Disclaimer: ArrivHQ does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional guidance. Consult a qualified tax professional before making decisions based on your specific situation.

Overview

Every compliance pack is a zip file containing three items: a compliance-report PDF, a receipts folder with original receipt files, and an evidence-index CSV. Together these give your CPA a complete, cross-referenced set of supporting documentation for a single property and period. This article describes each component so you know exactly what your accountant is receiving.

How it works

The zip file structure

When you unzip a downloaded compliance pack, you see three items:

  • compliance-report.pdf -- The formatted report containing all financial summaries, worksheets, and detail tables described below.
  • receipts/ -- A folder containing the original receipt images and files attached to expenses in the selected period.
  • evidence-index.csv -- A spreadsheet that cross-references every receipt file back to its expense record, making it easy for your CPA to locate supporting documentation for any line item.

Compliance report PDF

The PDF contains the following sections in order. Each section begins on a new page. All financial figures are in USD, and all timestamps are displayed in the property's configured timezone.

Cover page

The first page identifies the pack:

  • Property name and address
  • Period covered (for example, "January 2026" or "2026 Year-to-Date as of April 13, 2026")
  • Owner or entity name -- pulled from your account's legal entity name, display name, or owner name in that order
  • Generation timestamp and pack ID for audit trail reference
  • A disclaimer stating that the pack is a records bundle for CPA handoff and record-keeping purposes, not a tax filing or certification of compliance

Table of contents

An auto-generated table of contents with section names and page numbers so your CPA can jump directly to the section they need.

Profit and loss statement

A per-property P&L for the selected period, structured to align with Schedule E line items.

The revenue section breaks down income by type -- rental income, cleaning fees, pet fees, and other income -- with a total. The expense section lists costs by IRS category (advertising, auto and travel, cleaning and maintenance, insurance, mortgage interest, repairs, supplies, taxes, utilities, depreciation, and others) matching Schedule E lines 5 through 18. The bottom line shows net income: total revenue minus total expenses.

Annual and year-to-date packs also include a monthly breakdown table showing revenue, expenses, and net income for each month in the period.

Negative amounts -- such as refunds or chargebacks -- appear in parentheses and reduce the relevant total.

Income detail report

An itemized listing of every revenue entry for the property and period. Each row shows the date, description, channel source, revenue type, linked reservation (if any), and amount. Entries are sorted by date with subtotals by revenue type and a grand total.

Expense detail report

An itemized listing of every expense for the property and period. Each row shows the date, vendor, IRS category, description, amount, and whether a receipt is attached. Entries are sorted by date with subtotals by IRS category (matching Schedule E line numbers) and a grand total.

The "Receipt Attached" column makes it easy to spot gaps before you send the pack to your CPA. Expenses over $75 without receipts are flagged in the completeness summary.

Schedule E worksheet

A reference worksheet that maps your ArrivHQ data to Schedule E (Form 1040) line items for this property. This is a reference document -- not a filed form. Your CPA uses it to transfer values directly when preparing your return.

The worksheet includes:

  • Property address and type
  • Fair rental days and personal use days, calculated from reservation data. Check-out days are excluded from the rental day count (the guest departs, not occupies). Overlapping same-day turnovers count as one day. Personal use days are shown as "Other days (personal use / vacant)" with a note to consult your CPA for the formal classification under IRS rules.
  • Income and expense lines matching Schedule E
  • Net rental income or loss

If depreciation has not been logged as an expense, that line shows $0 with a note that depreciation is not tracked in ArrivHQ and should be discussed with your CPA.

Material participation summary

Per-property material participation data for the selected period. This section helps document your involvement in the rental activity -- which matters if you are pursuing material participation status or a REPS claim.

The summary includes:

  • Test 1 (500-hour test): Total hours logged for this property with a progress indicator.
  • Test 3 (100-hour test): Total hours logged, with a note on whether your hours exceed any other individual's participation.
  • REPS qualification status (annual and year-to-date packs): Total real estate hours across all properties versus the 750-hour threshold. Because REPS is evaluated at the account level -- not per property -- this section includes a cross-reference note.
  • Work log summary: Hours broken down by activity category (cleaning, maintenance, management, guest communication, bookkeeping, and other).
  • Participation breakdown: Hours per week (for monthly packs) or per month (for annual packs) to demonstrate consistent participation over the period.

Mileage log summary

An itemized listing of mileage entries for this property and period. Each row shows the date, origin, destination, purpose, miles, and the calculated deduction amount based on the IRS standard mileage rate for the applicable tax year.

Annual packs include subtotals by month. The bottom shows total miles and total deduction amount.

