1) Who is the Gig Log App designed for?
This app is purpose-built for gig economy riders and drivers in Australia, including Uber, Menulog, DoorDash, Airtasker, and similar platforms. It is also highly suitable for self-drive logistics operators, taxi drivers, and any independent contractor who needs to track daily business mileage and expenses.

2) How does the app help me with my taxes?
We make it incredibly easy to track your mileage, expenses, and income. When tax time arrives, the app automatically generates a Profit & Loss (P&L) statement and a Balance Sheet. It even calculates potential deductions to maximize your tax savings. All you need to do is enter these figures into your ATO myTax portal or hand them to your accountant!

3) Is this app endorsed by the ATO?
We are a dedicated recording tool designed with the best current tax knowledge. However, we are not the ATO, and the app does not replace professional financial advice. We strongly advise consulting with your registered tax agent before submitting your return.

4) How long do I need to keep records?
Under ATO regulations, you must keep tax-related records and receipts for 5 years. While our app securely locks digital copies of your daily receipts, external documents (e.g., car purchase agreements, official platform statements) should be stored safely in a cloud drive alongside your exported Gig Log App backup files.

5) Why do I need an Odometer reading for food delivery?
If you are using the ATO’s Logbook Method, you are required to keep a continuous log for 12 weeks to determine your business use percentage. Recording exact start and end odometer readings provides the concrete proof the ATO requires.

6) What is Depreciation?
Depreciation (and rules like the Instant Asset Write-Off) is the legal, ATO-approved way to deduct the purchase price of your business assets. Instead of claiming a vehicle’s full price upfront, it allows you to claim the decline in value over its effective life.

7) Can I claim my Smartphone as a deduction?
Yes! Smartphones can be claimed. However, the ATO requires you to apportion the claim based on business versus private usage. Our calculator handles this by factoring in your active work days.

8) Why doesn’t the app use live GPS tracking?

Battery & Device Health:
Constant GPS causes severe battery drain and overheating in the Australian summer.

True Offline Reliability:
Gig Log App is built completely offline-first.

Accuracy:
If you forget to press Start/End, your log is ruined. We give you manual input for 100% control, privacy, and lower subscription fees.

9) Why doesn’t the app auto-scan receipts (OCR)?
Highly accurate OCR systems are expensive, and cheap ones are notoriously inaccurate. Instead, we designed a streamlined manual process: type the amount, select the category, and snap a photo. It takes less than 10 seconds and guarantees 100% accuracy.

10) Why is Auto-Calc free, but Exporting costs money?
We believe daily tracking should be frictionless. However, generating structured, ATO-ready reports and securely backing up data requires extensive development. Charging a small subscription allows us to keep the servers running and update the app.

11) How often should I back up my data?
Because the app runs entirely on your phone for maximum privacy, we recommend exporting your backup ZIP file to Google Drive/iCloud once a month. Since we do not hold your data on our servers, we cannot restore it if your phone breaks.

12) Why don’t you offer a Lifetime Subscription?
ATO rules and tax brackets change constantly, requiring continuous app updates. To ensure Cypher Novus PLT can keep the app compliant and bug-free, we rely on a subscription model.

13) I’m subscribing mid-year. How do I complete my records?

Option 1 (Lump Sum):
Calculate total income/expenses from the previous months and enter them as a single bulk entry. Track daily moving forward.

Option 2 (Combine Later):
Track daily now, and combine your exported Excel data with your earlier manual records during tax time. Audit Note: If using the Lump Sum method, the ATO still requires you to retain all original source documents from those missing months.

14) How do I cancel my subscription or get a refund?
You can cancel anytime by tapping “Manage” on the Settings Screen, which will take you to your App Store/Google Play subscriptions. Because billing is handled securely by the app stores, we cannot process direct refunds.