A done-for-you spreadsheet to track income, expenses and VAT, ready for self assessment. Built for UK sole traders and small limited companies. Edit in Google Sheets.
When you work for yourself, bookkeeping is the job nobody warns you about. HMRC expects you to keep records of what you earn and what you spend so you can complete your self assessment, but most accounting software is built for businesses with staff and stock, and it charges you every month for features you will never touch. This sole trader bookkeeping template strips that back to what you actually need: a clear place to record income, record expenses, and see where you stand, all formatted for the UK.
Instead of a shoebox of receipts and a panic every January, you get a simple spreadsheet you update as you go. Log a payment when a client pays you. Log a cost when you buy materials, fuel or software. The totals build up automatically, so at the end of the year the figures you need for your tax return are already gathered and categorised.
The spreadsheet is one download in Google Sheets and covers everything a sole trader needs to stay on top of the numbers:
As a UK sole trader you are required to keep records of your business income and expenses. This template gives those records a proper home. When you record entries as they happen rather than reconstructing them months later, your figures are more accurate and you claim the expenses you are entitled to instead of forgetting them. That accuracy can mean a lower, correct tax bill and a lot less stress when the self assessment deadline comes round.
The reason bookkeeping matters is the tax return at the end of it. Because this template totals your income and groups your expenses by category, the numbers you need to enter into your self assessment are already worked out. You are not adding up receipts at the last minute. You copy the figures across, check them, and submit with confidence.
This is for UK sole traders, self-employed people and small limited company owners who want a straightforward, no-subscription way to keep the books. It suits tradespeople, freelancers, consultants, shop owners and anyone running a small business who would rather spend fifteen minutes a week in a tidy spreadsheet than a stressful weekend sorting paperwork before the deadline.
Instant download after payment. We also email your download link so you can grab it on any device. Your link stays active for 30 days. One payment, no subscription.
Yes. If you are self employed in the UK you must keep records of your business income and expenses to work out your self assessment tax return. This spreadsheet gives you a simple, organised place to keep them.
Yes. It groups your income and expenses into categories and totals them, so when you fill in your self assessment tax return the figures are already gathered in one place rather than scattered across receipts.
Yes. There is a VAT line you can use if you are VAT registered, or leave off if you are under the threshold. It uses pound sterling and UK date formatting.
It opens in Google Sheets and works on a phone, tablet or laptop. You can also copy it into Excel if you prefer.
No. You pay once and keep the spreadsheet. There is no monthly fee and no login to maintain.