Excel, paper or SimpliFleet?
Not made for this
Excel is a general-purpose spreadsheet tool. It doesn't generate a TIG, doesn't send expiry alerts for documents or service deadlines, and doesn't provide a timestamped audit log designed to meet NAV requirements. For fleet management it's only usable temporarily, with 1–3 vehicles.
Can't be searched, can be lost
Retrieving 2 years of TIG documents from a filing cabinet during a NAV inspection is time-consuming, error-prone, and if the paper is lost or damaged, a tax liability can be assessed. Paper records are the hardest fleet management method to scale.
Built for fleet management
Every document is generated and archived automatically, searchable and designed to meet NAV requirements. Automatic alerts ensure that no expired insurance or invalid registration ever goes unnoticed.
Detailed comparison
| Feature | SimpliFleet | Excel + paper | Paper only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic TIG generation | ✓ Automatic | ✗ Not possible | ✗ Manual |
| TIG export designed to meet NAV requirements | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Document-expiry alerts | ✓ Automatic | ✗ Manual monitoring | ✗ |
| Maintenance log | ✓ | Partial | Paper notebook |
| Driver records | ✓ | Spreadsheet | Paper |
| Project-trip assignment | ✓ | Complex, error-prone | ✗ |
| Searchable archive (2+ years) | ✓ Filterable | Limited | ✗ Filing cabinet |
| Audit log with timestamps | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| EU data storage, GDPR | ✓ | Local machine | ✗ |
| Onboarding and support | ✓ Free | On your own | On your own |
The hidden risks of paper-based and Excel-based records: lost TIG documents at a NAV inspection, fines for expired documents, a 2-year archive that can't be searched. These aren't theoretical risks — above 5 vehicles they're regular problems without dedicated fleet management software.
When do Excel and paper give up?
No TIG in Excel — every trip has to be filled in by hand
Excel can't generate a TIG document. The form has to be filled in by hand for every single trip — 5–10 minutes per driver per day, and hours of admin burden a month. SimpliFleet generates the TIG from the trip automatically.
No automatic reminder — expired insurance is an offence
Insurance, registration, MOT, driver's licence — for every vehicle, every year. From an Excel sheet these have to be tracked manually. If one expires and no one notices, driving with expired insurance is an offence. SimpliFleet sends an automatic alert before anything expires.
Retrieving 2 years of TIG from paper: impossible
At an inspection, NAV can request TIG documents going back 2 years, broken down by vehicle and date. Fulfilling this completely from a paper filing cabinet, or an Excel sheet, takes hours, even days — and incomplete records lead to penalties. From SimpliFleet's archive it's filterable in minutes.
When was the last service? Maybe it's in the Excel…
If there's a maintenance Excel sheet, it's only up to date if someone updates it regularly. Manually tracking service times, mileage-based replacement limits and inspection dates across several vehicles is cumbersome and error-prone. SimpliFleet keeps the records automatically and reminds you of upcoming services.
Who drove the vehicle on 14 January at 14:32?
In the event of an accident, a penalty notice or client feedback, you need to know which driver drove a given vehicle at a given time. From paper or Excel this can't be traced if the TIG documents aren't reliably archived. SimpliFleet records and keeps the driver data for every trip.
Who is SimpliFleet for?
A 12-vehicle haulage company
TIG automation, document-expiry alerts, a 2-year NAV archive. Until now: drivers filled in TIG documents by hand, and the administrator collected and filed them monthly. At a NAV inspection, 3 months' worth of TIG documents were missing.
Automatic TIG generation for every trip, instant digital archiving, an export designed to meet NAV requirements and filterable for any period. The 2-year archive is always complete and searchable.
An 8-vehicle logistics business
Project-based accounting for clients, driver-performance tracking. Until now: every client wanted a different report format, and the administrator assembled the monthly statements from Excel by hand — 2–3 hours per report.
Project-trip assignment automatically, per-client reports exportable, driver-performance data filterable by vehicle, driver and period.
A 20-vehicle construction company
A mix of company cars and machinery, a maintenance log, mileage-based service scheduling. Until now: the service Excel was always left un-updated, and twice a vehicle was driven with an expired MOT.
An automatic maintenance log, mileage-based service scheduling with reminders, MOT expiry alerts 30 days in advance. Since then there hasn't been an un-serviced vehicle.
SimpliFleet vs. Excel — FAQ
Is Excel suitable for fleet management?
What is a TIG and why must it be generated in a way designed to meet NAV requirements?
How long must fleet documents be kept?
Why is SimpliFleet better than paper records?
Do I need a credit card for the 60-day trial?
How long does setup take?
What's the difference between the Starter and Pro plans?
Switch to SimpliFleet.
Leave behind manual TIG fill-in and the filing cabinet. 2-minute sign-up, 60-day trial, decide only afterwards.