Travel Logbook
User Guide & Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
1 Getting Started
The Komatsu Travel Logbook is accessed through the Komatsu Customer Portal. Each driver has their own login and can only see their own data.
Open your browser and go to komatsu.simplyfleet.co.za
Log in with the email address and password provided to you by your fleet administrator
Click on Komatsu Logbook in the left sidebar to access your Travel Logbook dashboard
First time? If you have not received your login details, contact your fleet administrator to request access.
2 Setting Up Your Logbook
Before you can record trips, you need an active logbook for the current tax year. Each logbook is linked to one employee, one vehicle, and one tax year.
On your dashboard, click the Setup Logbook button in the blue header bar
This takes you to the Komatsu logbook form
Enter your Employee Code — the system will automatically fill in your name
Select your Vehicle Registration from the dropdown — Make and Model fill in automatically
Select the Tax Year (e.g. 2025/26) — the start and end dates fill in automatically
Enter your Opening Odometer Reading — this must be your odometer on 1 March of the tax year
SARS requires this reading to be accurate
Click Submit — your logbook is now active and ready for trip entries
Important: Only ONE logbook can be active per employee, vehicle, and tax year combination. The system will prevent duplicates.
Closing Odometer: At the end of the tax year (last day of February), you will need to record your closing odometer reading. This can be updated by editing your logbook.
3 Adding a Trip
Record each business trip daily. The more consistently you log, the stronger your SARS claim.
On your dashboard, click the Add Trip yellow button
The system opens the Add Travel Entry form — your active logbook is automatically selected
Enter the Travel Date (defaults to today)
Opening Kilometres — this auto-fills from your last trip's closing reading
For your first entry, it uses the logbook's opening odometer
Enter your Closing Kilometres — the current odometer reading at the end of your trip
Enter Business Kilometres — how many of the total kilometres were for business purposes
Enter From and To locations — e.g. "Office" to "Client Site"
Select a Travel Reason from the dropdown (e.g. Client Meeting, Site Visit)
Optional: Add any expense amounts — fuel, repairs, out-of-pocket costs
Click Submit — your trip is saved and the dashboard updates
Locked after saving: Once you create a new entry, previous entries are locked and cannot be edited or deleted. This is a SARS compliance requirement. Double-check your entries before submitting.
Private travel: Travel between Home and Workplace is private and cannot be claimed as business kilometres. Only record the business portion of your travel.
What counts as Business Travel?
| Type | Example | Claimable? |
|---|---|---|
| Client meeting | Office to client site | Yes |
| Site visit | Branch to construction site | Yes |
| Training / Conference | Office to training venue | Yes |
| Home to work | Home to office (daily commute) | No |
| Personal errands | Shopping, school drop-off | No |
4 Viewing Your Dashboard
Your dashboard shows a summary of all your travel entries for the selected tax year.
Header Bar
The blue header shows your active logbook details — tax year, vehicle registration, and employee name. The green ACTIVE badge confirms your logbook is live. If no logbook exists, you'll see an orange No Logbook badge.
Stats Cards
Four cards at the top show your year-to-date totals:
| Card | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Total KM | Total kilometres driven (closing minus opening for all entries) |
| Business KM | Total business kilometres claimed, with percentage |
| Private KM | Total private kilometres (total minus business) |
| Trips | Number of trip entries recorded since 1 March |
Travel Entries Table
Below the stats, you'll see all your trip entries in a table. Click the ▸ arrow next to any entry date to expand and see full details — opening/closing KM, total distance, business percentage, and any expenses recorded.
Monthly Summary
The Monthly Summary table groups your entries by month, showing totals for trips, kilometres, business percentage, and expenses for each month.
SARS Export
At the bottom, the SARS Export section shows your logbook in the official SARS-compliant format with employee details, vehicle information, and all entries in a printable table.
5 Exporting Data
You can export your logbook data in three formats. Each section has its own export buttons.
| Format | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Excel (.xlsx) | Click the blue Excel button | Editing, further analysis, sharing with accountant — includes Komatsu branding |
| CSV (.csv) | Click the grey CSV button | Importing into other systems, basic spreadsheet use |
| Print / PDF | Click Print in the SARS Export section | Official SARS submission, physical filing, PDF save |
Tip: To save as PDF, click Print and then select "Save as PDF" as the printer in the print dialog instead of your physical printer.
What's included in each export?
Entries Excel/CSV: Date, Opening KM, Closing KM, Total KM, Business KM, Private KM, From, To, Reason, Fuel costs, Maintenance costs, Out-of-pocket expenses.
Summary Excel/CSV: Monthly breakdown — Trips, Total KM, Business KM, Private KM, Business %, Fuel and Maintenance totals per month.
SARS Print: Employee details, vehicle details, tax year, odometer readings, and the full trip log in SARS-accepted format.
