Guide
How to track business expenses in Excel
A simple method for freelancers, sole traders and small businesses. Works in Excel and Google Sheets, no macros needed.
Step by step
- Record each expense with date, vendor, category, amount and payment method.
- Keep categories in a dropdown that matches your tax categories.
- Mark whether a receipt is saved so tax time is painless.
- Total spending by month and by category with SUMIFS.
- Compare each month to your budget.
Columns to include
Date, Vendor, Category, Amount, Paid with, Deductible, Receipt saved, Month.
Numbers worth watching
Spent this year, Deductible, Missing receipts, Average expense, Expenses logged. Put them at the top of a dashboard tab so you see them every time you open the file.
Skip the setup
The Ordwell Business Expense Tracker has all of this built: dropdown lists you control from one tab, formulas in green columns and a dashboard that updates as you type.
Free: Simple Order Log
A real Ordwell spreadsheet with dropdowns, totals and a mini dashboard. Pay what you want, $0 is fine.
More guides
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- How to build a simple CRM in Excel
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- How to track a sales pipeline in Excel
- How to track projects and tasks in Excel
- How to track purchase orders in Excel
- How to track invoices and payments in Excel
- How to track employee hours in Excel