One of the first clients I helped in my business was struggling with their tax paperwork. As a result, it was a long, exhausting project that could have been avoided. How many of you can relate here?
I’ll be honest, I don’t like gathering all the stuff my accountant needs to prepare my taxes either, so this year, after filing a tax extension, I decided to streamline my system to make next year easier.
Tax season can be tough for small business owners, but it doesn’t have to be.
In this blog post, let’s discuss how setting up a project in Trello to collect your yearly documents, can help you stay organized all year and avoid last-minute stress. Here’s how you can use Trello to keep everything on track for tax time.
Why Use Trello for Tax Documentation?
Trello is a simple, powerful tool that helps teams and small business owners organize tasks, however, did you know you can attach emails, documents, spreadsheets, and reports, so everything stays in one place?
Trello was introduced to me by a colleague as a way for me to organize my client work, however, I soon adopted it to collect my networking connections. You can read about my beginnings with Trello here. When I saw my clients struggling to organize their taxes, Trello seemed like a possible solution for them.
For taxes, you deal with lots of papers—receipts, invoices, reports, and more. Trello can help you by organizing all the tax documents to give to your accountant. Set up a Trello board for all the documentation and you’ll cut down on stress when tax season comes around.
Create a Tax Documentation Board
Start by creating a new Trello board just for your tax documents. Name it something clear like “2024 Tax Prep” or “Yearly Business Taxes.”
In this board, set up lists for different types of documents, such as:
- Income Reports
- Bank Statements
- Credit Card Statements
- Expenses & Receipts
- Payroll Documentation
- Business Deductions
- Quarterly Tax Payments
When you use these labels it gives you a clear view of what you need to gather over the year and helps keep you from having to scramble at the end of the year.
Set Up Cards for Each Document
In each list, create cards for the documents you need. For example, under “Income Reports,” you might have cards labeled:
- January Sales Report
- February Sales Report
- Year-End Summary
Trello lets you customize cards for anything you need to track. For instance, “Expenses & Receipts,” you can make cards like “Office Supplies,” “Marketing Expenses,” or “Travel Receipts.” Attach digital copies of receipts or invoices directly to the cards, and add due dates so you’ll remember when to update them.
Add Due Dates and Reminders
In addition to staying organized, keeping up with deadlines is key for taxes. Trello lets you set due dates for each card, which helps with tasks like submitting quarterly payments or gathering documents before tax time. Trello will remind you as the dates get close, helping you stay on track.
Use Labels for Quick Sorting
In addition to helping you stay on track, Trello’s labels make things even easier. You can use colors to mark the status of your documents, like:
- Paid Taxes (green)
- Pending Payments (yellow)
- Documents Collected (blue)
This way, you can see what’s done and what still needs attention with just a glance.
Automate with Email-to-Card
To make your tax prep even smoother, use Trello’s Email-to-Card feature. When you get an invoice or receipt in your email, you simply forward it straight to your Trello board.
You can also set rules to automatically move cards between lists, send reminders, or create recurring tasks for quarterly taxes. This cuts down on the manual work of keeping your board updated.
Share Your Board with Your Accountant
One of Trello’s best features is its ability to share with others. Once your documents are organized, you can share your Trello board with your accountant or bookkeeper. They’ll have easy access to all the paperwork they need, making tax time easier for both of you.
Conclusion: Simplify Tax Season with Trello
Getting your tax paperwork together doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By setting up a Trello project to collect and track your documents, you can reduce stress and make sure everything is ready before tax season starts. With a little organization, Trello can be the perfect tool to simplify tax prep for your small business.
How do you organize your documentation for taxes? Share your tips and tricks in the comments!
If you’d like help creating a Trello board for organizing your tax documents, or with other business processes, reach out and schedule a call here.