How should a musician save digital receipts in Clef?
Published · Updated · Clef
Keep the original electronic receipt, check that every page is readable, and give the file a name you can find again. Use Clef’s Documents upload to file an accepted copy, then reopen it and verify the result. Keep the bookkeeping entry and its supporting evidence connected through a clear reference rather than assuming an upload completes the accounting.
Which original should you keep?
Start with the document as issued: an emailed invoice, a downloadable receipt, or a paper receipt. For a Canadian music business, CRA’s electronic-records guidance distinguishes records originally produced electronically from images made from paper. It says electronic originals must remain electronically readable even when you also have printouts. Consistent digital receipt filing significantly streamlines your year-end accountant records.
Download the vendor’s original file where one is available and keep the message or reference needed to identify its source. A screenshot may omit a page, an attachment, or details outside the visible window. If you make a more convenient viewing copy, keep its relationship to the source file clear.
Paper records have separate imaging requirements. A photo that looks acceptable on a phone is not, by itself, a decision that the original can be destroyed. Keep the paper while you check the applicable requirements; this guide does not establish that your scanning process meets CRA’s standards.
What should you inspect before uploading a file?
Open the file outside the bookkeeping app first. Read it at a useful size and check the full document, not just its thumbnail. For a purchase with multiple pages, make sure the itemised pages and total belong to the same document. Replacing a blurry or incomplete copy now is easier than asking a reviewer to infer the missing information later.
The checklist below is a practical preparation step, not a CRA certification test. It helps you discover gaps while the seller, order details, and purchase purpose are still easy to identify.
| Check | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Completeness | All relevant pages, edges, line items, and totals are present. |
| Readability | The supplier details, dates, amounts, and any tax shown can be read. |
| Identity | The receipt or order reference connects the file to the actual purchase. |
| Retrievability | The filename and storage location make sense to another reviewer. |
Which files does Clef’s Documents upload accept?
The Documents page offers PDF, PNG, JPG/JPEG, and CSV uploads. Its upload endpoint accepts four file types and applies a 25MB limit. These are the limits for this Documents-page route; do not assume that every attachment control elsewhere in Clef has the same rules.
Choose the source in Upload Document, then use browse to select the file. The source list includes Other for a document that does not fit the named platform sources. A source label is an organisational choice, not evidence that the file came directly from that provider.
If a camera file is in an unsupported format, keep the original and prepare an accepted viewing copy using a suitable conversion tool. Open the copy and compare it with the source before filing it. Changing a filename’s extension alone does not establish that the file is a valid PDF or image.
For a long document near the size limit, preserve legibility when preparing a smaller copy. Do not crop away itemised detail or remove pages simply to make an upload pass. Resolve the file problem while retaining the complete evidence.
What does a successful Documents upload tell you?
Clef displays an Uploaded message with the filename after this upload succeeds, then refreshes the Documents list. Uploaded records are shown in Platform Invoices grouped by source. Where a View link is available, reopen the file and check that it is the document you intended to store.
The page separately lists Transaction Receipts with their associated transaction descriptions. The general Upload Document form does not ask you to choose a transaction. Do not assume that filing a receipt through that form has attached it to an existing expense or completed a bookkeeping entry.
Keep a reference between the stored file and the purchase being reviewed. Confirm the amount, account, date, and any classification in the relevant bookkeeping workflow. An upload-success message checks a different thing from the accounting treatment, and neither determines whether a cost is deductible.
What would a complete equipment-invoice file look like?
Constructed example: a producer receives a three-page equipment invoice as a PDF. The first page summarises the order, while the remaining pages list the items and charges. A phone screenshot of page one is easy to share but would leave the reviewer without the detail needed to understand the purchase.
The producer keeps the original PDF and uses a descriptive working filename such as 2026-10-12-supplier-order-1842.pdf. After uploading an accepted copy, they open it to verify that all three pages are present. A separate note explains the business purpose and identifies the bookkeeping entry for review.
If the supplier later issues a corrected invoice, the producer retains both versions with an explanation of which one supersedes the other. This example is a filing method, not a required CRA naming scheme or a conclusion about how the equipment should be classified. The related equipment-expense guide covers the classification questions separately.
How should you protect the files after filing them?
CRA recommends backups of electronic business information and checking that backup data can be restored in an accessible, usable format. It also says records held by an outside party must remain available to CRA officials when requested. Keeping a document in software does not remove the need to plan for access and recovery.
Keep your own organised copy of the evidence and periodically open restored sample files. Record where the originals live and how the reviewer can obtain them. Before closing a vendor account or losing access to an email address, collect the documents you still need to retain.
Use the related accountant-records guide when assembling these files into a wider handoff. That package should make it possible to follow a question back to its source, rather than relying on a folder name or a single report total.
What else should I know?
Can I throw away a paper receipt after photographing it?
CRA allows destruction of imaged paper records only when the applicable imaging standards are met; otherwise the originals must be kept. Confirm that your actual process meets those conditions before disposing of paper. A successful Clef upload is not that confirmation.
What if I cannot obtain a readable receipt?
Ask the supplier for a replacement or fuller copy and record the request. Keep the evidence you do have and identify what is missing for your accountant. Do not invent line items or assume that a bank payment resolves every documentation question.
Should I upload a card statement instead of a receipt?
A statement and an itemised purchase document serve different review needs. Keep the receipt that explains the purchase alongside the evidence of payment, so the reviewer can understand the event rather than only see an amount leaving an account.
Does saving the same file twice create two expenses?
A duplicate file and a duplicate accounting entry are different issues. Check what was actually recorded before changing the books. Use clear references and version notes so repeated evidence is not mistaken for separate purchases.