Does Cash Workspace calculate depreciation?

No. It keeps the records your accountant needs — item, purchase date, cost, category, and the attached invoice and warranty — but it does not compute depreciation. Your accountant handles that from the records.

What documents should I attach to an equipment record?

Attach the purchase invoice as proof of cost and date, and the warranty or registration for claims and accountant reference. Recording the serial number helps with warranty and insurance too.

Should equipment be separated from supplies?

Yes. Keep durable assets like cameras and computers in the equipment ledger and everyday consumables in your regular expenses, so the asset list stays clean for year-end.

Cash Workspace

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Studio finance · Equipment records

Keep a studio equipment-purchase ledger for year-end

Studios buy real assets — cameras, lenses, lighting rigs, audio interfaces, workstations — and at year-end the accountant needs each one with its date, cost, and supporting documents to handle depreciation. If those purchases live in old emails and a shoebox of receipts, the handoff stalls. Cash Workspace lets you keep a simple equipment ledger, recording each item with its purchase date, cost, and category, and attaching the invoice and warranty so the full record is ready.

Start a free workspace See the tax-prep records folder

The problem

Why equipment records go missing by year-end

Equipment is bought occasionally and across many vendors, so each purchase is easy to file once and forget.

A camera body's purchase invoice is in an old email no one can find.
The purchase date is fuzzy, so it's unclear which fiscal year an asset belongs to.
The warranty document is separate from the cost record, so a claim or write-up is slow.
Studio gear and consumable supplies are mixed together with no asset category.
The accountant asks for the asset list and it's reconstructed from memory.

The workflow

Record each equipment purchase as you buy it

Treat the equipment ledger as a running list: every asset gets a record with its details and attached documents the day it arrives.

1
Open an equipment ledger
Create one area for equipment purchases so studio assets are separated from consumable supplies.
2
Record the item
Log the item, vendor, purchase date, cost, and category (camera, lens, lighting, audio, computer).
3
Attach the invoice
Attach the purchase invoice to the record so cost and proof stay together.
4
Attach the warranty
Attach the warranty or registration document so it's there if you need a claim or for the accountant.
5
Review before handoff
At year-end, review the ledger so the asset list is complete before it goes to your accountant.

Record structure

What to record for each equipment purchase

These fields give your accountant a complete asset record without you doing any depreciation math.

Item: The specific asset, e.g. a camera body, prime lens, light kit, or workstation.
Vendor: Who you bought it from, for matching the invoice.
Purchase date: When it was bought, so it lands in the right fiscal year.
Cost: The purchase price and currency, before any depreciation.
Category: Camera, lens, lighting, audio, or computer, kept consistent across the ledger.
Serial number: The serial or asset tag, useful for warranty claims and insurance.
Purchase invoice: The invoice attached as proof of the cost and date.
Warranty document: The warranty or registration attached for claims and accountant reference.

Example setup

An example equipment ledger layout

One way to organize a studio's equipment purchases inside the workspace.

Cameras and lenses

Each body and lens with purchase date, cost, serial, and invoice plus warranty attached.

Lighting and grip

Light kits, stands, and modifiers with their invoices and warranties.

Audio and computers

Interfaces, mics, and workstations recorded with cost, date, and documents.

Year-end asset list

The full equipment ledger gathered and reviewed for the accountant handoff.

Common mistakes

Mistakes that break equipment records

Mixing equipment purchases with consumable supplies so the asset list isn't clean.
Recording an item without its purchase date, leaving the fiscal year unclear.
Storing the warranty separately from the cost record.
Skipping serial numbers, which slows warranty and insurance claims.
Reconstructing the asset list from memory at year-end instead of from a ledger.

How it helps

How Cash Workspace helps

An equipment ledger

Keep a running list of asset purchases separated from everyday supply expenses.

Full purchase details

Record item, vendor, purchase date, cost, category, and serial number on each asset.

Attached invoice and warranty

Attach the purchase invoice and warranty so cost and supporting documents stay together.

Ready for the accountant

Review the ledger at year-end and export a complete asset list for the handoff.

Studio tax-prep folder

Gather the year's records, including assets, for tax prep.

Accountant handoff folder

Bundle records for your accountant at year-end.

Accountant document checklist

Make sure the asset list and other documents are complete.

Business expense categories

See how to categorize equipment and other costs.

All finance workflows

Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.

FAQ

Equipment purchase records FAQ

Does Cash Workspace calculate depreciation?: No. It keeps the records your accountant needs — item, purchase date, cost, category, and the attached invoice and warranty — but it does not compute depreciation. Your accountant handles that from the records.
What documents should I attach to an equipment record?: Attach the purchase invoice as proof of cost and date, and the warranty or registration for claims and accountant reference. Recording the serial number helps with warranty and insurance too.
Should equipment be separated from supplies?: Yes. Keep durable assets like cameras and computers in the equipment ledger and everyday consumables in your regular expenses, so the asset list stays clean for year-end.

Organizing help — not tax, accounting, or legal guidance

Cash Workspace is a free workspace for organizing invoices, expenses, receipts, clients, and documents. This page is organizing guidance only — not tax, accounting, legal, or bookkeeping guidance. Cash Workspace does not connect to your bank, does not scan or read your receipts for you, and does not move or collect payments. Whether an expense is deductible depends on your situation, so confirm it with a qualified accountant or tax professional.

Give your accountant a complete asset list

Start a free workspace and record each equipment purchase with its date, cost, and category, plus the invoice and warranty attached, so your year-end handoff is ready.