Construction expense tracker
A construction expense tracker logs every cost with its date, supplier, job and category, so you can see what each job really cost and hand your accountant clean totals. Download the free Excel tracker: enter each expense on the day, choose a job and category, and it totals spending by category and by job and counts missing receipts.
On this page
What the tracker does
The workbook has two sheets. The first is a fictional October for a small contractor running two jobs; the second is blank for your own costs. Each sheet holds 100 expense rows and a summary at the top that updates as you type.
- Totals by category: materials, subcontractors, equipment rental, tools, fuel and vehicle, permits and fees, dumpster and disposal, insurance and other.
- Totals by job: type up to five job names and each one totals itself from the rows below.
- Overhead: costs with no job, such as insurance or a replacement saw, add up on their own line.
- Receipts missing: a count of rows marked No, so you know what to chase before month end.
How to use it
- Write each job name once in the Totals by job cells, then pick the same name on every cost for that job. A typo starts a separate total, so copy the name rather than retyping it.
- Log costs the day you pay them: date, supplier, a short description and the amount including any sales tax you paid.
- Leave the Job cell empty for costs that belong to the business as a whole.
- Choose how you paid. Mark Personal funds when you used your own card or cash, so you can repay yourself or record it as money put into the business.
- Mark Receipt? as Yes only when you have the receipt or invoice saved. Chase every No before the month closes.
Worked example: October on two jobs
The example sheet shows a fictional contractor with a kitchen remodel and a deck build in progress. Ten costs add up to $8,211.95. The kitchen job carries $4,775.50, including a $2,200 electrical subcontract and a $310 permit. The deck carries $2,947.05, most of it decking and joists. Fuel, a replacement saw and the monthly insurance premium, $489.40 in all, are overhead.
One dumpster invoice has no receipt yet, so the tracker shows one missing receipt and a note to ask the supplier for a copy.
| Summary line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel, 14 Oak St | $4,775.50 |
| Deck build, 3 Pine Ave | $2,947.05 |
| Overhead (no job) | $489.40 |
| Total expenses | $8,211.95 |
| Materials (largest category) | $4,642.55 |
| Receipts missing | 1 |
Job costing: why the job column matters
Totals by job let you compare what a job cost with what you charged for it. If the kitchen remodel was quoted at $9,000 for the work so far, $4,775.50 of costs leaves $4,224.50 before your own time and overhead. Seeing that while the job is still running tells you whether a variation or change order needs to be priced in.
Job totals also make supplier statements easier to check. When a lumber yard bills two jobs on one monthly account, the job column shows which deliveries belong where.
Choosing the right category
- Materials: anything that becomes part of the job, such as lumber, drywall, fixtures and fasteners.
- Subcontractors: other trades you pay to do part of a job. Keep their invoices with the rows.
- Equipment rental: hired machines and tools, kept apart from tools you buy.
- Tools: tools you keep. In the US, items up to $2,500 per invoice or item can usually be deducted in the year you buy them if you elect the IRS de minimis safe harbor; ask your accountant whether you use it.
- Fuel and vehicle: fuel, repairs and parking for work vehicles.
- Permits and fees: building permits, inspections and licence renewals.
- Dumpster and disposal: roll-off dumpsters, landfill and haul-away charges.
- Insurance: general liability, tools cover and workers’ compensation premiums.
Receipts and the month-end check
The IRS expects records that support every deduction, such as receipts, invoices and cancelled checks. A tracker row is a summary, not a receipt, so keep the original document for each line.
At month end, compare the tracker with your bank and card statements so nothing is missing or counted twice, then send your accountant the totals with the receipts behind them. FigureLane can collect emailed receipts and read photos of paper ones, so each tracker row has its original attached.
Paying subcontractors
Subcontractor rows often lead to tax paperwork: Form 1099-NEC in the US and CIS in the UK. The construction invoice guide covers both rules in full.
Common questions
Is the construction expense tracker free?
Yes. Download and reuse it without an account. It works in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice.
Should I enter amounts with or without sales tax?
Enter what you actually paid, including any sales tax, unless your accountant asks you to separate tax you can reclaim.
How many jobs can the tracker total?
Five at a time in the summary. For more jobs, start a new copy each month or add more job rows following the same formula.
Where do tools go if I keep them for years?
Use the Tools category. Whether you deduct them at once or over several years depends on the cost and your accountant’s approach, such as the IRS de minimis safe harbor in the US.
Do I still need the receipts if I use the tracker?
Yes. The tracker summarises your costs; the receipts and invoices are the evidence for each one.