# Keeping track on excel



## mkb (Dec 13, 2017)

Hello,

Does anyone just use an excel spreadsheet to track jobs/customer info and basic payments etc? We are a very small business and using excel seems simple and basic enough to keep track of the info we need. Just looking to see if anyone uses this method and has an example of a template or maybe any software you all use to track these things?

Thanks in advance.:thumbsup:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Google excel job template, you'll find tons of templates available. It really helps if you have advanced excel skills when you customize for your business.

Mine are fully integrated to cover everything, business and personal, I need for taxes. You just have to be disciplined in using them.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

There's a pretty good thread here about this.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f16/estimating-excel-small-contractor-youtube-129319/


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

rselectric1 said:


> There's a pretty good thread here about this.
> 
> http://www.contractortalk.com/f16/estimating-excel-small-contractor-youtube-129319/


I don't know how I missed that thread, thanks for posting it.:thumbsup:


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## DiaperRiot (Sep 27, 2017)

any type of spreadsheet. you can utilize the colors and block sizes to really customize it.


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## Mike-B (Feb 11, 2015)

QuickBooks is our money program but spreadsheets are used in so many places in our business.

One to track all project milestones and basic info.

We use another to track all purchase orders and invoices. 

We have another for schedules.

We have multiple variations of excel bid sheets depending on project type. I build templates for job types.

Multiple variations for material take off depending on job type. 

I could type up a lot on this topic but my thumb would fall off and the desk top site blows.

Take an excel class, buy a book, hire someone with knowledge to build some sheets. The hard part is knowing what you want them to do.



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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Formatting can be a real time suck if you're going for presentation quality.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Here's what I use to keep track of expenses for the shop and jobs.


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## mkb (Dec 13, 2017)

Thanks so much guys. Im new here and this forum is awesome to learn from a lot of experts....:thumbup:


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## Jay hole (Nov 12, 2013)

I use a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. The good side is I have it set up so it gives me all the information I need to know how my business is doing. The bad side is the more my business grows the harder it is to update my spreadsheet. 
So at the beginning of the year I'm going to hire my accountant to setup my quickbooks and train me so I can utilize it.


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## joelfci89 (Jun 4, 2017)

*Scam books pro*

Did you know that ALL accounting programs are spreadsheets. They want your $$$$$$$


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## Stryker1-1 (Dec 25, 2017)

I would say many are databases not spreadsheets believe me there is a difference. 

Don't go down the rabbit hole of trying to link different spreadsheets together to pull numbers I have seen this go bad many times.

If you do want to use spreadsheets get good with formulas.

Personally I think you have to look at accounting software as an investment not an expense.

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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

AFAIK, most accounting software is database based. If you want to learn MS Access and SQL you can make your own.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Stryker1-1 said:


> Don't go down the rabbit hole of trying to link different spreadsheets together to pull numbers I have seen this go bad many times.


What issues have you seen?


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## Stryker1-1 (Dec 25, 2017)

hdavis said:


> What issues have you seen?


Lose one file and all of a sudden the 5 linked to it don't work.

It can become a nightmare if someone deletes a formula 

Just generally not good practice to try and use spreadsheets as a database. 

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## Philament (Dec 9, 2014)

I keep track of everything in an Excel Spreadsheet. Customers, Invoicing, expenses, project cost tracking, overhead tracking, shared expenses. 
It works for me, but wouldn't be ideal for everyone. I tried Quickbooks, but found it too cumbersome and archaic.


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## JDEERE (Feb 3, 2015)

mkb said:


> Hello,
> 
> Does anyone just use an excel spreadsheet to track jobs/customer info and basic payments etc? We are a very small business and using excel seems simple and basic enough to keep track of the info we need. Just looking to see if anyone uses this method and has an example of a template or maybe any software you all use to track these things?
> 
> Thanks in advance.:thumbsup:


If your goal is to grow your business, invest in some accounting/job costing software. Quickbooks is a great value for your money, but make sure you get some professional help (not your buddy who has used it for years) to set it up. If you don't get it set up properly you'll simply be using it as a glorified check book. I know, because I used it for 20+ years and then spent thousands of dollars for a new high powered software that could not do some of the things Quickbooks could. I then went back to Quickbooks and got some great help setting it up and am still amazed at what you can do with it. 

In business, time is your most valuable asset, don't waste time trying to re-invent the wheel. You may still use speadsheets to do a few things, but Quickbooks will do all you'll probably need for years. 90% of the people who use it never learn to truly use it to it's extent.

Stryker1-1 is absolutely correct, view it as an investment.


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## HomeArt (Oct 2, 2017)

I use Google sheets and excel, and they do an amazing job for us. We tried different systems, but this is most convenient.


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## cnstrctr (Oct 16, 2017)

I work for one of the big multi-national companies and we use excel spreadsheets regularly! It doesnt matter how big you get, nothing beats a good excel sheet!


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## BillHel64 (Jan 7, 2018)

There are a good amount of templates out there for use. It is easy to track a lot of the expenses, but it doesn't QC you like quickbooks can


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