Is this business expense tracker free?

Yes. Download it and use it as you like. There is no signup.

Does it work in Google Sheets and Excel?

Yes. The category dropdown and the Totals formulas work the same in each. The CSV file holds the Expenses header row only.

Where do the categories come from?

From the expense lines of IRS Schedule C (Form 1040), Part II. They’re a starting point, not tax advice. If your bookkeeper uses another list, replace the Categories tab with theirs.

Can I use it for more than one year?

Yes. The Expenses tab can hold several years. The Totals tab shows one year at a time; change the year in row 2 to see another. Or start a new copy each year.

Can an AI check my categories?

Yes. Expense Category Reviewer checks each row against your bookkeeper’s rules, in the AI you already pay for. It proposes changes and groups the unclear rows into a few questions. It never edits the sheet.

Business Expense Tracker Spreadsheet for Google Sheets and Excel

This free business expense tracker is a spreadsheet with one row per expense, a category dropdown based on IRS Schedule C, and a Totals tab that adds up each category by month. It works in Google Sheets and Excel.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I
1	ID	Date	Merchant	Description	Category	Amount	Currency	Purpose	Receipt
2	E1	2026-10-01	Harbor Lane Properties	Studio rent for October	Rent or lease: Other business property	1,450.00	USD		Yes
3	E2	2026-10-03	Pixelboard Ads	Social ads for the autumn sale	Advertising	120.00	USD	Autumn sale	Yes
4	E3	2026-10-08	Northside Office Supply	Printer paper and toner	Office expense	64.20	USD		Yes
5	E4	2026-10-14	Central Shop			45.00	USD		No
6	E5	2026-10-20	Northside Office Supply	Toner returned	Office expense	-18.50	USD	Refund of E3	Yes
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ExpensesCategoriesTotals

Shown with fictional example rows. Your copy starts blank. Updated 13 Nov 2026.

Download CSV (Expenses tab)

What goes in each column

ID	A short ID for each row, such as E1, or the transaction ID from your bank or card statement. Keep each one unique.
Date	The day you paid, as YYYY-MM-DD.
Merchant and Description	Who you paid, and what you bought. “Printer paper and toner” says more than the shop’s name alone.
Category	One category from the dropdown, which lists the Categories tab. Leave it blank when you’re not sure, and ask your bookkeeper.
Amount and Currency	What you paid, such as 64.20, and its currency, such as USD. Write a refund as a negative amount, such as -18.50.
Purpose	Why the business bought it, when the merchant and description don’t make it clear.
Receipt	Yes once you’ve saved the receipt, No while it’s missing.

The Categories tab

These are the expense lines of IRS Schedule C (Form 1040), which US sole proprietors use to report business profit or loss. If your bookkeeper has their own list, paste it over this one with their rule for each category in Rule; the Category dropdown and the Totals tab follow it.

Category	Schedule C	Rule
Advertising	Line 8
Car and truck expenses	Line 9
Commissions and fees	Line 10
Contract labor	Line 11
Depletion	Line 12
Depreciation and section 179 expense deduction (not included in Part III)	Line 13
Employee benefit programs (other than on line 19)	Line 14
Insurance (other than health)	Line 15
Interest: Mortgage (paid to banks, etc.)	Line 16a
Interest: Vehicle loan	Line 16b
Interest: Other	Line 16c
Legal and professional services	Line 17
Office expense	Line 18
Pension and profit-sharing plans	Line 19
Rent or lease: Vehicles, machinery, and equipment	Line 20a
Rent or lease: Other business property	Line 20b
Repairs and maintenance	Line 21
Supplies (not included in Part III)	Line 22
Taxes and licenses	Line 23
Travel	Line 24a
Deductible meals	Line 24b
Utilities	Line 25
Wages (less employment credits)	Line 26
Energy efficient commercial buildings deduction	Line 27a
Other expenses	Line 27b
Expenses for business use of your home	Line 30

ExpensesCategoriesTotals

The Totals tab

Adds up the Expenses tab by category and month, for the year in row 2. All expenses counts every row, so when it’s more than the categories add up to, a row has no category from the list.

Category	Jan	Oct	Total
Year	2026
All expenses		1,660.70	1,660.70
Advertising		120.00	120.00
Office expense		45.70	45.70
Rent or lease: Other business property		1,450.00	1,450.00

ExpensesCategoriesTotals

Tips

Type the year you track in row 2 of the Totals tab. Until you do, it shows the current year.
Use one currency per file. The Totals tab adds amounts as they are and doesn’t convert them.
Ask your bookkeeper for their category list and rules, and paste them over the Categories tab. The dropdown and the Totals tab follow it.
Before each month ends, filter Receipt by No to see which receipts you still need to find.

Business expense tracker questions

Is this business expense tracker free?: Yes. Download it and use it as you like. There is no signup.
Does it work in Google Sheets and Excel?: Yes. The category dropdown and the Totals formulas work the same in each. The CSV file holds the Expenses header row only.
Where do the categories come from?: From the expense lines of IRS Schedule C (Form 1040), Part II. They’re a starting point, not tax advice. If your bookkeeper uses another list, replace the Categories tab with theirs.
Can I use it for more than one year?: Yes. The Expenses tab can hold several years. The Totals tab shows one year at a time; change the year in row 2 to see another. Or start a new copy each year.
Can an AI check my categories?: Yes. Expense Category Reviewer checks each row against your bookkeeper’s rules, in the AI you already pay for. It proposes changes and groups the unclear rows into a few questions. It never edits the sheet.

Sources: IRS, Schedule C (Form 1040) 2026, Part II.