Cash Book Template

Template Overview

A cash book is a simple, day-by-day record of the cash coming in and going out of your business. It is one of the most important records a small business or shop can keep because it tells you exactly how much cash you have at any moment. This fully automatic cash book template makes it effortless: enter the date, a short description, the voucher number, and the amount received or paid — the Balance column updates automatically using a running-total formula. Set your opening balance at the top, and the template tracks every transaction, totals your receipts and payments, and calculates your closing balance for you. No accounting software needed.

Who should use a cash book

• Small shops and retailers — daily cash-in / cash-out and end-of-day closing
• Freelancers and consultants taking cash payments from clients
• Restaurants, salons, cafes, and service businesses — high volume of small cash transactions
• Trusts, societies, and small clubs required to maintain a cash record
• Anyone who deals in cash and wants to know their true balance without guessing

Cash book vs day book vs ledger — which do you actually need?

These three sound similar but do different things:

• Cash book — records only cash and bank transactions in chronological order with a running balance. This is what you use daily.
• Day book (journal) — records every transaction of every kind (cash, credit, purchases, sales) in date order, but does NOT keep a running balance.
• Ledger — a summary of every account (customer, supplier, expense head) with debits, credits, and closing balances per account.

A cash book is a specialised day book focused only on cash and bank. For a small business, the cash book plus an expense tracker covers 90% of what you need.

Single-column vs double-column vs triple-column cash book

• Single-column cash book — records only cash (receipts on one side, payments on the other). Simplest.
• Double-column cash book — adds a bank column so cash and bank transactions live in the same book. Best for shops that deposit cash daily.
• Triple-column cash book — adds a discount column for cash discounts given or received. Used mostly by traders.

This template is a modern single-column format optimised for spreadsheets — receipts and payments in adjacent columns with a running balance. Add a Bank In / Bank Out pair of columns if you want the double-column version.

What the "running balance" really does

Every row's Balance cell contains a formula like = previous balance + Receipt − Payment. This means:

• The balance never falls behind — you always see cash on hand at any point in the day.
• If the physical cash in your drawer does not match the closing balance, you have an entry missing or entered wrong. This is called cash reconciliation.
• At month-end, the closing balance rolls into the opening balance of the next month — no fresh setup required.

Step-by-step: how to use this template

1. Download the file and open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice.
2. Enter your opening balance in the top cell — the exact cash you have on hand right now.
3. For each transaction, add the date, a short description (e.g. "Sale — Invoice 042", "Rent paid"), the voucher number, and the amount in either Receipt (In) or Payment (Out).
4. The Balance column recalculates automatically — no manual maths.
5. At end of day or end of period, count physical cash in the drawer and compare with the closing balance. Any mismatch is a missing entry.
6. Roll over — copy the closing balance into the opening balance cell of a new sheet for the next month.

Common cash book mistakes to avoid

• Recording cash entries days later — receipts get lost, memory fails. Enter as they happen.
• Skipping small transactions — a hundred ₹10 entries adds up to a real cash gap.
• Mixing personal cash with business cash — keeps the balance meaningless. Keep them in separate files.
• Editing an old entry without noting it — you lose the ability to reconcile. Add a correction row instead.
• No voucher / bill reference — cash entries without a supporting document are the first thing an auditor questions.

Cash book and GST — what you need to know

Under GST, every registered business must maintain proper books of accounts including a cash book that reflects all cash receipts and payments (CGST Rule 56). Even for a shop that mostly runs on cash, this template gives you an auditor-friendly record: date, particulars, voucher, receipt, payment, running balance. Print at month-end and file it alongside your bills for a complete trail.

What to pair with your cash book

Your cash book gives you the day-by-day movement, but three related templates round out your accounting stack:

• Business Expense Tracker — groups your payments into categories (rent, salaries, marketing) so you can see where money goes each month.
• Profit and Loss Statement — takes your revenue and expenses and tells you if the business made money.
• GST Invoice Template — for issuing tax invoices whose totals then land in your cash book as receipts.

For step-by-step guidance, read: How to Track Business Expenses in Excel and How to Make a Profit and Loss Statement in Excel.

Features

• Automatic running balance after every entry
• Opening and closing balance calculated for you
• Totals receipts and payments automatically
• Simple columns: date, particulars, voucher, in, out
• Works in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice

Instructions

1. Download the file and open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice.
2. Enter your opening balance in the cell at the top.
3. For each transaction, add the date, a short description, and the voucher number.
4. Put money received in the 'Receipt (In)' column and money paid in 'Payment (Out)'.
5. The Balance column updates automatically after every entry.
6. Check the totals and closing balance at the bottom at the end of the period.

FAQ