Enable "Always Allow" Location

This is the most critical setting. It allows iDrive to run in the background and automatically detect when your vehicle starts and stops moving, ensuring no trip is ever missed.

Go to: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > iDrive > "Always"

Allow Motion & Fitness Access

This helps iDrive distinguish between different types of movement (like walking vs. driving), improving the accuracy of auto-detection and saving your phone's battery.

Turn On Background App Refresh

Keeps the app ready to log trips instantly, even when you haven't used it recently.

Go to: Settings > General > Background App Refresh and ensure it's on for iDrive.

Use Smart Trip Types

Let iDrive do the heavy lifting. Set up automatic trip classification so weekday trips are pre-tagged as 'Business' and weekend trips as 'Personal'. This gives you a great head start.

The Weekly Dashboard Check

Make it a Monday morning routine. Open the iDrive app and:

1. Check your dashboard's calculated Business Reimbursement Percentage.
2. Scroll through your trip list and look for any trips marked 'Unreviewed'.
3. Tap each unreviewed trip and mark it as 'Reviewed'. This action finalizes the trip's classification and locks it into your report calculations.

This simple habit ensures your reported percentage is always accurate and up-to-date.

When to Manually Add a Trip

Auto-tracking is incredibly reliable, but in rare cases like underground car parks or areas with very poor GPS signal, a trip might not log. If you notice a missing work journey, use the "+ Add Trip" feature to enter it manually. It takes seconds and keeps your record complete.

Trust, But Verify: The Dashboard Review

While iDrive automates everything, a quick sense-check is wise. When you review your weekly dashboard, ask yourself: "Does the Business Percentage feel right for my driving this week?"

If something seems off, it's usually because a key trip is still 'Unreviewed'. Reviewing it will instantly update the calculation. This keeps you in control and confident in your data.

Don't Wait Until June

Avoid the year-end scramble. Get into the habit of generating and exporting a report every quarter. This gives you a clear picture of your deductible kilometres year-round and makes tax time a simple matter of sending the final report.

Export for Your Records (PDF & CSV)

iDrive lets you export your data in two powerful formats:

• PDF Report: The clean, visual summary perfect for printing or sending directly to your accountant.
• CSV File: The raw data file. You can open this in spreadsheet software (like Excel or Numbers) for deeper analysis or custom reporting. This is best practice for maintaining your own master records.

The 5-Year Digital Filing Rule

The ATO requires you to keep logbook records for 5 years after lodging your claim. The simplest way to comply? Create a dedicated folder (e.g., "Tax - Vehicle Logs") on your computer or cloud drive and save your quarterly PDF/CSV exports there. With iDrive, your compliance is fully digital and organized.