Work log detail

An itemized listing of work log entries for this property and period. Each row shows the date, start time, end time, duration, activity category, description, and the team member who logged the hours. Entries are sorted by date with subtotals by category and a grand total.

The "Logged By" column documents who performed the work -- which is important for proving participation if multiple team members contribute hours.

Supporting documentation appendix

Receipt images and file attachments associated with expenses in the selected period are embedded directly in the PDF. Each receipt is labeled with the expense date, vendor, amount, IRS category, and expense record ID for cross-reference to the expense detail report.

If embedding all attachments would push the PDF over 50 MB, receipts are included by priority: expenses of $75 or more first (sorted by amount), then uncategorized or "Other" expenses, then smaller expenses by date. Any omitted attachments are marked in the evidence index and remain available for download in ArrivHQ.

Evidence index

A table at the end of the PDF listing every supporting document with the expense date, vendor, amount, category, filename, and appendix page number. This is the master cross-reference -- your CPA can trace any expense line to the receipt that supports it.

Completeness summary (annual and year-to-date packs)

A checklist-style summary that flags potential gaps in your records so you and your CPA know what might need attention. Each item is marked as passing, warning, or failing:

  • Revenue: Months with reservations but no revenue logged, revenue entries not linked to a reservation, and net-negative revenue for any channel.
  • Expenses: Expenses over $75 without receipts, months with zero expenses logged, and uncategorized expenses.
  • Work hours: Months with zero hours logged (when material participation is tracked), and gaps of 14 or more consecutive days without a work log entry.
  • Mileage: Entries without a stated business purpose.

The completeness summary does not block pack generation. It is informational -- a heads-up before you hand the pack to your CPA.

Receipts folder

The receipts folder in the zip contains the original receipt files (JPEG, PNG, WebP, PDF) attached to expenses in the selected period. File names include the expense date and vendor for easy identification. These are the same files embedded in the PDF appendix, provided separately so your CPA can open, zoom, or print them at full resolution.

Evidence index CSV

The evidence-index.csv is a spreadsheet with one row per receipt file. Columns include the expense date, vendor, amount, IRS category, receipt filename, and a reference to the corresponding appendix page in the PDF. You or your CPA can open this in Excel or Google Sheets to sort, filter, or search for specific receipts.

Limits & requirements

  • Compliance Packs are available on the Comply, Host, and Portfolio plans. The feature is not available during the trial period.
  • Comply: 3 packs per calendar month (tenant-wide).
  • Host: 5 packs per calendar month (tenant-wide).
  • Portfolio: 5 packs per property per calendar month.
  • Pack data is filtered by the property's configured timezone. A work log timestamped at 2:30 AM UTC on April 1 will appear in the March pack for a property in the US Central timezone.
  • Receipt attachments embedded in the PDF are capped at 50 MB total. If receipts exceed this cap, the highest-priority receipts are included and the rest are listed in the evidence index as available in ArrivHQ.
  • Only finalized records are included. Draft or pending reservations, soft-deleted records, and transactions flagged as duplicates are excluded.
  • Role access: Owners, admins, and managers can generate, view, and download packs. Bookkeepers can view and download but cannot generate. Cleaners, maintenance, and viewer roles have no access.

FAQ

Does the PDF include actual receipt images or just references? Both. Receipt images are embedded in the supporting documentation appendix inside the PDF, and the original files are also included in the receipts folder of the zip. The evidence index CSV ties everything together with cross-references.

What if I have expenses without receipts? Those expenses still appear in the expense detail report and P&L. The "Receipt Attached" column shows they are missing a receipt, and the completeness summary flags expenses over $75 without receipts. You can add receipts in ArrivHQ and regenerate the pack.

Why is there a 50 MB cap on embedded receipts? Large PDFs with hundreds of high-resolution receipt images can become unwieldy to open, send via email, or print. The 50 MB cap keeps the file practical. Receipts that do not fit in the PDF are still included as separate files in the receipts folder of the zip and listed in the evidence index.

What does the Schedule E worksheet mean for my taxes? The worksheet maps your ArrivHQ data to Schedule E line items as a reference for your CPA. It is not a completed tax form and should not be filed as-is. Your tax professional reviews the figures, makes adjustments (such as depreciation), and prepares the actual Schedule E as part of your return.

Are empty months included in annual packs? Yes. Months with no activity still appear in the monthly breakdown table with zero values. If the property had reservations in a month but no corresponding revenue or expenses logged, the completeness summary flags it. Empty months with no reservations at all are not flagged -- the property may have been vacant or inactive.