Free spreadsheet
Balance Sheet Template
Set out what the business owns, what it owes and the owner’s equity at one date. The workbook totals each side and shows any difference plainly — it never invents a figure to make the sheet balance.
What does the business own and owe on this date?
How it adds up
Total assets = current assets + non-current assetsTotal liabilities = current liabilities + non-current liabilitiesDifference = total assets − (total liabilities + total equity)Example: cash 8,000 + receivables 5,000 + inventory 2,000 + equipment at net book value 10,000 = 25,000 of assets. Payables 4,000 + loans 9,000 (3,000 due this year, 6,000 later) + equity 12,000 = 25,000. Difference: 0. Take 1,000 off the cash and the sheet shows a 1,000 difference.
Common questions
What if it does not balance?
The difference stays visible and the sheet says it does not balance. It never adds a balancing figure to equity. A difference usually means a missing or mistyped item: find it in your records.
Does a zero difference mean my figures are right?
No. It means they add up — assets equal liabilities plus equity. An item left out on both sides, or a wrong figure balanced by another, still adds up. The sheet calls it “arithmetically balanced” for that reason.
How do I enter a loan?
Split the balance once: the part repayable in the next 12 months is a current liability, and only the rest goes under non-current. Together they equal the lender’s statement. Entering the whole loan as non-current as well would count the current part twice.
Can equity be negative?
Yes. If liabilities are larger than assets — for example after losses — equity is negative, and the sheet shows it as it is.
Does it link to my accounting software?
No. It is a standalone file with no links to other workbooks or systems. Enter each amount from your records.
Which spreadsheet apps does it work in?
It is a standard .xlsx file with no macros. We checked the example, a 1,000 discrepancy, negative equity, missing items and a double-counted loan in LibreOffice Calc. It has not been tested in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.