Annual Budget Spreadsheet +

We wanted to start by saying a big thank you for your purchase and supporting us as a small business. We have created this help desk and instruction guide to hopefully make your setup as quickly and easy as possible. In this guide we will take you through the setup of your spreadsheet, answer the most frequently asked questions and share tips and tricks for using Google Sheets so you can make the most out of your spreadsheet. So without further ado, let’s have a better look at your spreadsheet!

Disclaimer

As mentioned in the Etsy listing description:

  • Google Sheets: This add-on can only be used on Google Sheets, it is not compatible with Excel. You will need a Google account (which is free) to access this spreadsheet. 

  • Copyright: this design and this spreadsheet is copyrighted by Haye Ameri/Haye Creatives (formerly known as BoMiMo Designs). Your purchase of this product is for personal use only and commercial/public use of any kind is strictly prohibited. It is prohibited to resell, share, reproduce this product or distribute this product, either in part or in full, with or without modifications.

  • Product: neither this product nor Haye Ameri/Haye Creatives are affiliated with Google Sheets.

  • Disclaimer: This spreadsheet is for informational use only. Haye Ameri/Haye Creatives cannot give any financial, tax or legal advice. Please do your own research and if needed contact a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions. Under no circumstances can or will Haye Ameri/Haye Creatives be held responsible for any costs, loss, damage or injuries (may it be direct or including without limitation indirect loss or damage) that result from the use of this spreadsheet.

  • Refunds: as this is an instant digital download all sales are final. We don’t accept returns, exchanges or order cancellations due to the nature of digital purchases.

Regarding the debt payoff tracker tab:

This tab was created to give you an idea of how you can pay off your debt with the debt snowball or the debt avalanche method. It is important to know that these calculations are based on standardised scenarios and as such the amount of payments and the end balance calculations for each month can differ. Fluctuations in the amount of payments or the end balance can easily be caused by (for example):

  • Making multiple payments a month can cause a difference in the interest calculated and as such the balance

  • Making late payments can cause late fees and differences in the balance and interest calculated

  • Annual fees for credit cards are not included in the calculations

  • Other fees such as (for example) foreign transaction fees, cash advance fees, over-the-limit fees can cause a difference in the balance and such the interest calculated.

For this reason we highly recommend frequently checking the actual balance of your debt, and if needed adjust it on the payments tab. This is especially important for your last payment for each debt to make sure you are paying the full amount and there is no (small) amount left that is now sitting there unnoticed gaining interest and possibly other fees. To adjust the balance simply locate the month and the debt and type over the balance that was pre-calculated. The spreadsheet will know recalculate. 

Instructions

Before we start with the instructions of how to set up your spreadsheet and how the spreadsheet works it might be good to know that various sections/tabs of this spreadsheet have been protected. When trying to edit a protected field, row or column a warning will pop up. We have done this to avoid accidental formula changes that would alter the functions of the spreadsheet so you can use this spreadsheet worry free. If you have experience using Google Sheets you can click “Okay” so you can go ahead and make the changes. If you are new to Google Sheets or unfamiliar with the formulas we use we highly recommend not editing any of the protected fields so you can be sure that your spreadsheet will keep functioning as intended. Now without further ado, let’s start with setting up your spreadsheet!

FAQ & Troubleshooting

General

  • All our spreadsheets are created for and on Google Sheets. As Google Sheets is an online programme we cannot include a direct file that takes you to the spreadsheet, but instead you will need a link. For that reason the file included with your purchase is a PDF. The PDF will contain a link to your spreadsheet as well as a link to the instructions of the spreadsheet.

  • When you open the file be sure to open it with the Free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Opening it with a different programme (such as Preview on Apple devices) can sometimes cause issues which means that the link will not open.

  • Google Sheets is an online programme that is accessed through your internet browser or the app on mobile devices. As long as you are connected to the internet the spreadsheet will save automatically while you are using it. To access your spreadsheet in the future simply head to sheets.google.com to find an overview and access all your spreadsheets!

Accessing & opening The Spreadsheet

  • When you click on the link in the PDF a page will open in your internet browser. In the top right corner you will see a button that says “Use Template”. After you click this button a personal copy of this spreadsheet, only accessible by you, should open within seconds.

