Simple invoice log

What the simple invoice log does

A business that does not track its invoices does not know what it is owed. Record each invoice with its customer, date, due date and amount, and the date it was paid, and the log shows the unpaid total, the days overdue and which invoices need a reminder.

Who it is for

Freelancers and small businesses that invoice customers, and bookkeepers who chase payments.

How to use the workbook

1. Type today's date at the top.
2. Record each invoice with its due date and amount.
3. Enter the date it is paid.
4. Chase every invoice marked overdue.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Invoice number, customer, dates and amount
• Paid, open or overdue status
• Days overdue from today
• Total unpaid and total overdue
• Summary by status with a chart

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Invoices, By status. The main table has the columns Invoice no.; Customer; Invoice date; Due date; Amount; Paid on; Status; Days overdue. 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

• Invoice as soon as the work is done.
• State the payment terms on every invoice.
• Send a reminder a few days before the due date.
• Keep a copy of every invoice.

Why keep this record

Accounting records let you answer three questions at any time: what came in, what went out and who owes whom. Kept consistently they also make tax returns, loan applications and the sale of a business much easier, because the evidence is already organised. Entering transactions the day they happen is far cheaper than reconstructing them at year end.

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

Good accounting records are a legal duty as well as a management tool: keep the supporting receipts and invoices with the workbook, and keep each year's copy for at least five years. Work on a copy, never on your only file, and back it up.

Read how to keep business records for KRA for the wider picture. Free calculators that go with it: Vat calculator. See more accounting 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

• Free calculator: VAT Calculator
• Guide: How to set up an M-Pesa till or Paybill for your business and account for it
• Guide: How KRA uses data matching and what it means for you
• Guide: How to protect your business from fraud and theft
• Another template: Accounts receivable ledger (up to 1,000 invoices)
• Another template: Bank balance tracker
• Another template: Credit note with VAT

Need something different? Request a custom template, browse all guides or see every Excel template.