Business trip records
Capture each trip with the date, distance, where you travelled from and to, and the reason for the business journey.
Built for South Africa
SARS travel logbook South Africa
Build your mileage and travel logbook as the year happens
Record business trips, kilometres, routes and purposes throughout the South African tax year instead of rebuilding a logbook from memory at filing time. eScripts supports manual trip capture, location assistance and supported tracker imports.
eScripts
South Africa-first financial record workspace
Record the date, kilometres, route and business reason for each trip
Keep opening and closing odometer information with the vehicle record
Review business or personal classifications before saving
Import supported tracker trip histories and confirm the suggestions yourself
eScripts helps you organise and review your own records. Tax estimates, automated suggestions and document extraction remain subject to your review.
What you can do
Keep the work organised before it becomes year-end pressure.
Odometer records
Keep vehicle opening and closing odometer information alongside the trips used to calculate annual travel totals.
Location-assisted capture
Use location assistance to make trip capture easier, then review the details before they become part of your logbook.
Tracker imports
Bring in supported tracker trip histories and review suggested business or personal classifications instead of retyping every trip.
Business vs personal travel
Keep classifications clear so your business kilometres can be reviewed separately from private travel.
Year-end readiness
Keep the evidence behind your travel records organised so the logbook is ready for your own review or practitioner support.
What SARS says a travel logbook should contain
SARS guidance says taxpayers claiming business travel against a travel allowance should keep a logbook throughout the year. For every business trip, the record should include the date, kilometres travelled, where the trip started, where it ended and the reason for the trip.
SARS also instructs taxpayers to record the vehicle odometer reading at the beginning and end of the tax year, then calculate total annual kilometres and total business kilometres.
- Date of business travel
- Kilometres travelled
- From and destination
- Reason for the business trip
- Opening and closing odometer readings for the tax year
- Total annual and total business kilometres
Do not wait until filing season to reconstruct every trip
A travel logbook is easier to support when it is built close to the time the travel happened. eScripts lets you record trips manually, use location assistance or import supported tracker histories while the route and business purpose are still easy to confirm.
Imported and location-assisted information is treated as a suggestion until you review it. That keeps you in control of whether a trip is business or personal and what purpose you record.
- Capture trips during the tax year
- Review tracker imports before saving
- Add a clear business purpose
- Keep travel evidence with the correct tax year
Home-to-work travel needs special care
SARS guidance states that travel between your home and your place of work is regarded as private travel for this purpose. A logbook should therefore distinguish ordinary commuting from genuine business travel.
eScripts helps you organise and classify trips, but it does not automatically decide whether a journey qualifies for a deduction. When the tax treatment is uncertain, use a registered tax practitioner for advice.
Frequently asked questions
Questions people search before they start.
What must I record in a SARS travel logbook?
SARS guidance says each business trip should record the date, kilometres travelled, where the trip started, where it ended and the reason for the trip. Opening and closing odometer readings are also important for the tax year.
Can I use eScripts instead of the SARS PDF logbook?
eScripts helps you capture and organise the underlying travel records digitally. You remain responsible for checking that your records are complete and suitable for your tax position.
Can I import tracker trips?
Yes, supported tracker trip histories can be imported. You review the imported trips and confirm business or personal classifications before saving them.
Is travel from home to my normal workplace business travel?
SARS guidance generally treats travel between home and your place of work as private travel for a travel-allowance claim. Your specific circumstances should be reviewed if there is uncertainty.
Can eScripts help reconstruct an old logbook?
The software can help organise records you already have. Separately scoped professional logbook reconstruction support may also be requested when hands-on assistance is needed.
Explore related tools
Keep moving through the eScripts workflow.
Guide: SARS logbook requirements
See the minimum trip details, odometer rules and record-retention guidance in one practical checklist.
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Commission & PAYE calculator
Useful for commission earners who also travel for work.
Bookkeeping services
Keep business records and travel evidence organised together.
Your records stay yours
Start with the records you already have.
Create your eScripts account, organise the current tax year and upgrade only when you need more history, automation or business financial tools.