    Unfortunately, Google Sheets can be a bit glitchy from time to time. If it does not open, or if it opens in a view only mode try the following:

    • View only mode: in the top toolbar, click “File” → “Make a copy”. This will create a copy of the spreadsheet that will provide you with full access. If that does not work try the troubleshooting options down below.

    • Open the spreadsheet from a computer or laptop: We have noticed that when trying to open the spreadsheet for the first time from a phone, tablet or similar devices that it does not always open. For that reason we recommend opening the spreadsheet from a computer or laptop for the first time.

    • Make sure there is enough space on your Google Drive: If your Google Drive is full, or near full, it will not allow you to enter the spreadsheets (it will show view only instead). You can check if you have enough space available by going to drive.google.com, in the left hand side menu you will be able to see how much storage you have left in your Google Drive.

    • Try a different browser: If you still have trouble accessing the spreadsheet make sure to check if your browser is up to date. If your browser is up to date and it is still not working then try a different browser.

    • Make sure you are logged into Google Sheets: The spreadsheet will not open if you are not logged in to your Google Sheets account or if you are trying to open the template in an incognito window. If your spreadsheet is not opening try the following:

      • Close all tabs and windows in which you tried to open the spreadsheet

      • Head to sheets.google.com

      • Log in with the Google account on which you would like to access the spreadsheet

      • Head to the PDF, click on the link and click “Use Template”. The spreadsheet should now open.

    If after you have tried all options above you are still experiencing issues be sure to reach out to us on Etsy so we can assist you further.

  • View only mode: in the top toolbar, click “File” → “Make a copy”. This will create a copy of the spreadsheet that will provide you with full access. If that does not work try the troubleshooting options down below.

    • Open the spreadsheet from a computer or laptop: We have noticed that when trying to open the spreadsheet for the first time from a phone, tablet or similar devices that it does not always open. For that reason we recommend opening the spreadsheet from a computer or laptop for the first time.

    • Make sure there is enough space on your Google Drive: If your Google Drive is full, or near full, it will not allow you to enter the spreadsheets (it will show view only instead). You can check if you have enough space available by going to drive.google.com, in the left hand side menu you will be able to see how much storage you have left in your Google Drive.

    • Try a different browser: If you still have trouble accessing the spreadsheet make sure to check if your browser is up to date. If your browser is up to date and it is still not working then try a different browser.

    • Make sure you are logged into Google Sheets: The spreadsheet will not open if you are not logged in to your Google Sheets account or if you are trying to open the template in an incognito window. If your spreadsheet is not opening try the following:

      • Close all tabs and windows in which you tried to open the spreadsheet

      • Head to sheets.google.com

      • Log in with the Google account on which you would like to access the spreadsheet

      • Head to the PDF, click on the link and click “Use Template”. The spreadsheet should now open.

    If after you have tried all options above you are still experiencing issues be sure to reach out to us on Etsy so we can assist you further.

  • It could happen that you made the purchase only to realize that you would like to access the spreadsheet with a different email address. Not to worry, our spreadsheets are not tied to the email address of your Etsy account. After you have made your purchase you can open it with any Google account, even if you already accessed it with a different Google Account.

    To access it with the right Google Account:

    • Head to sheets.google.com

    • Log in with the Google Account that you would like to use to access the spreadsheet

    • Head to the PDF, click the link and click “Use Template”

    • Your spreadsheet will now be linked to the right Google Account

  • If you would like to access the spreadsheet with multiple Google Accounts, for example because you would like to share your budget with your partner. Take the following steps:

    • In the top right corner of the spreadsheet you will see a big green “Share” button, click it.

    • In the bar that says “add people or groups” type in the email address of the person you would like to share the spreadsheet with

    • Pick what kind of access you would like to give the person you would like to add:

      • Viewer: the person can see the data in the spreadsheet but not make any changes

      • Editor: The person can view the spreadsheet and make changes

      • Owner: the person can view, edit, and has the option to now remove you from the spreadsheet

    • Click on the send button

  • While you will need an internet browser to edit your spreadsheet, Google Sheets has made it possible for you to edit and access your spreadsheet offline. You can find more information regarding using and editing your spreadsheet online on the Google Docs Help Platform here.

