Small business bookkeeping spreadsheet

For a sole proprietor or freelancer, simple bookkeeping means logging money in, money out and business miles, then seeing profit by month and expenses by tax category.

The Small Business Bookkeeping spreadsheet does that for US sole proprietors, freelancers and small shops. It has an income log (400 rows) and expense log (800 rows) with category dropdowns, builds a monthly profit and loss and a Schedule C summary by line, and tracks meals at full and 50% deductible amounts. Each expense category maps to a Schedule C line you choose. The dashboard shows income, expenses, net profit, margin, business miles and missing receipts.

It is a record-keeping tool, not tax advice.

What you get

You get two files, a blank template and a filled-in example, plus a Start Here guide. Open them in Microsoft Excel, or upload them to Google Drive and open them with Google Sheets (free). You type in the input cells; the formulas, totals and charts update themselves.

Tips

• Log transactions weekly from your bank statement.
• Note receipts as you go.
• Review category mapping with your tax preparer once.