Cashbook with Running Balance

Who this is for

Money in, money out and the balance after each line. The cashbook starts from the opening balance you enter and carries a running figure down the page, so your business account can be checked against the bank statement on any day of the month.

Sole traders and freelancers keeping single-entry books themselves, and anyone who runs the business through one account and wants to know what is in it without logging in to the bank.

What this helps you track

• Every receipt and payment for the period, in date order
• The reference and category for each line, ready for year-end totals
• The balance after every line, starting from your opening figure
• Money in, money out and the closing balance for the period

How to use it

1. Write the business name, which account the sheet covers, the period and the opening balance from your last statement or cashbook.
2. Enter each transaction on its own line in date order, with a reference such as an invoice number, receipt number or bank reference.
3. Put the amount in the money in or money out column, never both, and give it the category you total under at the year end.
4. The running balance and totals are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, add or take each line from the balance above it.
5. At the end of each month compare the closing balance with the bank statement and note any difference before starting the next sheet.

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

What is single-entry bookkeeping?

Each transaction is written down once, as money in or money out, rather than as a debit and a matching credit. For many sole traders a well-kept cashbook with categories is the whole of the day-to-day record.

Should I keep business and personal money on the same sheet?

Keep the cashbook to the account you use for the business. If personal spending passes through it, record it as drawings or money introduced so the balance still agrees with the bank.

What categories should I use?

The headings you will need to total at the year end, which usually follow the boxes on your tax return or the headings your accountant asks for. The category column is open text so it can match your own list.

How do I carry the balance into next month?

Write this sheet's closing balance as the opening balance on the next. The running balance starts from that figure, so the months join up without a gap.