Finances can be a worry, but thanks to Google Sheets, tracking your spending doesn't have to be a hassle. You also don't need to invest in another software.
With a simple expense tracker built with Google Sheets, you can track your expenses and make sure you're not overspending.
What should your spending tracker include?
Tracking your spending can seem like a very complicated task if you've never done it before, but keeping things simple will help you get started. Start by creating two sheets in a spreadsheet – one to record costs and the other to summarize and visualize them.
The first worksheet must have at least the following 5 columns:
- Location: The store you went to
- Generic: Type of item you purchased
- Amount: Total amount you paid in that transaction
- Day: the date you made the purchase
- Month: Month with purchase date – this column will be used to create the summary.
You may want to go deeper and track each item individually, but doing so will add a lot of time to the process and you may lose interest. If you often forget what you bought at a store, add a column for quick, general notes or just to keep your receipt.
Create color-coded drop-down menus for spending categories in Google Sheets

You can use drop-down lists in Google Sheets to add categories to your transactions. Doing this will allow you to quickly select an option with just a few clicks, instead of having to enter it manually each time. This also helps keep your input consistent, so you can easily find and organize it later.
You can follow these steps:
- Mark columns Category. Hold CMD or CTRLuncheck the title box.
- Right click with mouse or trackpad. Or, come on in Insert in the top menu. Click Dropdown. Doing this will open the sidebar.
- Enter the categories you want to include in the text field. Click Add another item will generate additional options or you can press Enter or Return on the keyboard.
- Color-code your categories using the drop-down menu to the left of the text field and tap Done.

Then, if you want to go back and edit or add to the drop-down list, you can find the menu again by right-clicking on one of the cells and selecting it again. Dropdown. You can also access it through the menu Data at the top of the screen, where you choose Data validation. Now you will find a list of rules and you can select the rule you want to use.
Format the tracking tool
If you want to keep date and currency formatting consistent in every cell in your Google Sheets, here's how:
Date format
If you're using a date column and want to keep things consistent, you can add specific formatting to your cells. To do this:
- Select the entire column with the letter at the top.
- In your toolbar, click More formats – its symbol is 123.
- Select Date – next to it is an example of how the date will display.

Alternatively, you can do this by going to the menu Format at the top and below Numberselect Date or Custom date and time.
Month format
Instead of entering the month every time you enter any transaction, it is better to use the TEXT function that automatically extracts and displays the month name from the purchase date. To do this, go to the first row in the Month column and enter the following:
=TEXT(tham chiếu của ô chứa ngày tương ứng, "mmm")

So, if the date is in cell D2, the formula will be as follows:
=TEXT(D2, "mmm")
This will return the first three letters of the month in the Month column. After applying to the first cell, you can highlight the first cell and drag it down to apply to other cells in the column.
Currency format
To add currency formatting to an amount column, select the entire column > More formats and click the dollar sign ($) on the toolbar. You can also find the option in the menu Format under Number. Here, you can choose Currency, Currency rounded and Custom currency.

Custom Currencies let you switch the way decimals and symbols are displayed, specify what type of dollars you're using, or choose a different currency altogether.
Create cost summaries using functions
Once you've created the worksheet to record your expenses, switch to a new worksheet to summarize your expenses.
From cells B1 to M1, enter the first three letters of each month's name. Column N will be used for the total category. Similarly, from the second cell of column A, start entering the expense categories.
Make sure to include the same categories as in the first sheet's drop-down list. After entering all categories, the next cell in the column will be used for Monthly total.
Now that you have the basic structure, it's time to use the SUMIFS function to populate the summary. This function will sum the selected range if multiple conditions are met.
In cell B2, enter the formula
=SUMIFS(Phạm vi cột Amount của trang tính đầu tiên, Phạm vi cột Category của trang tính đầu tiên, A2, Phạm vi cột Month của trang tính đầu tiên, B1).
Next, make all cell references absolute by selecting the cell reference and pressing F4. Next, delete the symbol $ appears before 2 (in A2) and B (in B1).

In the example, the function would look like this:
=SUMIFS(Sheet2!$C$2:$C$100,Sheet2!$B$2:$B$100,$A2,Sheet2!$E$2:$E$100,B$1)
After entering the formula, select cell B2 and drag it down to the last cell before the Monthly total row. Then select the entire range from the cell B2 Go to the last cell before Monthly total and drag right until you reach the column M.
Next, in column N2enter the formula =SUM(B2:M2) and scroll down. Similarly, use the SUM function in Monthly total to add up the expenses of all categories incurred in a specific month.

Now, whenever you add expenses to your first sheet, Google Sheets will continue to add them to the relevant month and category in the summary. Furthermore, you can see how much you spend each month and how much you spent on a specific category during the year.
Visualize costs with pie charts and sparklines
To better understand your spending habits, you can visualize your expenses using Google Sheets.
First, add a sparkline to see how your spend on a specific category changes each month. In cell O2, enter the formula below:
=SPARKLINE(B2:M2)
Then, scroll down to the last category. You can also customize the sparkline's appearance.

Next, add a pie chart to see a detailed breakdown by category of total costs. To do this, select Insert > Chart. This will add a new chart and open the chart editor in the sidebar.
From the chart type drop-down list, select Pie charts or 3D Pie charts. In Data rangeadd scope N1:N8 (or whatever your last cell is). Then click Add label and the 4 square icon to select the data range for the label.
Here, enter the range A1:A8. Sheets will now display a pie chart showing your cost breakdown.

Use filters to view spending categories
If you want to sort or hide transactions, you can add filters to your Google Sheets. To do this, select the column you want to sort and click the icon Create a filter on the toolbar. Three lines will appear next to the column headings.
Click on the three lines and you will see a list of options. In category columns you can use Filter by value To quickly display a category, use the checklist below the title to select and deselect them by name.
You can also use Sort A to Z in the amount column to view your transaction from least expensive to most expensive or Sort Z to A to sort in reverse.

With this simple expense tracker, you can manage your spending well. Plus, unlike templates you download from the Internet, if something goes wrong with your spreadsheet, you'll know exactly how to fix it.
You can use the Google Sheets app on your phone to easily enter transactions on the go. That way, you don't have to deal with everything at the end of the month. Better yet, you can create a spreadsheet to plan your spending in advance.