Self-Employed Income & Expense Log Template
Designed for sole traders and freelancers. Simple transaction list that auto-summarises into HMRC-friendly categories.
File format: .xlsx (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice compatible)
Self-Employed Log
- Record from all sources (bank, card, cash)
- HMRC-friendly expense categories
- Automatic summary by category
- Quarterly tax estimate calculation
What is a Self-Employed Income & Expense Log?
A Self-Employed Income & Expense Log is the simplest way for sole traders and freelancers to record all their business transactions. Just list what money came in and what went out — the template automatically sorts everything into HMRC-friendly categories ready for your Self Assessment tax return.
Common use cases:
- Recording all income from different sources (clients, sales, services)
- Tracking business expenses from bank accounts, credit cards, and cash
- Preparing figures for your annual Self Assessment tax return (SA103)
- Calculating how much tax you probably owe before January deadline
- Giving your accountant clean, organised records at year-end
When to use this template
- You are newly self-employed and need a simple way to start recording transactions
- You find bookkeeping software confusing or overkill for your needs
- You prepare your own Self Assessment tax return and need organised figures
- You have multiple income streams and want to see totals by source
What Your Template Contains
Everything you need, pre-built and ready to use. Just enter your data in the blue cells.
All-Source Transaction Recording
Log income and expenses from bank accounts, credit cards, cash, PayPal, or any other source in one simple list.
HMRC-Friendly Expense Categories
Categories match HMRC's Self Assessment SA103 form — office costs, travel, professional fees, and more.
Automatic Summary by Category
No manual adding up. The template instantly totals income and expenses by category for any date range.
Quarterly Tax Estimate
Get a rough idea of your tax bill as you go, so no nasty surprises in January.
Simplified for Non-Accountants
No jargon, no complex accounting terms. Just enter what happened and let the template do the work.
Self Assessment Ready
Year-end totals map directly to the relevant boxes on your SA103 tax return form.
How This Template Helps Your Business
Start in Minutes, Not Hours
No setup, no configuration, no learning curve. Open the file and start recording. Perfect if bookkeeping has been on your "to-do" list for months.
HMRC Categories Built In
Every expense category maps to an HMRC Self Assessment box. Your accountant will not need to recategorise everything — saving you billable hours.
Know Your Tax Bill Early
The quarterly estimate means you know roughly what you owe before January. No more last-minute scrambling to find thousands of pounds.
Get Started in Minutes
No accounting knowledge required. Follow these simple steps and you'll be tracking your finances in no time.
Download TemplateDownload the template and open in Excel or Google Sheets
Enter your business name and tax year on the cover sheet
Each time money comes in or goes out, add a row: date, description, amount, and category
Only fill in the blue cells — categories and totals calculate automatically
Check the summary sheet monthly to see your profit and estimated tax
At year-end, copy the category totals straight onto your Self Assessment form
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about this template
Ready to Get Started?
Download this free template and take control of your business finances today.
Free download, no email required. Works in Excel and Google Sheets.