MileageWise is a new mileage logging app that promises to make tracking your mileage for taxes a breeze.
This mileage tracker app connects to your Google account and automatically logs your trips, so you don’t have to remember to manually enter them later.
How Does Google Track Your Trips? (Location History on Google Maps – Is it Turned On/Off for You?)
If you have Location History turned on, then Google Maps provides a simple mileage log that keeps a record of your past locations and provides personalized recommendations based on the places you’ve been.
You can turn Location History off at any time, and Google will stop tracking your movements in its google maps mileage log. Here’s how to check if Location History is turned on for you:
- Open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone.
- Tap the Menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner of the screen.
- Select “Your timeline.”
- If Location History is turned on, you’ll see a list of places you’ve been and when you were there. If it’s turned off, you’ll see a message that says “Location History is off“.
Exporting Trips Recorded by Google via Google Takeout
If you’re ever curious about the data that makes up your Google Account, you can use Google Takeout to export it.
Google Takeout lets you download data from your Google Account in a single, compressed file. This file includes your bookmarks, calendar events, contacts, drive files, Gmail messages, and more.
Now, you can download your Google Maps history and view it in Google Takeout. This data export includes all the places you’ve searched for and directions you’ve requested.
To download your Google Maps history:
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- Click Data & personalization.
- Under “Download, delete, or make a plan for your data,” click Download your data.
- Under “Create a new archive,” click Select none.
- Scroll down to “Maps” and click the box next to it.
- Click Next.
- Choose how you’d like your data delivered and click Create archive.
Once your export is ready, you’ll get an email letting you know. Let’s see the 2 ways you can import these files into MileageWise’s mileage logging software.
Solution 1: Import Those Trips on MileageWise
To import your fixed trips from the Google Maps Timeline:
- Navigate to the “Finalization of trips” tab in the MileageWise app
- Open the “Useful tools dropdown menu (This is located at the top right corner of this tab)
- Select “Import fixed trips“
- Choose the “Google Timeline” option from the available data sources.
- Enter vehicle details and time period, then click on “Next step“
- Select a file from your computer or drop a file into “Importing Fixed trip” to upload.
- Once the file has been recognized click on “Upload file next step”
- The import process usually takes between 2 to 15 minutes. You can continue working within the system. The app will notify you via email when the process is over.
Once the import process is completed, you can go back to the “Finalization of trips” tab to have a look at your trips.
Solution 2: Entrust MileageWise to Create Your Mileage Log for You
MileageWise is the only software that allows people to import trips once they have exported data from the Google Timeline into an IRS-approved mileage log.
The other solution is to create a digital mileage logbook from their Google Maps trips once they export them via Google Takeout.
It’s important to tell the difference between Google Maps, Google Timeline, and Google Takeout.
If you’re tracking mileage for taxes, then you need this simple yet versatile mileage log app to automatically record your trips for you.
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