Guide
How to build a simple CRM in Excel
A simple method for freelancers, agencies and service businesses. Works in Excel and Google Sheets, no macros needed.
Step by step
- Give each contact one row: name, company, email, source, stage and next follow-up date.
- Use a dropdown for stage so you can count clients at each step.
- Highlight follow-up dates that are today or overdue.
- Log the date and note of your last contact.
- Count new leads by source each month to see what works.
Columns to include
Company, Contact, Email, Phone, Source, Stage, Deal value, Last contact.
Numbers worth watching
Active clients, Open pipeline, Follow-ups overdue, Due this week, Win rate. Put them at the top of a dashboard tab so you see them every time you open the file.
Skip the setup
The Ordwell Client CRM 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
- How to track orders in Excel
- How to manage inventory in Excel
- How to track appointments in Excel
- How to track a sales pipeline in Excel
- How to track business expenses 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