
• Allowable expenses for UK sole traders: examples and how to record themWhat UK sole traders can and can't claim, category by category, with gov.uk links and how to record each expense.