Help Centre

How to use Lodgya

Everything you need to get the most from your Australian tax record-keeping tool. From first setup to generating reports for your accountant.

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Signed in but don't see your data? Your records are saved in the browser and on the device where you entered them, so they won't appear automatically on a different device or browser. Nothing is lost. If you've turned on cloud backup, you can restore them from the Backup menu. Here's how to move your data across โ†’
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Getting Started
Setup & first steps
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Transactions
Adding & managing entries
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Reports & Export
Tax reports & CSV
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FAQ
Common questions
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Still need help?
Contact us โ†’

Getting started

Lodgya is a browser-based record-keeping tool โ€” no installation required. Open the app, add your properties (or start a personal or business file), and begin adding transactions.

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First use tip: When you first open Lodgya, a short onboarding guide walks you through the key steps. You can reopen it at any time by clicking the ? button in the top-right corner.

Step 1 โ€” Choose where to save your data

Click the โš™ button in the top-right header to open Data Storage settings. We strongly recommend choosing Save to File and selecting a location such as your desktop, a USB stick, or a cloud-synced folder (Dropbox, OneDrive). This ensures your records survive a browser clear or device change.

Step 2 โ€” Add a property or start your file

In Lodgya Property, add each investment property via the + Add Property button in the sidebar. Every transaction you record will be linked to a specific property, making per-property reporting clear.

In Lodgya Personal and Lodgya Business, you can start adding transactions immediately โ€” no setup required.

Step 3 โ€” Add your transactions

Click + Add Transaction (or + Add Entry) to record income or expenses. Fill in the date, amount, category, and an optional description. Attach a receipt photo or PDF if you have one.

Step 4 โ€” Generate your report

At any time, go to the Tax Report section and click ๐Ÿ“„ Generate PDF Report. This opens a print-ready report you can save as a PDF and share with your accountant.


The three apps

Lodgya consists of three separate trackers, each designed for a different tax context. They are separate files that share the same design and branding.

๐Ÿ  Lodgya Property

Track income and expenses across one or more investment properties. Designed around ATO Schedule E deductions โ€” council rates, insurance, interest on loan, property management fees, repairs & maintenance, depreciation, and more.

Includes a depreciation calculator (Div 40 and Div 43), per-property reporting, and negative gearing visibility. For a jointly-owned property, you can set your ownership share so income and deductions can be viewed as your portion only โ€” useful when only your share goes on your return.

๐Ÿ‘ค Lodgya Personal

Track personal income (salary, freelance, dividends, etc.) and work-related deductions. Lodgya estimates your income tax liability based on current ATO rates.

Includes a vehicle/mileage tracker that calculates your ATO cents-per-km deduction automatically.

๐Ÿ’ผ Lodgya Business

Track business income and expenses with full GST awareness. Every transaction records whether GST applies, and the GST amount is auto-calculated using the 1/11 method.

Includes a BAS summary broken down by quarter, a GST reconciliation page, multi-currency support, and P&L reporting.


Adding transactions

Click + Add Transaction (or + Add Entry) to open the transaction form.

Required fields

  • Type โ€” Income or Expense (Deduction)
  • Date โ€” must be a past date within the current financial year
  • Amount โ€” in AUD (or foreign currency โ€” see below)
  • Category โ€” choose the most accurate ATO-relevant category

Optional fields

  • Description โ€” brief note (e.g. "July rent", "Hot water repair")
  • Notes โ€” any additional context for your accountant
  • Tags โ€” press Enter or comma to add tags like #deductible or #insurance
  • Recurring โ€” tick this to mark the transaction as recurring (see below)
  • Receipt โ€” attach a JPG, PNG, or PDF (max 8MB)
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If Lodgya detects a potential duplicate (same date, type, and amount), a warning appears before you save. Review it carefully โ€” you can still save if it's genuinely a separate transaction.

ATO categories explained

Property deductions (Lodgya Property)

  • Advertising โ€” costs to find tenants
  • Body Corporate Fees / Strata Levies โ€” compulsory levies on strata properties
  • Borrowing Expenses โ€” loan establishment fees (spread over loan term)
  • Council Rates โ€” local government rates on the property
  • Depreciation โ€” building and plant & equipment (use the depreciation calculator)
  • Insurance โ€” landlord, building, and contents insurance
  • Interest on Loan โ€” investment property mortgage interest only (not principal)
  • Land Tax โ€” state-based land tax (varies by state)
  • Legal Fees โ€” lease preparation, eviction, etc.
  • Property Management Fees โ€” agent commissions and management fees
  • Repairs & Maintenance โ€” must be to restore, not improve, the property
  • Water Rates โ€” if paid by the landlord
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Important: Capital improvements (renovations, extensions) are generally NOT immediately deductible as repairs โ€” they may be subject to depreciation or form part of your cost base. Always confirm with your tax agent.

