Prepayment Meter Top-Up Log

Who this is for

Every top-up, and where the money went. Write the amount you put on and the credit shown before and after, and the sheet works out how much was taken for debt or standing charge, how many days since the last top-up and what the meter used per day in between. The summary compares the debt taken with the weekly repayment you agreed.

Households on a prepayment electricity or gas meter, especially those repaying a debt through the meter, who want to see what they spend and check deductions.

What this helps you track

• Every top-up with its date, amount and where it was made
• The credit on the meter before and after each top-up
• How much was deducted for debt or standing charge at each top-up
• The days between top-ups and the credit used per day
• Total debt deducted against the weekly amount you agreed

How to use it

1. Write the supplier, fuel, meter number, key or card number and the weekly debt repayment you agreed at the top, with the date you start the log.
2. Before topping up, note the credit showing on the meter; after the top-up has gone on, note the credit again.
3. Write the date, the amount and where you topped up on a new line with both credit figures.
4. The deduction, days since the last top-up and credit used per day are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, add the top-up to the credit before and take away the credit after.
5. Compare the total deducted in the summary with the expected repayment, and take both figures to the supplier if they do not agree.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How is the amount deducted worked out?

It adds the top-up to the credit shown before and takes away the credit shown after. Anything missing went on debt repayment or charges taken when credit was added, so read both credit figures straight off the meter display.

What is the day number column for?

It counts days from the date you started the log to each top-up, so the sheet can work out the days between one top-up and the next. You do not need to fill it in; it is calculated from the start date and each top-up date.

How is credit used per day calculated?

It takes the credit left after the previous top-up, subtracts the credit showing before this one and divides by the days in between. That is what the meter used, including any daily charges it takes.

My meter takes standing charge daily rather than at top-up. Does that matter?

Then the deduction column will mostly show debt repayments, and the daily charges appear in the credit used per day instead. Check your supplier's statement for how your meter is set up.

Can I use one log for both electricity and gas?

Keep one log per meter. The credit figures only make sense for a single meter, and the debt repayment rate is usually set separately for each fuel.