Vendor — Adobe
Monthly software invoices with category 'Software', each marked paid with a card statement line attached.
Accountant handoff · Vendor records
A per-vendor records folder for year-end handoff
If you buy from dozens of suppliers, your vendor paperwork ends up scattered across email, a card statement, and a drawer of received invoices. At year-end your accountant wants to see what you spent with each vendor and the documents behind it. Cash Workspace lets you keep one folder per vendor — their received invoices, signed contracts, and proof-of-payment documents — all filed under the fiscal year so spend per supplier is easy to review.
The problem
Why vendor records scatter by year-end
Most businesses pay suppliers from several places and file the paperwork wherever it lands. By December nobody can answer "what did we spend with this vendor?" without digging.
- A vendor's invoices live in email while their contract sits in a shared drive.
- You paid the same supplier from two accounts, so the total is split and unclear.
- Proof that an invoice was actually paid is missing when the accountant asks.
- New vendors added mid-year were never given a consistent home.
- A supplier who needs a 1099 has invoices but no W-9 on file.
The workflow
Build one folder per vendor
Give every supplier a folder, fill it with that vendor's documents, and review spend before handoff.
- 1
List your vendors
Write down every supplier you bought from this year — software, materials, subcontractors, utilities, landlords — and create a folder for each under the fiscal year.
- 2
File received invoices
Record each invoice you received from that vendor with its date, amount, and category, and attach the invoice document to the record.
- 3
Add the contract
Attach any service agreement, lease, or statement of work so terms and the spend sit together.
- 4
Attach proof of payment
Add the receipt, bank statement line, or confirmation that shows the invoice was paid.
- 5
Review spend per vendor
Scan each folder before handoff so your accountant sees totals and supporting documents for every supplier.
Record structure
What to record for each vendor
A consistent record per vendor keeps spend reviewable and every document traceable.
- Vendor name
- The supplier's legal or trading name, kept consistent so all their records group together.
- Vendor category
- What you buy from them — software, materials, subcontracting, rent, utilities.
- Received invoice number
- The supplier's invoice reference so you can match it to their statement.
- Invoice date
- When the invoice was dated, so it lands in the right month and fiscal year.
- Amount
- The invoice total and currency.
- Payment status
- Whether the invoice is unpaid, partially paid, or paid.
- Invoice document
- The received invoice PDF attached to the record.
- Proof of payment
- A receipt, statement line, or confirmation attached to show it was settled.
- Contract or agreement
- The service agreement or lease that governs the relationship, attached for reference.
Example setup
An example vendor folder setup
One way to structure vendor records inside your workspace for the fiscal year.
Vendor — North Supply Co.
Materials invoices, the supply agreement, and proof-of-payment receipts for each order.
Vendor — J. Rivera (subcontractor)
Subcontractor invoices, the signed statement of work, the W-9, and payment confirmations.
Vendor — landlord
The lease, monthly rent invoices, and bank confirmations for each payment.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Spelling a vendor name differently each time, so their records don't group.
- Filing invoices without the matching proof of payment.
- Keeping contracts somewhere other than the vendor's folder.
- Mixing this year's and last year's vendor documents in one place.
- Forgetting the W-9 for a subcontractor who will need a 1099.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
A folder per vendor
Keep each supplier's received invoices, contracts, and proof-of-payment documents in one fiscal-year folder.
Categorized spend records
Record each received invoice with vendor, date, amount, and a product-defined category so spend is reviewable.
Accountant-ready export
Export the organized vendor folders so your accountant can review supplier spend at handoff.
Related
Related handoff workflows
1099 & contractor folder
Organize contractor documents and W-9s for year-end.
Proof-of-payment folder
Keep payment confirmations filed alongside the invoices they settle.
Contract & agreement folder
File contracts so terms sit beside the spend they govern.
Year-end folder structure
See how vendor records fit a full year-end folder layout.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Vendor records FAQ
- How do I total what I spent with one vendor?
- Keep every received invoice for that vendor in their folder with the amount recorded; you can review the records side by side. Cash Workspace does not compute totals or profit — it keeps the documents and amounts organized for your review.
- Where should a vendor's contract go?
- Attach it inside that vendor's folder so the agreement and the invoices it governs stay together for handoff.
- What counts as proof of payment?
- A receipt, a confirmation email, or the matching line on a statement you uploaded — anything that shows the invoice was settled. You attach it to the invoice record yourself.
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 every vendor a clean folder
Start a free workspace and file each supplier's invoices, contracts, and proof-of-payment documents under the fiscal year so vendor spend is ready to review at handoff.