Free project budget template for Excel and Google Sheets
A budget tracker for a single project. You list cost lines with a planned amount, then record what is committed and what has been spent. Variance and percent used are calculated, and totals sit at the bottom.
The .xlsx file opens in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc and Google Sheets (File, then Import). No macros.
What is in the template
- Category, item, planned, committed, actual, variance, percent of plan used and notes for 40 lines.
- Variance as planned minus actual, shown in red when a line is over budget.
- A totals row with overall percent of plan used.
- Plain number formats, so you can use any currency.
- Five example lines including a contingency line.
How to use it
- List cost lines by category before the project starts and enter the planned amounts.
- Record commitments (signed orders and contracts) as soon as they are made.
- Enter actual spend from invoices or your finance system, monthly at least.
- Watch lines where committed is close to planned: the money is spoken for even if it is not spent yet.
- Keep a contingency line and move money out of it only with a note saying why.
Planned, committed and actual
Tracking only actual spend makes a budget look healthy until the invoices arrive. The committed column shows money already promised, which is the earlier warning.
If your projects bill clients by time, budget tracking often moves into the project tool itself, where time entries roll up against a budget. Our guide to project management software for agencies covers tools that do this.
Common questions
Which currency does the template use?
None. Amounts use a plain number format with two decimals, so you can enter any currency. Add a currency symbol through the cell format if you want one.
What does a negative variance mean?
The line has spent more than planned. Variance is planned minus actual, so overspend shows as a red negative number.
Should contingency be a separate line?
Yes. A visible contingency line makes it clear how much buffer is left and when it is being used.