Why Simple Spreadsheets?
The case for keeping your small business bookkeeping simple, affordable, and under your control.
You Don't Need Accounting Software
If you are a sole trader with a handful of transactions each month, a landlord with one or two properties, or a micro-business just finding your feet, expensive accounting software is probably overkill. And we mean that literally — you are paying for features you will never use.
QuickBooks, Xero, Sage — these are excellent tools. But they were built for businesses with employees, inventory, multiple bank accounts, and complex reporting needs. When your bookkeeping consists of recording income and expenses, creating the occasional invoice, and submitting a tax return once a year, a well-designed spreadsheet is not just sufficient — it is actually better.
This is for you if:
- You are a sole trader or single-person limited company
- You have fewer than 50 transactions per month
- You invoice occasionally, not hundreds per week
- You want to understand your numbers, not just automate them
- You are comfortable with basic Excel or Google Sheets
- You want to own your data and keep it private
The Hidden Cost of “Easy” Software
Accounting software companies market themselves as “simple” and “easy.” But simplicity comes at a price — and not just the monthly subscription fee.
Monthly Subscription Costs
£15-£40 per month adds up to £180-£480 per year. For a business with minimal transactions, that is a significant overhead.
Learning Curve
Despite the marketing, accounting software has a learning curve. Journals, reconciliations, chart of accounts — it is a lot to learn when you just want to track expenses.
Feature Overload
Payroll, inventory, multi-currency, project tracking — you are paying for (and navigating around) features you will never touch.
Data Lock-In
Your financial history is trapped in their system. Moving away means complex exports, format conversions, and often, data loss.
Internet Dependency
No internet? No access to your books. Cloud software requires connectivity — not always guaranteed in rural UK or while travelling.
Over-Engineering
Double-entry bookkeeping, automated bank feeds, AI categorisation — clever technology solving a problem you do not actually have.
Spreadsheets: The Right Tool for the Job
A well-designed Excel or Google Sheets template gives you everything you need and nothing you do not. Our templates are built specifically for UK small businesses, with HMRC-friendly categories, UK tax calculations, and clear, intuitive layouts.
Zero Cost
Completely free. If you already have Excel or a free Google account, your bookkeeping software costs nothing.
Full Control
See every formula, modify any calculation, and customise the layout to match exactly how your business works.
UK-Specific
HMRC expense categories, UK VAT at 20%, mileage rates at 45p/mile, Self Assessment summaries — all built in.
Learn Your Numbers
When you can see how calculations work, you understand your business better. That knowledge is valuable.
Own Your Data
Your files, on your computer, in your control. No subscriptions to cancel, no data to export when you leave.
Works Offline
No internet required. Update your books on a train, in a café, or anywhere you have your laptop.
When It Is Time to Upgrade
We are honest — spreadsheets are not the forever solution for every business. There comes a point where accounting software makes sense. You might be ready to upgrade when:
- You process more than 100 transactions per month
- You have employees and need to run payroll
- You need real-time collaboration between multiple people
- Your accountant specifically requests software integration
- You are a VAT-registered limited company with complex requirements
- You need automated bank feeds to save significant time
Until then, a well-designed spreadsheet will serve you perfectly. Many successful small businesses have used spreadsheets for years before making the leap to software — and by then, they understood their finances well enough to choose the right tool.
Our Philosophy
We believe that small business owners deserve simple, effective tools that respect their time and their intelligence. You should not need a degree in accounting to understand your own business finances. And you certainly should not need to pay hundreds of pounds a year for software that solves problems you do not have.
Our templates are designed to be the perfect middle ground — more structured and helpful than a blank spreadsheet, but far simpler and more affordable than accounting software. We have done the thinking so you can focus on running your business.
Simple tools. Better understanding. Lower costs. That is the smarter way to do bookkeeping.