From telematics
A completed trip becomes a journey with start and end times, odometer readings, distance and the route. The driver is notified and classifies it with a swipe in the app.
PRODUCT 03FBT logbook
A logbook is evidence. Not an estimate.
Deriving logbook data from bookings does not survive an audit. Bookings record intent, journeys record what happened. Vectis keeps purpose-built journey records built around IRD and ATO logbook rules, then assesses each vehicle under every method available to you and recommends the cheaper one.
NZ · IRD · 90-DAY REPRESENTATIVE PERIOD
1 Jan – 31 Mar 2026
Day 74 of 9014 unclassified
JOURNEYS
612418 telematics · 194 manual
BUSINESS USE
81.4%Weighted by distance
DISTANCE
18,204km in period
VALIDATION
PendingClears at 0 unclassified
DateJourneyDistanceClassification
18 MarDepot → Site 14 → Depot64.2 kmBusiness
18 MarDepot → 14 Rāwene Rd11.8 kmHome to work
17 MarKaiwaka → Mangawhai → Depot88.6 kmBusiness
16 MarDepot → Whangārei (training)122.4 kmBusiness
15 MarWeekend trip, unclassified41.0 kmNeeds driver
Telematics journeys arrive with distance, route and times already filled in. The driver supplies the classification and, for business trips, the purpose.
01The record
Three ways a journey gets recorded
Whichever path a journey takes, it lands in the same record with the same audit fields: who recorded it, when, and from what source.
Start / stop in the app
For vehicles without a device, the driver starts and stops the journey on their phone, with GPS tracking in the background and breaks recorded along the way.
Entered on web
Retrospective entry with odometer continuity checks, and bulk classification for catch-up periods.
Choose how much the platform decides
Manual (all entries by hand), confirm only (telematics creates the journey, the driver classifies it) or fully automatic (geofence zones classify it, drivers confirm the uncertain ones).
The system never guesses in your favour
Business zones such as depots, offices and client sites classify as business; a driver's home zone classifies as home-to-work. A journey matching only one zone is queued for the driver, and one matching none stays unclassified until a person decides.
02Assessment
Every method, calculated, with the working shown
Vectis runs each applicable method for every vehicle in the FBT year and recommends the one with the lowest taxable value. You keep the choice, and the record of why it was made.
Cost base × 20% × days available ÷ 365 − contributions
No logbook required. Simple to administer and defend. Usually best when private use is above 50%.
Total operating costs × private use % − contributions
Requires a validated logbook period. Costs include fuel, repairs, maintenance, registration, insurance, tolls, plus deemed depreciation and imputed interest on owned vehicles, or lease payments. Can save materially above 70% business use.
Business kilometres × IRD rate per km
Requires proven business kilometres for the period. Available to New Zealand organisations.
1 April to 31 March
The same boundary in New Zealand and Australia. Periods, assessments and reports roll on it.
90 days NZ, 12 weeks AU
The period must be representative. Vectis warns when business use moves more than 10% from the previous period, which is when a new logbook is needed.
Deducted inside every method
Recorded per vehicle per year and deducted inside each method, so the comparison stays honest rather than being adjusted afterwards in a spreadsheet.
03Roles
Finance sees liability. Drivers see one question.
The reason logbooks fail is that they ask drivers to do bookkeeping. Vectis asks the driver a single question at the end of a trip and does the rest behind them.
- Driver
Classify journeys, add a purpose for business trips, review their own history.
- Fleet administrator
Create periods, review entries, validate the period, run assessments.
- Finance administrator
View assessments, run reports, record employee contributions and select the method.
- Pool officer
See logbook entries and compliance status for their own pools.
- Organisation admin
Set the FBT jurisdiction, automation mode and permissions.
RECOMMENDEDOperating cost
$2,384taxable value · $4,736 below statutory
Business use 81.4% from a validated 90-day period. The statutory method would give $7,120 on a $35,600 cost base.
Operating cost componentAmount
Energy and charging$1,842
Maintenance and tyres$1,120
Registration and insurance$1,684
Deemed depreciation$6,408
Imputed interest$1,764
Total operating costs$12,818
04Output
Reports built for the return, not for the dashboard
FBT report
Summary, by vehicle, by driver and by booking: method, cost base, days available, business use, contributions and the resulting value.
Logbook compliance report
Which vehicles hold a valid period, which are short, which have unclassified journeys, and how long remains to fix them.
Logbook detail report
The journey-level export an auditor asks for: date, times, odometer, distance, classification, purpose, driver and source.
Find out what your FBT position actually is
Bring one vehicle's costs and three months of trips. We will show you each method, side by side.