1. One folder per year
Create Documents\Invoices with a folder for each year inside it: 2025, 2026. That's all the structure you need. If you also want sales and purchases apart, add Sent and Received inside each year.
2. Round up the ones you already have
Most will be sitting in Downloads:
- 1Open Downloads and type invoice in the search box at the top right. Try receipt and inv too.
- 2Switch to View → Details and sort by Date modified.
- 3Select each year's worth and drag it into its year folder.
3. Name them so you can find them
A name like 2026-03 Adobe INV-1043.pdf sorts by date, shows the supplier at a glance and keeps the invoice number for your accountant. You don't need to rename the backlog, but it's worth doing for new ones.
4. File new ones automatically
The habit that breaks is moving each new download into its folder. A TidyFile rule watches Downloads and moves anything with invoice or receipt in its name into this year's folder as soon as it lands. Pair it with a few rules for the rest of your Downloads folder.
The TidyFile rule
Invoices by year
- When a file
- in Downloads · name contains invoice, receipt or inv
- Then
- move to Documents\Invoices\{year}
Set it up once and TidyFile applies it in the background, to new files the moment they arrive. Preview what it'll do to the files already there, and undo anything from the activity log.
Questions
How long should I keep invoices and receipts?+
It depends where you are and how you trade. In the UK, sole traders generally keep records for at least 5 years after the 31 January Self Assessment deadline, and limited companies for 6 years. In the US the IRS generally asks for 3 years. Check what applies to you; sorting by year makes old years easy to archive.
Should I sort invoices by year or by supplier?+
By year first. Tax returns and accountants work in years, so a single folder per year is what you'll actually hand over. Put the supplier at the start of the file name and they'll still sort together inside each year.
What if an invoice doesn't have “invoice” in its name?+
Rename it when you save it, or add more words to the rule, such as receipt, bill or order. Many suppliers use names like INV-1043.pdf, so “inv” catches those too.