Quick start
1. Sign up and add your API key
Section titled “1. Sign up and add your API key”- Go to lodgey.io and create an account.
- Click your avatar (top right) → Settings.
- Paste your Anthropic API key. Get one at console.anthropic.com/settings/keys.
- Choose your model — Sonnet 4.6 (balanced) or Opus 4.6 (most capable).
- Save.
2. Create a project
Section titled “2. Create a project”Lodgey organises your work into projects. Each project is scoped to one tax client and one financial year.
Open the side panel (left) and click New Project. Give it a name like “FY2026 — Personal” or “FY2026 — Smith Family Trust”.
3. Start chatting
Section titled “3. Start chatting”Lodgey will greet you and ask what you’re working on. The most common starting points:
| Goal | What to say |
|---|---|
| Full tax return | ”I need to lodge my tax return for FY2026” |
| PAYG variation | ”I want to apply for a PAYG withholding variation” |
| CGT calculation | ”I sold a property and need to calculate capital gains” |
| General question | ”How do I claim depreciation on a new build?” |
Lodgey will present clickable options at each step. You can click an option or type a freeform answer.
4. Upload documents
Section titled “4. Upload documents”Drag and drop documents into the chat or use the upload button. Lodgey accepts:
- PDFs — settlement statements, contracts, tax returns, depreciation schedules
- Images — receipts, rate notices, screenshots of bank statements
- CSV / Excel — bank transaction exports, depreciation data, payroll summaries
Lodgey reads each document, extracts every relevant fact, and files evidence automatically.
5. Connect Gmail (optional)
Section titled “5. Connect Gmail (optional)”Click Connect Gmail in the side panel. Once authorised, Lodgey can search your inbox for documents you might have missed — rate notices, insurance policies, property management statements, and more.
6. Review the Live Report
Section titled “6. Review the Live Report”The right panel shows your Live Report — a persistent spreadsheet that updates as Lodgey processes your data. It includes:
- Rental Schedule — income and deductions per property
- Tax Return — individual tax return summary
- CGT Calculator — capital gains breakdown for sold properties
- PAYG Variation — withholding variation calculation
You can edit cells directly. Download as .xlsx at any time using the download button.
7. Check for gaps
Section titled “7. Check for gaps”At any point, ask Lodgey:
“What’s missing?”
Lodgey will run a gap analysis against ATO requirements and tell you exactly which documents are still needed, where to find them, and which evidence items are estimates vs confirmed.