  • While we recommend opening the spreadsheet for the first time on your computer or laptop, there are no restrictions on which devices you can open or edit your spreadsheet. If you would like to access your spreadsheet on your tablet or phone we highly recommend downloading the Google Sheets app to make accessing the spreadsheets easier.

  • All our spreadsheets available in our store are specifically designed for Google Sheets and will not function properly on Excel or any other programme. While Google Sheets and Excel are similar programmes, they have large differences in their formulas and how formulas are set up. When a spreadsheet is exported to an Excel format the formulas won’t translate with it properly and the spreadsheet will not function as designed. For that reason we highly recommend not to export your spreadsheet and to only use the spreadsheet in Google Sheets.

  • Google Sheets is an online programme that is accessed through your internet browser or the app on mobile devices. As long as you are connected to the internet the spreadsheet will save automatically while you are using it. To access your spreadsheet in the future simply head to sheets.google.com to find an overview and access all your spreadsheets!

  • You can use this spreadsheet for as many months or years as you like! You can duplicate the month tab (instructions in the tips & tricks section above) for as many months as needed, all you have to do is adjust the year and the month on the top left corner of the budget tab!

Using Google Sheets

  • Google Sheets is an online programme that is accessed through your internet browser or the app on mobile devices. As long as you are connected to the internet the spreadsheet will save automatically while you are using it. To access your spreadsheet in the future simply head to sheets.google.com to find an overview and access all your spreadsheets!

  • All our spreadsheets available in our store are specifically designed for Google Sheets and will not function properly on Excel or any other programme. While Google Sheets and Excel are similar programmes, they have large differences in their formulas and how formulas are set up. When a spreadsheet is exported to an Excel format the formulas won’t translate with it properly and the spreadsheet will not function as designed. For that reason we highly recommend not to export your spreadsheet and to only use the spreadsheet in Google Sheets.

  • We protect all the formulas in our spreadsheets with warnings so you can use the spreadsheet worry free. However, it can still be that you made a change that altered the function of the spreadsheet. Luckily Google allows you to go back to a previous version, even if you closed your browser tab. To go back to a version of your spreadsheet that worked simply click (in the top toolbar) “File” and then “Version History”. You can have a look at the different days and switch back to a version of the spreadsheet that worked as intended.

  • At this moment we don't accept any requests for customising spreadsheets, however, you are of course free to edit and make modifications to the spreadsheet yourself!

    We have added warnings to the spreadsheets that will prevent you from making changes to any formulas that would alter the function of the spreadsheet. However, the spreadsheet is not locked and you will be able to make any changes as you see fit!

Spreadsheet Related FAQs

  • Our spreadsheet are set up for the exact amount of subcategories included, which means that it is not possible to add more subcategories.

  • Almost all of our budget, overview and dashboard pages (this depends on the spreadsheet you purchased) contain data filters. These data filters allow you to show to show data entered on the tracker tabs (such as a log tab) only for the dates selected. If you don’t see any data check if you have set the right dates on the top left of your budget, dashboard or overview page.

    If the data is still not showing make sure to check if your amounts are entered as “10.00” not “10,00”, Google Sheets uses a . not a , when reading transactions (this can be changed by changing the country in the settings, more information about this is available on our tips page). Also be sure to enter an amount, date, category and subcategory for every transaction!

  • The formulas that show the “actual” data in your budget page match the name of the subcategory to the name you select in the log tab. When a subcategories name is empty and data is showing up this means that a transaction was logged without a subcategory (basically it matches the empty subcategory name in the log tab to the empty subcategory name on the budget tab). Adding a subcategory to your transaction will fix this issue!

  • The graphs on the top of your budget or overview page will either be empty or show an error code when you first open the spreadsheet. This is because it simply has no data to read. Once you start adding transactions to your log tab the graphs will update automatically and start showing data!