Work-related deductions (Lodgya Personal)

  • Home Office โ€” ATO allows fixed rate (67c/hr) or actual cost method
  • Vehicle Expenses โ€” use the mileage tracker for cents-per-km method
  • Self-Education โ€” courses and training directly related to your current role
  • Tools & Equipment โ€” items under $300 can be immediately deducted; over $300 must be depreciated
  • Phone & Internet โ€” work-related percentage only

Receipts & documents

The ATO requires you to keep records for 5 years from the date you lodge your tax return. Lodgya lets you attach receipts directly to each transaction so your records stay together.

Supported formats

  • Images: JPG, PNG (up to 8MB)
  • Documents: PDF (up to 8MB)

Receipt images appear inline in your PDF report. PDF receipts are noted as attached but require download to view. For best results, photograph receipts in good light and ensure the amount, date, and supplier are clearly visible.

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Receipts are stored in your browser along with your entries. They are included when you save a backup file, and in your encrypted cloud backup if you've turned it on.

Recurring transactions

For transactions that repeat on a schedule โ€” such as monthly rent received, quarterly council rates, or annual insurance โ€” you can mark them as recurring to avoid re-entering them manually.

How to set up a recurring transaction

  1. Add or edit a transaction as normal
  2. Tick This is a recurring transaction
  3. Choose the frequency: Monthly, Quarterly, Annually, or Weekly
  4. Save the transaction

Generating recurring transactions

Click ๐Ÿ” Generate Recurring in the sidebar Tools section. Lodgya will create all missing instances of recurring transactions for the current financial year, skipping any that already exist.

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Always review auto-generated transactions after running Generate Recurring. Amounts may change in real life (e.g. rent reviews, rate increases) โ€” edit any instances where the amount differs from the original.

Reports & exports

PDF Report

Click ๐Ÿ“„ Generate PDF Report in the Tax Report section. A new window opens with a formatted report including:

  • Lodgya branding and your financial year
  • Income, deductions, and net summary cards
  • Category breakdown charts
  • Full transaction list with type badges and amounts
  • Receipt images embedded inline for every transaction that has one
  • ATO disclaimer footer

Click ๐Ÿ–จ Save as PDF in the top bar of the report window. In the print dialog, set the destination to Save as PDF.

CSV Export

Click โฌ‡ Export CSV to download a spreadsheet-ready file. This is formatted for easy sharing with your accountant in Excel or Google Sheets.

Year-on-year comparison

Once you have data in two consecutive financial years, the Tax Report page shows a year-on-year comparison at the top โ€” income, expenses, and net with percentage change arrows.


Your data & storage

Lodgya stores your records in your browser's storage. This means your data is saved on the device and in the browser you're using, so it won't appear automatically if you sign in on a different device or browser unless you restore it there from a backup file or your cloud backup. On a shared computer, each signed-in account keeps its own separate records, so people using the same browser can't see each other's data. To move your records to another device, use a backup file or cloud backup (below).

Encrypted cloud backup (recommended)

Open the Backup menu and choose Turn on cloud backup. You'll choose a passphrase and be given a recovery code. From then on, Lodgya backs up your records, including receipts, automatically whenever you make changes.

  • Private by design: your records are encrypted on your device before they're uploaded. Lodgya can't read them.
  • Keep your passphrase and recovery code safe: Lodgya can't reset them. If you lose both, your cloud backups can't be recovered.
  • Restoring: on a new or cleared device, sign in, open Backup and choose Unlock and restore from cloud, then enter your passphrase.
  • Turning it off permanently deletes your cloud backups. Your records on your device aren't affected.

Save to File

Click โš™ โ†’ Save to File to link a .json file on your device. Once linked, every change auto-saves to that file. You can store it on a USB stick, cloud drive, or anywhere you like. This is the safest option for long-term record keeping.

Download Backup

At any time, click โฌ‡ Download Backup in the storage settings to download a dated .json backup file. Keep these somewhere safe โ€” ideally in multiple locations.

Restoring data

Click โฌ† Load from File in the storage settings and select your backup file. All transactions and properties are restored.

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Clearing your browser's cache, cookies, or site data may delete your Lodgya records from that device. Turn on cloud backup or save a backup file regularly so you can restore them.

Importing from CSV

Lodgya can import transactions from a CSV file โ€” either a Lodgya CSV export or a bank statement from the major Australian banks.

Supported bank formats

  • ANZ โ€” Transaction history export
  • Commonwealth Bank (CBA) โ€” Statement CSV
  • NAB โ€” Transaction CSV
  • Westpac โ€” Transaction history
  • Lodgya CSV export

How to import

  1. Click โฌ† Import CSV in the sidebar Tools section or on the Tax Report page
  2. Select your CSV file
  3. Review the detected transactions โ€” Lodgya auto-categorises them using keyword matching
  4. Uncheck any rows you don't want to import (duplicates are flagged automatically)
  5. Click Import selected
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After importing, review all categories. The auto-guesser is useful but not perfect โ€” some transactions will need manual category correction before generating your tax report.

Mileage tracker (Personal)

The mileage tracker in Lodgya Personal calculates your work-related vehicle deduction using the ATO cents-per-km method.

