VanLog — Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about VanLog. If you have a question not answered here, contact us at hello@vanlog.io
What is VanLog?
VanLog is a mobile-first Progressive Web App for sole trader tradespeople to track jobs, log materials and expenses, calculate true job profit, record mileage with tax-approved rates, scan receipts with AI, and generate professional invoices—all from their phone, on any building site, even without an internet connection. It is used by electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, painters, and builders across the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada.
Which trades is VanLog suitable for?
VanLog works for all trades. It is used by electricians, plumbers, HVAC engineers, heating engineers, carpenters, painters and decorators, plasterers, bricklayers, roofers, tilers, groundworkers, landscapers, glaziers, and general builders. Any sole trader or small trade business that needs to track materials, jobs, expenses, and mileage will find VanLog useful.
Does VanLog work offline?
Yes. VanLog works fully offline using IndexedDB local caching. You can log materials, update job status, scan receipts, and record expenses without any internet connection. All changes are cached locally on your device and sync automatically to Firebase when your connection is restored. This is essential for tradespeople working in basements, plant rooms, underground car parks, and rural locations with poor mobile signal.
How much does VanLog cost?
VanLog Standard costs £12.99 per month and includes unlimited jobs, unlimited materials logging, real-time spend vs budget tracking, supplier management, offline capability, and tax export. VanLog Pro costs £24.99 per month and adds AI receipt scanner (Gemini-powered), smart mileage tracker with HMRC and ATO approved rates, true job P&L reporting, job expenses tracking, and business spend analytics. Both plans include a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
How does the AI receipt scanner work?
VanLog Pro includes an AI-powered receipt scanner. You photograph a supplier receipt, invoice, or delivery note and VanLog automatically extracts the supplier name, line items, quantities, unit costs, and total using Google Gemini API. It matches the supplier to your existing supplier directory or creates a new supplier automatically. Items are added directly to your job materials log and other expenses go to your job expenses log. You review all extracted data and can edit before confirming. See why materials tracking matters.
How does the mileage tracker help with tax?
VanLog Pro includes a smart mileage log that tracks every journey and automatically calculates claimable mileage value at your local tax authority approved rate — 45p per mile for UK users (HMRC), 88 cents per kilometre for Australian users (ATO), and equivalent rates for New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada. You can allocate journey costs to specific jobs or keep them as overhead. At the end of the tax year VanLog generates a complete mileage summary with total claimable value, ready for self-assessment or your accountant. Learn more about mileage claims.
Which countries does VanLog support?
VanLog supports tradespeople in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada. The app automatically detects your location and configures your local currency (GBP, AUD, NZD, EUR, CAD), tax label (VAT, GST, HST), tax rate, and mileage rate based on your country. UK users get GBP with 20% VAT and 45p per mile. Australian users get AUD with 10% GST and 88c per kilometre. All settings are customizable if you operate across multiple regions.
Can I use VanLog on my phone without downloading an app?
Yes. VanLog is a Progressive Web App (PWA). You access it through your phone browser at vanlog.io and can add it to your home screen for a native app-like experience. There is nothing to download from the App Store or Google Play. It works identically on iPhone, Android, iPad, and any device with a web browser.
Is my data secure on VanLog?
Yes. All VanLog data is stored in Google Firebase with strict Firestore security rules ensuring only you can access your jobs, materials, expenses, supplier information, and mileage logs. No other user can see your data. All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS) and at rest on Google servers. VanLog never sells user data to third parties and maintains strict data privacy.
What happens if I exceed my job materials budget?
VanLog shows a real-time spend versus budget indicator on every active job using color-coded circular progress rings. When you approach your budget the indicator turns amber. When you exceed your budget it turns red and shows exactly how much you are over. This gives you immediate visibility so you can contact your client about a variation, adjust your spending, or update your quote before the overspend gets worse.
Can I see my true job profit on every job?
Yes. VanLog Pro calculates your true job profit by comparing your quoted contract value against all actual costs: materials, subcontractor labour, job expenses (skip hire, delivery, parking, plant hire), and allocated mileage. You can see your live P&L on every active job at any time. When a job is complete you have a full financial summary showing exactly where your money went and what you actually earned. Learn how to calculate true job profit.
Can I split a mileage journey across multiple jobs?
Yes. In VanLog Pro, when you log a journey you can allocate the mileage cost across multiple active jobs by percentage. For example, if you visited Job A and Job B in one trip to the merchants, you can split the mileage 50/50 or adjust the percentage split manually. The allocated mileage cost automatically feeds into each job's profit and loss calculation.
How does VanLog compare to desktop solutions like Procore or QuickBooks?
Procore, QuickBooks, and similar platforms are built for large construction companies, general contractors, and accountants. They cost hundreds or thousands of pounds per month, require weeks of implementation, and are designed for office desktop use. VanLog is purpose-built for sole trader tradespeople and small trade businesses. It costs £12.99-£24.99 per month, takes 5 minutes to set up, requires no training, works offline on a phone on a building site, and is designed for the reality of on-site work where signal is unreliable and time is limited.