Storage bill paid: which system should you choose?

Whether you are an individual or a professional, managing paid invoices is an essential aspect of financial organization. Keeping and organizing these documents properly allows you not only to keep track of your expenses, but also to meet your legal and fiscal obligations. For individuals, this may involve everyday purchases, home work, or medical services, while for professionals, it includes more complex management, including business-related purchases and tax requirements.

In this article, we'll explore best practices for keeping and organizing your invoices, whether paper or digital, based on your situation. We will also discuss the tools and methods that will allow you to stay organized, to archive your documents securely and to ensure that you are ready for any situation, whether it is a tax audit, a refund request, or a dispute. Follow our guide to find out exactly how to do this, whether you are an individual or a professional.

How to manage paid invoices when you are a professional?

Invoice management is an essential aspect of running a business, whether it is a small structure or a large organization. As a professional, how you keep and manage your paid bills is essential, not only to keep track of your finances, but also to comply with legal and fiscal obligations. In this first part, we will see the best practices to adopt to properly manage your paid invoices in your professional activity.

1. Keeping invoices: Why and how?

As a professional, you should keep all your paid invoices, whether received or issued. These documents are crucial for several reasons: they allow you to track your expenses, justify your purchases during tax audits and support your tax returns.

The shelf life of invoices

According to French legislation, invoices must be kept for a period of 10 years from the end of the accounting year. This rule applies to both paper and electronic invoices. Therefore, it is important to provide an effective and secure management system for your invoices for years to come.

Storage formats: Paper or digital?

Invoices can be kept in paper or digital format. Businesses now have the ability to store their invoices in electronic form, which simplifies management and archiving.

1. Paper invoices: If you keep your invoices in paper form, you need to file them properly in filing cabinets or folders, organizing them by year or by supplier. This will allow you to easily find an invoice when needed, while ensuring that they are kept in a safe place away from moisture and light.
2. Digital invoices: Digital storage is a modern and practical solution. You can scan your paper invoices and keep them on a computer medium (hard drive, server, cloud, etc.). It is imperative to save these documents in a secure location, with appropriate security systems to avoid data loss.

2. Effective filing system: Organize to better find

Whether you choose to keep your invoices in paper or digital format, the important thing is to have a well-structured filing system. A chaotic ranking could cause you problems in the event of a tax audit or a dispute with a supplier.

Tips for a good ranking:

• Ranking by year and supplier: It is often a good idea to categorize invoices by year and then divide them by supplier or expense category. This makes it easy to search when needed. For example, each year could have its own file, and within that, each supplier or expense type would have its own subfolder.
• Name the files clearly: If you choose digital storage, name your files clearly and consistently. Use simple naming conventions, such as “supplier_invoice_year_number,” so you can easily find a document by doing a quick search.
• Use of management software: Many professionals use accounting management software or specific tools to organize and track invoices. This software makes it possible to centralize all information, to access it easily, and sometimes even to synchronize it with other systems such as the VAT declaration.

3. Secure archiving: Protecting your documents

Whether you keep your invoices on paper or in digital format, keeping them secure is essential. Invoices may contain sensitive information and should be protected from loss, theft, or damage.

• Secure physical archiving: If you store your paper bills, be sure to store them in a place that is secure and protected from risks such as fires or floods. Use locked cabinets or even fire-resistant filing systems for particularly important documents.
• Secure digital archiving: For digital storage, choose a reputable cloud provider that offers strong security (data encryption, two-factor authentication, etc.). Also, remember to back up regularly to avoid the risk of data loss.

How to manage paid invoices when you are an individual?

Managing invoices is not only a concern for professionals. As an individual, it is also important to know how to keep and organize paid invoices. These documents can be useful for various reasons, such as managing your budget, product guarantees, or even to justify your expenses if necessary. In this article, we explain how to properly manage your invoices paid on a daily basis.

1. Keeping your bills: Why is it necessary?

Even if you're not a business, keeping track of your paid invoices is essential. They may be required for several reasons: in case of return or exchange of a product, to benefit from a guarantee, or to declare your taxes if you have deductible expenses. It is therefore crucial to keep these documents, but also to organize them properly.

Invoice shelf life

In France, individuals must keep their invoices for a minimum period of 5 years for tax reasons, especially in the event of a tax audit. Some invoices, such as those for real estate work, may need to be kept longer. The duration varies according to the type of expenditure and the use of the products or services.

Which invoices should I keep?

It is recommended to keep all important bills, such as those related to the purchase of expensive goods, renovations, or services related to health or education. If you purchased a product with a warranty, be sure to keep the invoice so you can benefit from it in case of a failure or problem.

2. Invoice storage and filing: Organization above all

Once you know which invoices to keep, it's important to organize them so you can easily access them when needed. A well-thought-out ranking system can save you a lot of time.

Physical or digital preservation?

There are two main options for keeping your bills: paper and digital. The choice depends on your preferences and habits.

1. Paper invoices: If you keep paper bills, be sure to store them in a dry and safe place. Use boxes, binders, or folders for each expense category. A chronological order is often the easiest method: you can organize your bills by year and month, and store them in folders or storage boxes.
2. Digital invoices: If you prefer digital storage, you can scan your paper bills and save them on your computer, an external hard drive, or in a secure cloud. Digital storage has the advantage of being easier to organize, secure, and search for. In addition, you do not risk the physical deterioration of the documents.

Effective filing tips:

• Classification by type of expenditure: Organize your bills by category, such as consumer bills (electricity, gas, telephone), purchases (equipment, clothing, etc.), work or repairs, or even health care.
• Name your digital files: For digital storage, give each file a clear and accurate name, including the date, vendor, and purpose of the expense. For example, “Facture_Électricité_Janvier2025.pdf.”
• Use expense management applications: Some applications allow you to take photos of your invoices and to classify them directly into predefined categories, making them easier to organize and search later.

3. Secure archiving: Protecting your documents

The security of your invoices is important, whether you choose to keep them in paper or digital format. Indeed, they may contain sensitive personal information that needs to be protected.

Securing paper invoices:

If you keep paper bills, it's essential to store them in a secure location, such as a locked storage box or a key filing cabinet. You can also consider using a safe for the most important documents (e.g. documents relating to the purchase of real estate or major works).

Securing digital invoices:

For digital invoices, be sure to store them in a secure space, such as an external hard drive or cloud service with enhanced security options. Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your data. Also, remember to make regular backup copies to avoid accidental file loss.

4. Usefulness of paid invoices: When to consult them?

Paid invoices can be useful in a variety of situations. Here are a few examples:

• Budget management: Invoices allow you to track your expenses on a daily basis and to have a clear vision of your finances. You can use software or applications to categorize your bills and track your expenses according to your financial goals.
• Returns or exchanges: If you need to return a product or request an exchange, the invoice is used as proof of purchase. It is therefore important to keep it when needed.
• Guarantees: Many products come with a warranty. If you have a problem with a product, the invoice can be used as proof to assert your warranty rights.
• Tax declaration: If you have expenses that can be deducted from your taxes (work, medical expenses, etc.), your bills will be necessary to justify these expenses to the tax authorities.

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