A rental spreadsheet can help you organize transactions, but cash left in the bank is not the same as rental profit. The free Daxable CSV records money in and money out by property, with a review flag for items that need supporting detail. It is a manual cash log, not a complete accounting system.
What does the free template include?
The download has eight columns: Property, Date, Category, Description, Money in, Money out, Review flag and Notes. Its thirteen illustrative rows show rent, interest, principal, maintenance, roof work, insurance, management fees, taxes, utilities, dues, a refundable security deposit and an owner contribution. Replace all sample rows before using it for your property.
The CSV has no formulas, automatic totals, bank connections, depreciation calculations or tax schedules. It does not produce a balance sheet or reconcile itself. Open it in a spreadsheet application, adjust column widths and save a working copy in that application's native format if you add formulas or formatting. CSV retains the cell values, not those workbook features.
How should you start recording transactions?
Use one entity and bank account per working log, or add clearly labeled Entity and Account columns before combining records. Write the property identifier consistently. Use the transaction date from your supporting record and explain timing differences when checking the bank statement.
Enter an amount in either Money in or Money out, not both. Add a reference to the invoice, statement or payment record in Notes. Where one payment covers several properties or categories, split it into supported lines whose amounts add back to that payment. Do not add the full payment again.
Why separate cash movement from profit?
Illustration only: the sample loan payment is $1,000, split into $650 interest and $350 principal. Both reduce cash, but principal reduces a loan balance rather than creating an operating expense. The example has no escrow; an actual mortgage statement may require another component.
The sample also includes $1,500 labeled as a refundable security deposit and $5,000 contributed by the owner. Neither should be treated as ordinary rent merely because cash arrived. Maintain the related liability or equity records outside this simple log. Transfers between your accounts also need separate treatment so they do not inflate income and expenses.
How do you flag repairs and improvements?
Describe what the contractor actually did, attach the invoice and mark uncertain work for review. The sample uses Maintenance candidate and Improvement candidate as working labels, not final tax decisions.
IRS Publication 527 distinguishes repairs from improvements and discusses depreciation and applicable safe harbors. A roof invoice alone does not establish a deduction amount or timing. Ask your tax professional to determine treatment from the work, property use and applicable rules. This spreadsheet calculates none of those tax adjustments.
How do you check the log monthly?
Compare the complete log for one bank account and period with that account's statement. Trace each deposit and withdrawal, identify missing or duplicate entries, and keep a list of timing differences. Explain the difference between beginning cash plus receipts minus payments and ending cash. The sample rows cover selected transactions, not a complete month, so they cannot demonstrate a finished reconciliation.
If a property manager sends a net payout, use the owner statement to understand gross rent, fees, reserves and other deductions. Do not record both the net payout as new rental income and the underlying gross rent without a clearing process. Compare your records with the manager's statement and raise unexplained differences.
When is this spreadsheet not enough?
Move to a more complete workflow when you need linked bank reconciliations, tenant balances, multiple entities, loan schedules, approval controls or property-level financial statements. The decision depends on the records and review workload, not a universal number of properties.
This log is not a trust-accounting system. It does not maintain tenant and owner subsidiary ledgers or prove a three-way reconciliation. A property-management company holding other people's money needs appropriate account controls and review of applicable requirements. The <a href="/bookkeeping/property-managers/">property-management bookkeeping page</a> explains the operating scope.
What should your CPA receive?
Provide the checked transaction records, bank and loan statements, invoices, manager statements, deposit balances and a list of unresolved classification questions. Keep personal transactions and owner funding identifiable. Your CPA still needs the facts required for tax treatment; a category label is not a filing instruction.
Daxable can scope <a href="/bookkeeping/real-estate-investors/">real estate investor bookkeeping</a> and a monthly close around your properties and entities. Historical cleanup is assessed separately. Daxable does not prepare or file income-tax returns or provide tax or legal advice. Download the CSV below if a manual record is enough for now.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the rental bookkeeping template really free?
Yes. The CSV downloads without a form. It contains thirteen illustrative transaction rows, not your records. Replace the samples and keep a backup before using it.
Does the template calculate rental profit?
No. It is a cash log with no formulas or automatic reports. Principal, deposits, owner funding and transfers must be distinguished from operating income and expenses before you prepare financial statements.
Can I use it in Excel or Google Sheets?
You can import the CSV into a spreadsheet application. Check the dates and numeric columns after import. Save in the application's native format if you add formulas, formatting or additional sheets; those features are not retained in CSV.
Does the repair label determine my tax deduction?
No. Candidate categories flag work for review. Keep invoices and work descriptions, and ask your tax professional to determine the applicable treatment. The template does not calculate deductions or depreciation.
Can a property manager use it for trust accounting?
Not as a complete trust-accounting system. It lacks tenant and owner ledgers, account controls and three-way reconciliation. A separate controlled workflow is needed for funds held for others.
Will Daxable file my rental tax return?
No. Daxable provides bookkeeping and management-use financial records. Your tax professional determines tax treatment and handles tax-return preparation and filing.