Ask just about any small business owner what one of the toughest parts of tax time is, short of writing the check itself, and the issue of “tracking mileage” will likely come into play. But with MileBug Lite, the process is about to get quite a bit simpler.
MileBug Lite will work with any iOS device running at version 4.3 or better–including iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad–and has even been specifically optimized for iPhone 5, which is great news especially for those who shelled out for the big new device from Apple. There’s also said to be an Android version available for those with Android devices.
Though it works with a wide variety of devices, it’s what it does that’s even better. For most people, keeping a mileage logbook can be a tedious task full of writing down what the start odometer figure, then the end odometer figure, then doing the math between the two and repeating the results for as many as 365 days–some small business people just don’t take time off–so it’s easy to see where this can get difficult or just plain dull. But with MileBug Lite, the mileage logbook will be reduced to two simple sets of button presses. Just use the included number keypad to type in the start mileage, then the end mileage, and let MileBug Lite tell you exactly how many miles you drove and what the accompanying deduction would be. Since mileage deductions are generally figured on a per-mile basis–the number has been running around the $.50 mark for years–the app can immediately tell just what the trip took and how much the deduction is under the most recent rules.
Better yet, the app also has a GPS tracking–upgrading to the full version offers up GPS full path tracking complete with map display and no limit on the total number of trips–system to help better keep track of mileage, sections that allow users to classify whether a trip was charity-related, business-related or the like (even down to the point where users can identify the purpose of the trip taken).
Whenever needed, the system can email the necessary reports so they can be printed out and used for tax filing.
Naturally, some are going to prefer the full version of this, and that’s certainly available. But small business owners ought to get plenty of mileage–no pun intended–out of the lite version, and the price is certainly right. The interface is rather easy to work with, especially considering there isn’t that much to it. Past the keypad and a few particular options, there’s not much else to do. So it’s fairly easy to work with and does the job reasonably well, taking what used to be a drudge job and turning it into the kind of thing that can be addressed quickly, simply, and with few issues.
Mileage reporting software is a great way to keep track of mileage and save some money on taxes, but consider saving potentially more money by reducing the amount of time you have to be out of the office in the first place. The proper use of cloud-based telephony tools will go a long way in keeping the mileage down, which may reduce a deduction, but also reduces the amount of gas and vehicle wear that go into the equation.
MileBug Lite will, however, do a fine job of keeping track of all those necessary trips that fuel a business, and will do so in a fashion that is nicely low-impact and easy to keep up with. Those miles mean pennies, so keeping track is well worth the time.