2024โ€“25 ATO rate: 88 cents per km (max 5,000 km/year)

To use it:

  1. Click ๐Ÿš— Mileage Tracker in the sidebar
  2. Log each work trip with the date, distance (km), and purpose
  3. Your total deduction is calculated automatically
  4. Click + Add to deductions to add the deduction as a transaction
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The cents-per-km method covers all vehicle running costs including fuel, insurance, and depreciation. You cannot also claim those costs separately. Confirm which vehicle expense method is best for you with your tax agent.

Depreciation calculator (Property)

Investment property owners can claim depreciation on the building itself (Division 43) and on plant & equipment inside it (Division 40).

Division 43 โ€” Building allowance

Residential properties: 2.5% per year of the construction cost, for up to 40 years. Commercial: 4% per year. Only applies to buildings constructed after 16 September 1987 (residential) or 20 July 1982 (commercial).

Division 40 โ€” Plant & equipment

Items like hot water systems, air conditioning, carpet, and appliances can be depreciated over their effective life using the diminishing value method.

To use the calculator:

  1. Click ๐Ÿ— Depreciation Calc in the sidebar
  2. Enter the construction cost and year for Division 43
  3. Add individual plant & equipment items for Division 40
  4. Click Add to transactions to record the estimated deduction
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Lodgya's depreciation figures are estimates only. The ATO recommends obtaining a Quantity Surveyor's report for accurate depreciation schedules. Always confirm with your registered tax agent before claiming.

GST & BAS (Business)

Lodgya Business tracks GST on every transaction. When adding a transaction, select whether it is GST Applicable (10%), GST Free, or Input Taxed. The GST amount is calculated automatically using the 1/11 method.

BAS Summary

The BAS page shows a quarterly breakdown covering:

  • G1 โ€” Total sales
  • 1A โ€” GST collected on sales
  • G11 โ€” Total purchases
  • 1B โ€” GST credits on purchases
  • Net GST payable or refundable per quarter

You can export a BAS-formatted CSV from the BAS page for use with your BAS agent.

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Lodgya's BAS figures are estimates based on the data you enter. Always have your BAS reviewed by a registered BAS agent before lodging with the ATO.

Subscription & billing

Lodgya offers a Free plan (10 entries in each of the three apps, plus the Vehicle Logbook with unlimited trips for one vehicle) and a Personal plan at $4.95 AUD/month (Personal module unlimited) and a Pro plan at $9.95 AUD/month (all three modules unlimited).

  • To upgrade, visit the Subscription page
  • To manage your payment method or cancel, visit the Billing page
  • Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period โ€” your data is never deleted

Frequently asked questions

I signed in on another device (or browser) and my data isn't there. Where did it go?

Nothing's lost โ€” your entries are stored on the device and browser where you added them. That keeps your records private to you, and it's also why they don't automatically follow you to another device when you sign in.

If you've turned on cloud backup, open the Backup menu on the new device, choose Unlock and restore from cloud and enter your passphrase.

Otherwise, move your data across with a backup file. On the device that has your data, open the Backup menu and choose ๐Ÿ’พ Save backup to file. Then on the new device, sign in and use โ†บ Load backup file โ€” or ๐Ÿ”— Merge backup files if you've already added entries there and don't want them overwritten. Because your data lives in your browser, clearing your browser data or using private/incognito mode will remove it โ€” so keep an occasional backup as your safety net, especially before tax time.

Is Lodgya a registered tax agent?

No. Lodgya is a record-keeping tool only. It does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice. All figures in Lodgya are based solely on data you enter. Always work with a registered tax agent for advice specific to your situation.

What financial year does Lodgya use?

Lodgya uses the Australian financial year (1 July to 30 June). The FY selector in the top-right of each app lets you switch between financial years from 2025โ€“26 onwards.

Can I use Lodgya on my phone?

Yes. All three apps are optimised for mobile. On smaller screens, the navigation moves to a bottom tab bar and transactions display as cards rather than a table. On Android and iOS you can add the page to your home screen for an app-like experience.

Is my data safe?

The financial records you enter โ€” income, expenses, and receipts โ€” are stored on your device. If you turn on cloud backup, they're encrypted on your device with your own passphrase before they're uploaded, so Lodgya can't read them. Your account sign-in and payment are handled by our providers (Memberstack for accounts, Stripe for payments). We strongly recommend turning on cloud backup or keeping a backup file independent of your browser. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Can I share Lodgya with my accountant?

Yes. Use the ๐Ÿ“„ Generate PDF Report button to create a formatted report. Save it as a PDF and email it to your accountant. You can also export a CSV for accountants who prefer spreadsheets.

What happens to my data if I cancel my subscription?

Your existing transactions are never deleted when you cancel. If you exceed the 10-entry free plan limit after cancelling, you will be unable to add new entries until you re-subscribe โ€” but you can still view, export, and generate reports from existing data.

Can more than one person use Lodgya on the same computer?

Yes. Each Lodgya account keeps its own separate records, even in the same browser โ€” so on a shared computer, signing in as a different account shows only that account's data, and people can't see each other's records. Your data is still stored per-browser and isn't synced across devices, so to use your own records on another device, restore them from your cloud backup or a backup file as described above.