Gift List and Thank You Log

Who this is for

Every gift written down before it is forgotten. Who it came from, what it was and when it arrived on one line, with a tick and a date when the thank-you is sent, and a count of the ones still owed.

Anyone on the receiving end of a wedding, a new baby, a big birthday or a bereavement, and the parent writing the thank-yous for a child.

What this helps you track

• Who gave what, so the thank-you names the right gift
• When each gift arrived, which is useful for anything that needs returning
• Which thank-yous have gone out and on what date
• How many are still to write, and how long the oldest has been waiting

How to use it

1. Write the occasion, the date and who the gifts were for at the top.
2. As gifts arrive, add a line each: who from, what it was and the date received. Do it the same day if you can — a pile of opened boxes is hard to reconstruct.
3. When the thank-you is sent, tick the box and write the date. A note column takes the address, a card design or anything to mention.
4. The browser and workbook versions count the gifts, the thank-yous sent and the ones outstanding, and show how many days the oldest unsent one has waited.
5. On paper, run down the tick column at the end of each week and write the next batch.

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 long should I wait before sending thank-yous?

That is between you and the people who gave. The log does not set a deadline; it shows how long each unsent one has been waiting so you can decide.

Can I use it for a group gift?

Yes. Put every name in the from column or write the group name and list the members in the note, whichever matches how you will thank them.

What about money and vouchers?

Write them in the gift column as you would anything else, with the amount if you want it recorded. The sheet does not total gifts — it is a record, not an account.

Does the days-waiting column work on paper?

No. It is worked out in the browser and the workbook from today's date. On paper the column is left blank, or you write in the count when you check the list.