  • If you are using this spreadsheet on the Google Sheets app then the amount will not be visible due to the more limited functions of the app. The app makes all backgrounds white instead of transparent which hides the number. You will be able to read the amount in the Cash Flow overview on the left instead!

  • You don’t have to enter your transactions in chronological order, the spreadsheet will read the date, amount and subcategory and will match it to the right month/paycheck. However, you might like to organise your transactions in the log tab to make it easier to read your own transactions. To organise your transactions in chronological order by date simply take the following steps:

    • Right click on the date column name “A”.

    • A menu will pop up, select “Sort Sheet A to Z”.

    • Your transactions will now be in chronological order!

  • Most of our budgets have a log tab that has space for ± 1000 transactions, however, it you have been using your budget for a while you might realise that you need more! Luckily you can add as many more as you need. We share in detail (with images) how to add more on our Google Sheets Tips Page!

  • The Google Sheets spreadsheets are standard set to have a mm/dd/yyyy date entry in every date field. While you can double click to select a date we know you might like to type in the date manually instead. If you are not from the USA and prefer to use a dd/mm/yyyy entry you can easily switch this! To do this (in the browser version of Google Sheets):

    • Click on File

    • Clicking on Settings

    • Change the country to your country of residence. If you live in the USA but prefer to use a dd/mm/yyyy entry pick a country outside of the USA (such as the UK) to change the date format entry.

    It might be good to know that this changes the way you can enter the days, it does not change the ways it shows the days! If you want to change this you can click on the fields for which you would like the format to change and click on Format > Number > Custom Date and Time. This will allow you to change it to any format you like!

  • If you are using one of our “+” spreadsheets or have purchased a sinking funds add-on for your budget you might be wondering how to withdraw money from the savings tab! Luckily this is quite easy, simply log a negative transaction, for example “-100”, this will withdraw the money from the savings tab and make it available again for the month/paycheck you have entered the transactions for!

    This money will now be available to be spend so make sure to enter the transaction on what you spent it on as well as a regular transaction. This way you will update your funds balance and still be able to keep track of what your money actually was spent on!

  • If at any point in time you need to update a balance of a debt, for example if you have used a credit card or if annual fees were charged to the credit card, then simply follow these steps:

    • Locate the debt and the month for which you want it to update

    • Click on the balance field and type over the balance with the the new balance

    • A warning will pop up, you can click “Okay”

    The calculations will now update for the months after.

  • You can adjust the start date on the start tab, it is located in the same section where you enter the debt info. Here you can adjust the monthly extra, choose a payoff method and adjust the start date.

Change Log

The current spreadsheet version is: 7-101223

We always aim to improve our spreadsheet so we regularly make updates to include new functions or improve the already existing functions of the spreadsheet. For that reason we recommend checking out the change log for any updates so you can enjoy the newly updated version of the spreadsheet if available.

As of 26th of January 2023 you can find your spreadsheet version on the read me tab or the start tab (below the title in row 4). If you cannot find a spreadsheet version or your spreadsheet has a different spreadsheet version then the current version above then you can access the most up to date version by simply clicking on the link in the PDF included with your purchase.

You can find a full change log of all updates made to the spreadsheet below.

UPDATES INCLUDED IN THE 7-101223 UPDATE (10 Dec 2023)

  • Start tab - On the start tab you can select the option to easily see where you need to enter your info. All feeds where info need to be entered, or can be changed will turn yellow.

  • Start tab - You will now be able to enter a start balance on the start tab.

  • Budget tab - A new section has been added to the budget pages that will now load all your transactions in chronological order for you on your budget tab. There is now also a balance tracker as well as a spending breakdown added.

  • Budget tab - Subcategories that are higher then planned will now be coloured.

  • Savings tab - You can now switch between percentages and balances to see your progress.

  • Savings tab - Below each graph it will show the balance for those who are using the Google Sheets app.

  • Debt tab - The debt tab has been redesigned.

  • Balance tracker - A new tab has been added that allows you to keep track of up to 25 account balances

  • Calendar tab - You can now plan a full year of pay days below the calendar

  • Annual tab - The annual tab has been completely redesigned with new graphs and new overviews

UPDATES INCLUDED IN THE 7-190923 UPDATE (19 Aug 2023)

  • Savings tab - the savings tab has been updated for more flexibility. Now if no goal is added, for example because the fund has no goal, the months left section on this tab will show “Ongoing”.

