Preparing time tracking data for your tax advisor

Why clean data matters for your tax advisor

Tax advisors do not need colorful charts. They need clear numbers. I learned this the hard way two years ago when I prepared my first annual statements with Jomawo. The first handover was messy. After that I built a simple system that still works today.

Many freelancers just send any export. That creates follow-up questions. Follow-ups cost time. And time costs money.

Which data is actually required

Tax advisors mainly want billable hours per project and client. They also need breaks, vacation days and sick days. Everything else is usually secondary.

I always sort by client first, then by project. This immediately shows where most hours went.

Export formats your tax advisor prefers

Excel is still the standard. CSV works just as well. Use PDF only when no further changes are expected. In Jomawo you can create both with one click.

One practical tip: always include the raw data, not just finished reports. The advisor can filter themselves if something is unclear.

Columns that are often missing

• Invoice number
• Hourly rate
• Whether the hour was already invoiced

Without these three columns things get messy fast. I have forgotten them a few times and had to send corrections later.

Common preparation mistakes

The most frequent issue is duplicate entries. Especially when using multiple devices. Another classic is missing breaks. Tax audits often look at this closely.

That is why I let Jomawo suggest breaks automatically. It reduces manual corrections significantly.

How far in advance to prepare

Two weeks before the appointment works best. This leaves buffer for questions. Starting the day before usually creates stress.

I now block the time in my calendar. Otherwise it keeps getting postponed.

Tools and internal links

If you still manage everything manually in Excel, it is worth checking where the limits really are. Many people later switch to an app because the error rate drops.

By the way, if you are just getting started, free time tracking with export functions is often enough for solo freelancers.

Checklist before handover

1. All hours recorded up to the cut-off date?
2. Invoice numbers added?
3. Private and business time separated?
4. Export without formatting errors?

Checking these four points usually saves half an hour at the tax advisor. That adds up over the year.

In the end it comes down to one question: how much time do you really want to lose on follow-ups? A clean export almost always pays off.