Free template

Invoice Tracking Spreadsheet: Free Template + When to Automate

A spreadsheet is the first tool most freelancers use to track invoices. It's free, flexible, and works well — until a client stops paying. Here's a free template to track everything, plus an honest look at what spreadsheets can't do.

Recommended columns for your invoice tracker

Col	Header	Example	Notes
A	Invoice #	INV-042	Sequential. Required by HMRC/IRS.
B	Client Name	Acme Corp	Full legal name of the client.
C	Invoice Date	2026-05-01	Date you sent the invoice.
D	Due Date	2026-05-15	Invoice date + your payment terms.
E	Amount (net)	£2,500	Before tax.
F	Tax / VAT	£500	If applicable.
G	Total Due	£3,000	Formula: =E+F
H	Status	Overdue	Dropdown: Unpaid / Paid / Overdue / Disputed
I	Days Overdue	14	Formula: =IF(H2='Paid','',TODAY()-D2)
J	Last Follow-up	2026-05-10	Date of your last chase email.
K	Notes	Client said 'will pay by Friday'	Freetext.

Useful formulas

Days overdue (0 if paid)

=IF(H2="Paid",0,MAX(0,TODAY()-D2))

Total unpaid

=SUMIF(H:H,"Unpaid",G:G)+SUMIF(H:H,"Overdue",G:G)

Total overdue (30+ days)

=SUMPRODUCT((I2:I100>=30)*(G2:G100))

Conditional formatting — red if overdue

Custom rule: =AND(I2>0,H2<>"Paid")

What a spreadsheet can't do

A spreadsheet is great for visibility. It will show you what's overdue in red. It will calculate totals. But there are four things it fundamentally cannot do:

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Send reminder emails automatically: When an invoice turns red in your spreadsheet, you still have to manually write an email. Every time. For every invoice.

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Escalate tone over time: A spreadsheet has no concept of 'this is day 7 overdue vs day 30 overdue' — both look the same. Your follow-up doesn't escalate automatically.

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Remember when you last followed up: You can track it in a 'Last Follow-up' column, but you have to update it manually. Spreadsheets don't push reminders to you.

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Include a payment link: A Stripe payment link in a reminder email means clients can pay in 1 click. A spreadsheet can't include this — you'd have to manually add it to every email.

The real cost of spreadsheet tracking

The spreadsheet shows you what's overdue. But seeing it and doing something about it are two different things. Here's what typically happens:

You open the spreadsheetYou see 3 invoices in red

You intend to follow upBut you have a client call in 10 minutes

After the callYou've forgotten about the invoices

A week laterThe invoices are now 3 weeks overdue

You write follow-ups20 minutes of awkward emails

Net resultYou got paid 3 weeks late, with 20 min of wasted time per invoice

When to use a spreadsheet vs. automated tools

Spreadsheet is fine if:

✓ Under 5 active invoices at a time
✓ All your clients pay reliably
✓ You're just starting out
✓ You have time to follow up manually

Automate when:

✓ You have 5+ invoices per month
✓ Any clients pay late
✓ You're spending 30+ min/week on follow-up
✓ You want to be paid faster

Keep the spreadsheet for records — let Chaser handle the chasing

Chaser replaces the manual email-writing that a spreadsheet will never do for you. Free for 3 invoices — takes 2 minutes to set up.

Try Chaser free →Free invoice tracker →