Probation and contract expiry tracker

What the probation and contract expiry tracker does

Probation periods and fixed-term contracts end on dates that are easy to forget, and the consequences of forgetting are real. This tracker lists each employee's start date and probation length, works out the probation end, records the contract end date and shows the days remaining and a status such as renew soon or expired.

Who it is for

HR officers, managers and business owners with a mix of permanent, probationary and fixed-term staff who want a single list of dates that need a decision.

How to use the workbook

1. Type today's date at the top, or update it when you open the file.
2. Enter each employee's start date, probation length in months and contract end date.
3. Read the probation end date and the days to contract end.
4. Act on rows marked renew soon or expired.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Probation end date worked out from the start date
• Days left to the contract end
• Status: active, renew soon or expired
• Count of contracts needing action
• Room for 100 employees

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Contracts. The main table has the columns Employee; Start date; Probation (months); Probation ends; Contract end; Days to contract end; Status. Yellow cells are for you to fill in and grey cells calculate by themselves, so leave the grey cells alone. The example rows show how it works; type over them with your own entries.

Tips for getting it right

• Hold the probation review before the probation ends, not after.
• Give notice of non-renewal in good time and in writing.
• Update the date at the top each time you open the file.
• Keep signed renewals with the contract.

Why keep this record

Staff records go wrong in small, repeated ways: a figure typed twice, a deadline forgotten, a promise that nobody wrote down. A tidy workbook that everyone uses the same way removes most of those problems. It also gives you something to show an employee, an auditor or a labour officer when a question comes up months later, and it makes the next payroll quicker because the facts are already in one place.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know Excel formulas? No. Type into the yellow cells and the rest is worked out for you. The formulas are visible if you want to see how a figure is reached.

Can I add rows or change the layout? You can add your own columns to the right and your own notes. If you insert rows inside a table, copy the grey formula cells down so the new rows calculate too.

Will it work on my phone or in Google Sheets? Yes for viewing and typing, but dropdown lists and the charts look best in desktop Excel or LibreOffice.

Keeping it safe and up to date

Payroll records are personal data and tax records at once, so keep the file somewhere only the people who need it can open, and keep each month's copy for at least five years. Statutory rates such as NSSF limits and the Housing Levy change, so check the Rates sheet against the official source before you rely on a figure.

Read how to run payroll for a small business for the wider picture. See more payroll templates or ask us for a custom one.

The workbook works in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. It is a tool to help you work out and record figures, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Guide: How to run payroll for a small business in Kenya
• Guide: How PAYE is calculated in Kenya, step by step
• Guide: NSSF contributions explained: tiers, limits and what you pay
• Another template: Annual PAYE and payroll summary
• Another template: Annual leave planner and register
• Another template: Benefits and allowances register

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