Keeping a 12-week logbook with LogMetric

Choose a representative period

The ATO’s logbook method calls for at least 12 continuous weeks representative of your usual vehicle use. Choose a suitable period and check the full requirements for your circumstances in the ATO logbook guidance.

1. Check your vehicle details.
2. Select Logbook in Settings → Rates.
3. Record the start and end dates you intend to cover, and keep the supporting actual odometer observations.

LogMetric’s Reports screen offers Month and Financial year. It does not select or assess a 12-week logbook period. Review the months or financial years containing your records, and choose the vehicle and classification you want to review.

Keep trip and odometer records

Record your journeys throughout the period. Check their dates, distances and vehicle, and explain each Business trip with a meaningful note or descriptive tag.

Keep actual odometer observations for journeys and the start and end of the logbook period. The ATO specifies odometer records alongside journey dates, distance and purpose; calculated trip estimates do not replace observations. See the ATO’s record requirements.

• Set up automatic tracking
  Allow the required access and check that trips are being recorded.
• Record odometer readings
  Save the dashboard value and the date and time observed.
• Add trip notes
  Record a specific business reason while it is fresh.

Review records throughout the period

Follow the weekly review routine to find missing journeys, classifications and purpose details. In Reports, compare Trips, Distance and Duration using the same vehicle and classification filters. Review actual readings separately in Settings → Vehicles → select the vehicle → Reading history.

LogMetric organises trip records and estimates trip odometers. It does not calculate your Business-use percentage, track expenses or determine whether your records satisfy the logbook requirements.

Finish the period and keep records current

At the end of the period, add the closing actual odometer reading and correct outstanding trip records. Export ATO Reports using Logbook for the months or financial years that cover the period. For an exact 12-week trip list, export CSV, combine the trip rows from those reports as needed and filter their saved dates in a spreadsheet. The exported summary totals are fixed text and do not update when you filter rows; calculate totals from the selected trip rows separately. Keep your actual odometer observations and other supporting records alongside the trip list.

Continue maintaining odometer records in later income years and keep the supporting expense records required for your claim. The ATO’s motor vehicle expense guidance explains the ongoing records. A report organises your entries; it does not establish eligibility for a deduction.