UPDATES INCLUDED IN THE 1-310723 UPDATE (31 July 2023)

  • An error was found in the debt add on. Field N53 had a link back to the wrong field causing the date to jump back 15 to 16 months. You can fix this by clicking on the field above (such as N52), right clicking and clicking copy. Now click on the field below, right click and click paste. You can also download the latest version of the spreadsheet where this issue has been fixed.


UPDATES INCLUDED IN THE 7-220323 UPDATE

*Please note that another update was made on the 9th of April due to the rollover not taking the irregular bills and subscriptions into account. This has now been fixed.

  • The spreadsheet was redesigned to include up to 30 income subcategories, 38 bills, and 40 savings, expense and debt subcategories. Previously could add up to 15 income and 25 savings, bills, expense and debt subcategories.

  • The calendar tab was redesigned. You can now see which bills have been paid on the calendar.

  • The worksheet was completely redesigned to create a more organised overview.

  • The budget tab now has the option to switch graphs (drop-down) so you can now see how much there is left to budget and how much there is left to spend. In addition you can now start on any day of the month.

  • The savings tab was redesigned. It has not changed in function, just in design.

  • A net worth tracker was added.

  • The payments planner tab was redesigned to make it easier to add biweekly and weekly bills.


UPDATES INCLUDED IN THE 7-060223 UPDATE

  • All formulas in the debt snowball have been updated: interest on the balances were calculated after the payment was made instead of before the payment was made. This has now been updated, interest on the balances is now added before the payment is made.

UPDATES INCLUDED IN THE 7-260123 UPDATE:

  • The number format has been changed to include decimal separators (1,000 instead of 1000).

  • The formulas in the budget tab have been updated to now take not only the subcategory name but also the category name into account.

UPDATES MADE PRE VERSION 7-260123

  • 18.12.2022 - The spreadsheet (all colours but rainbow) was updated due to a the irregular bills planned section not updating on the month tabs.

  • 06.12.2022 - The left to spent graph was updated on the budget tabs as it read the wrong data.

  • 13.11.2022 - The debt snowball tab was updated to include a bunch of new features: you will now be able to see how much you have paid & there is left to pay in the overview, you will be able to add or subtract amounts to your planned payments, you do not have to enter your debts in order from smallest to largest anymore in the start tab as the spreadsheet will now organise it for you. The last addition is that if you pay a larger debt off earlier then planned the amount will now snowball back into the smaller debts!

  • 8.11.2022 - Savings section #5 on the savings tab was updated due to the “Left to save” formula not updating.

  • 6.11.2022 - The budget tab was updated to include a rollover function. Under the “Budget vs. Actual” you now have the option to select a checkbox to include any money leftover from previous budgets, this amount will now “Rollover” into your latest budget and be included in your “Left to spend”. Leaving it unchecked will mean this amount will not be included.

  • 3.11.2022 - The savings tab was replaced for a new and updated version of the savings tab that includes a graph for each savings/sinking fund.

  • 09.10.2022 - The START II tab was adjusted to include checkboxes and the option to change due dates on the START II tab. In addition a new calendar tab was added that now shows the amounts due on the calendar, and also has the option to add pay dates to the calendar.

  • 07.10.2022 - The spreadsheet was updated to accommodate tracking subscriptions and irregular bills (such as annual or quarterly bills). All monthly pages, the calendar and start tab were updated, a new page to set up this added feature was added.

  • 28.09.2022 - The bill calendar was updated to now include an option to start the week on either Sunday or Monday. The debt snowball tab was updated as the overview totalled only the top 20 rows. The update did not alter the function of the spreadsheet, only the totals in the overview.

  • 29.09.2022 - 5 More subcategories have been added to the spreadsheet which means you can now track up to 15 income subcategories (previously 10) and 25 bill, expense, savings and debt subcategories (previously 20).

  • 27.09.2022 - Updates were made to the year tab (income month by month, January section) due to an error in the formula.