6 Switching Tax Years
If you have logbooks for multiple tax years, you can switch between them using the dropdown in the top-right of the blue header bar.
Click the tax year dropdown in the header (shows the current year with "Active" label)
Select a different tax year from the list
The entire dashboard — stats, entries, summary, and SARS export — updates to show data for the selected year
Note: The currently active logbook is marked with (Active) in the dropdown. Previous years show as historical records that you can view and export but not add entries to.
7 SARS Compliance
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) requires employees who receive a travel allowance to maintain a logbook. Here are the key rules:
SARS Requirements:
- Record your odometer on 1 March (start) and the last day of February (end) of each tax year
- Travel between Home and Workplace is Private and cannot be claimed
- Records MUST be retained for at least 5 years
- Log business trips daily — reconstructing from memory is not accepted
What SARS needs from your logbook
| Item | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Opening odometer (1 March) | Logbook Setup — recorded when you create the logbook |
| Closing odometer (end February) | Logbook Setup — update at year-end by editing the logbook |
| Daily trip records | Add Trip — each entry with date, kilometres, from/to, and reason |
| Business vs private split | Automatic — calculated from your entries |
| Total business kilometres | Dashboard stats + SARS Export |
Good news: SARS accepts electronic logbooks. Your Komatsu Travel Logbook portal is fully compliant. Use the SARS Export section to print or save your logbook for submission.
8 Key Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tax Year | 1 March to the last day of February (e.g. 2025/26 = 1 Mar 2025 to 28 Feb 2026) |
| Opening Odometer | Your vehicle's odometer reading on 1 March at the start of the tax year |
| Closing Odometer | Your vehicle's odometer reading on the last day of February at the end of the tax year |
| Business Kilometres | Kilometres driven for work purposes (client visits, site inspections, etc.) |
| Private Kilometres | Kilometres driven for personal use (commuting, errands) — cannot be claimed |
| Business % | Business kilometres divided by total kilometres — determines your SARS claim ratio |
| Travel Allowance | The monthly allowance paid by your employer for using your personal vehicle for work |
| Active Logbook | The logbook currently accepting new trip entries (only one can be active at a time) |
9 Frequently Asked Questions
I made a mistake on my last trip entry. Can I edit it?
You can only edit or delete the most recent entry. Once a new entry is created after it, previous entries are locked. If you need a correction on an older entry, contact your fleet administrator.
Why is my Opening KM different from my last Closing KM?
This is allowed and normal. Gaps can occur when the vehicle is driven by others for servicing, maintenance, or other valid purposes. SARS accepts these gaps as long as your business kilometres are accurately recorded.
Can I have more than one active logbook?
No. Only one logbook can be active per combination of employee, vehicle, and tax year. If you need a new logbook (e.g. new vehicle), the current one must be closed first.
I forgot to log my trips for a few days. What should I do?
Enter the trips as soon as possible with the correct dates. SARS requires daily logging, but late entries with accurate information are better than no entries at all. The system will accept backdated entries as long as the date falls within your tax year.
How do I record my closing odometer at year-end?
Contact your fleet administrator to update the Closing Odometer field on your logbook. This should be done on the last day of February. The reading must match your vehicle's actual odometer.
My dashboard is not showing my entries. Why?
Check the tax year dropdown in the blue header — you may be viewing a different year. Also try a hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R). If entries still don't appear, contact your fleet administrator.
Can I use this logbook for SARS submission?
Yes. SARS accepts electronic logbooks. Use the SARS Export section to print or save as PDF. The format includes all information SARS requires. Retain your records for at least 5 years.
What is the difference between the Excel and CSV export?
Excel (.xlsx) includes Komatsu branding (blue headers, yellow totals, formatted numbers) and is best for sharing with your accountant or keeping professional records. CSV is a plain data format useful for importing into other systems.
I drive multiple vehicles. How do I handle this?
You need a separate logbook for each vehicle. Contact your fleet administrator to set up additional logbooks. Each logbook tracks one vehicle for one tax year.
What happens when a new tax year starts?
Your fleet administrator will create a new logbook for the new tax year. The closing odometer from your previous logbook becomes the opening odometer of the new one. You can switch between years using the tax year dropdown.
Can my employer see my private travel details?
Your employer can see total private kilometres but not where you drove privately. Only business trips require from/to locations. Private kilometres are calculated automatically as the difference between total and business kilometres.
10 Support
If you need help with your Travel Logbook, contact:
| Issue | Contact |
|---|---|
| Login problems, access requests | Your Fleet Administrator |
| Logbook setup, corrections | Your Fleet Administrator |
| SARS questions, tax advice | Your Accountant / Tax Advisor |
| System issues, bugs | Simply Fleet Support — info@simplyfleet.co.za |
Komatsu Travel Logbook User Guide v1.0 — April 2026
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